Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense
- Telephone: 225-346-0285
- Fax: 225-381-9197
- E-Mail: info@phelps.com
- Website: www.phelpsdunbar.com
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4412, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4412
Practice Areas
- Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Appellate Practice
- Bad Faith
- Bankruptcy
- Commercial Litigation
- Complex Litigation
- Construction Litigation
- COVID-19/Coronavirus
- Employment Litigation
- Employment Practices Liability
- Energy
- Environmental Litigation
- ERISA
- Health Care
- Insurance Coverage & Defense
- Intellectual Property
- Jones Act
- Labor and Employment
- Litigation
- Oil and Gas
- Personal Injury
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability
- Professional Liability
- Railroad Law
- Real Estate Litigation
- Reinsurance
- Securities
- Tax Litigation
- Toxic Torts
- Tort Litigation
About Us
With offices positioned along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida, Phelps Dunbar is a regional law firm of nearly 270 attorneys uniquely equipped to serve clients in the major commercial centers of the burgeoning "Third Coast" of the United States. Locations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Tupelo and Gulfport, Mississippi; Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; Tampa, Florida; Mobile, Alabama as well as Raleigh, North Carolina; and London, England enable Phelps Dunbar to serve clients not only along the Third Coast, but also the South, nationwide and abroad.
Regardless of a client's size or stage of development, we believe that successful legal representation begins with a clear understanding of our client's business, industry and objectives, followed by collaboration with the client to achieve the best possible results. Our lawyers and our support staff work together to deepen client relationships through a commitment to understanding their businesses and their goals, and we strive to advance our clients' interests by providing excellent, effective and efficient legal services and creative solutions across all areas of our practice.
Additional Locations
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Canal Place
- 365 Canal Street, Suite 2000
- New Orleans, Louisiana 70130-6534
- Telephone: 504-566-1311
- Fax: 504-568-9130
- Jackson, Mississippi
- 4270 I-55 North
- P.O. Box 16114 (39236-6114)
- Jackson, Mississippi 39211-6391
- Telephone: 601-352-2300
- Fax: 601-360-9777
- Tupelo, Mississippi
- One Mississippi Plaza
- 201 South Spring Street, Seventh Floor
- P.O. Box 1220 (38802-1220)
- Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
- Telephone: 662-842-7907
- Fax: 662-842-3873
- Gulfport, Mississippi
- 2602 13th Street, Suite 300
- Gulfport, Mississippi 39501
- Telephone: 228-679-1130
- Fax: 228-679-1131
- Houston, Texas
- 910 Louisiana Street, Suite 4300
- Houston, Texas 77002
- Telephone: 713-626-1386
- Fax: 713-626-1388
- Tampa, Florida
- 100 South Ashley Drive, Suite 2000
- Tampa, Florida 33602-5311
- Telephone: 813-472-7550
- Fax: 813-472-7570
- Mobile, Alabama
- 101 Dauphin Street, Suite 1000
- P.O. Box 2727 (36652-2727)
- Mobile, Alabama 36602
- Telephone: 251-432-4481
- Fax: 251-433-1820
- London, United Kingdom
- Lloyd's, Suite 725, Level 7
- 1 Lime Street
- London, United Kingdom EC3M 7DQ
- Telephone: 011-44-207-929-4765
- Fax: 011-44-207-929-0046
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- 4141 Parklake Avenue, Suite 530
- Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
- Telephone: 919-789-5300
- Fax: 919-789-5301
- Dallas, Texas
- 2102 E. State Highway 114, Suite 207
- Southlake, Texas 76092
- Telephone: 817-488-3134
- Fax: 817-488-3214
- Birmingham, Alabama
- 2001 Park Place North
- Birmingham, Alabama 35203
- Telephone: 205-716-5200
Client Information
Insurance Clients
- Acceptance Casualty Insurance Company
- AEGIS
- Aetna Insurance Company
- AFLAC - American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus
- AIG
- Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation
- Allstate Insurance Company
- American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus
- AmTrust Underwriters, Inc.
- Arch Insurance Company (Europe) Ltd.
- Argo
- Argonaut Insurance Company
- Aspen Insurance
- Aspen Insurance UK Limited
- Aspen Re
- Associated Aviation Underwriters
- AXIS Insurance
- Bankers Insurance Group
- Barbican
- Beazley
- Berkley
- Bituminous Insurance Company
- Bluebonnet Life Insurance Company
- Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi
- Britannia Steam Ship Insurance Association Ltd.
- Chartis Insurance
- Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
- CNA
- Commercial Union Insurance Company
- Companion Property and Casualty Group
- Cotton States Insurance
- Criterion Claim Solutions
- ELCO Administrative Services
- Employers Reinsurance Corporation
- Endurance
- Erie Insurance Company
- Esurance Insurance Company
- Evanston Insurance Company
- Farmers Insurance Group
- Fidelity National Financial
- Fireman's Fund Insurance Company
- First Premium Insurance Group, Inc.
- Foremost Insurance Company
- GE Insurance Solutions
- General American Life Insurance Company
- General & Cologne Life Reinsurance of America
- General Reinsurance Corporation
- General Star Indemnity Company
- General Star Management Company
- Glencoe Group
- Global Special Risks, Inc.
- Golden Rule Insurance Company
- Great American Insurance Companies
- Great Southern Life Insurance Company
- Gulf Insurance Group
- Hanover Insurance Group
- The Hartford Insurance Group
- HIIG
- Hiscox
- Homesite Group, Inc.
- Houston Casualty Company
- ICAT
- Indian Harbor Insurance Company
- Infinity Insurance Company
- Ironshore Insurance, Ltd.
- Lexington Insurance Company
- Liberty International Underwriters
- Liberty Mutual
- Life Insurance Company of Alabama
- Louisiana Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company
- Louisiana Health Insurance Association
- Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation*
- Lyndon Property Insurance Company
- Markel
- Meadowbrook
- MetLife Auto & Home
- Munich-American Risk Partners
- NAS Insurance Group
- Nationwide Insurance
- Nautilus Insurance Company
- The Navigators Group, Inc.
- Old American Insurance Company
- OneBeacon Insurance Group
- Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company
- Pioneer
- Prime Syndicate
- QBE
- RenaissanceRe
- Republic Western Insurance Company
- RLI Insurance Company
- Royal & SunAlliance
- RSUI
- St. Paul Travelers
- Scottsdale Insurance Company
- Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.
- Sentry Insurance
- Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company
- SR International Business Insurance Company, Ltd.
- State National Insurance Company, Inc.
- Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association Limited
- Terra Nova Insurance Company Limited
- Torus
- Underwriters at Lloyd's, London
- United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company
- Unitrin Business Insurance
- Vesta Eiendom AS
- Victoria Insurance Group
- West of England Ship Owners Mutual Insurance Association (Luxembourg)
- Westport Insurance Corporation
- XL Catlin
- Zurich
*Principal outside law firm as designated by insurance companies
Personnel Information
Members of the Firm
Shelton Dennis Blunt
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1992
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Ninth Circuits
Memberships:
- National, American, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
- Defense Research Institute
- Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
Education:
- University of Louisiana at Monroe, B.A. (cum laude), 1988
- Southern University Law Center, J.D. (cum laude), 1991
- Emory University School of Law, LL.M., 1992
Virginia Y. Dodd
Baton Rouge, LA and London, United Kingdom
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1997
Memberships:
- Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
- Defense Research Institute
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.S., 1993
- Louisiana State University, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1997
Heather Duplantis
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 2000
- Texas
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
- Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
- State Bar of Texas
Education:
- University of Southwestern Louisiana, B.A. (summa cum laude), 1997
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. (with high honors), 2000
Kelsey Kornick Funes
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1997
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
- Federal, American, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
- Louisiana State Law Institute
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa), 1994
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1997
Susan W. Furr
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1989
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Ninth Circuits
Memberships:
- Federal, American, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
- National Association of Women Lawyers
- Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.A. (cum laude), 1986
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., 1989
Karleen J. Green
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1997
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
- Federal, American, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
- Southwest Benefits Association
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.S., 1994
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., 1997
J. Alan Harrell
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1997
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
- American, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.A., 1994
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., 1997
Michael D. Hunt
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1977
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
- American, Fifth Circuit, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.A., 1974
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., 1977
H. Alston Johnson, III
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1970
Memberships:
- American and Louisiana State Bar Associations
- American Law Institute
- Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
Education:
- Georgetown University, A.B. (cum laude), 1967
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1970
Thomas H. Kiggans
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1984
- Texas, 1985
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
- American, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
- State Bar of Texas
Certifications:
- Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Education:
- Louisiana Tech University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1981
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., 1984
Steven J. Levine
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1984
Memberships:
- American, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
Education:
- University of Maryland, B.S., 1974
- Louisiana State University, M.S., 1977
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., 1984
Freddie Pitcher Jr.
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1973
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
- National, American, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
Education:
- Southern University and A&M College, B.A. Political Science, 1966
- Southern University Law Center, J.D., 1973
Marshall M. Redmon
New Orleans, LA and London, United Kingdom
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1987
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
- Federal, American, Louisiana State, Baton Rouge and Fifth Federal Circuit Bar Associations
- Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- Professional Liability Underwriting Society
Education:
- Rhodes College, B.A., 1984
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1987
Counsel
Jane R. Goldsmith
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1988
Memberships:
- Federal, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.S., 1982
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1988
Jessica Coco Huffman
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 2006
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
- Federal, American (Labor and Employment Section), Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.S. Business Admin. (summa cum laude), 2002
- Louisiana State University Law Center, J.D./B.C.L., 2006
A. Paul LeBlanc, Jr.
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1994
- Texas, 1997
Memberships:
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- State Bar of Texas
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.A., 1988
- Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1994
Amanda W. Messa
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 2005
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
Memberships:
- Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
Education:
- Louisiana State University, B.S. (cum laude), 2001
- Louisiana State University Law Center, J.D., 2005
Gregory T. Stevens
Baton Rouge, LA
Admitted
- Louisiana, 2004
Memberships:
- American, Louisiana State and Baton Rouge Bar Associations
Education:
- Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, B.A., 1999
- University of Virginia, M.A., 2001
- Louisiana State University Law Center, J.D./B.C.L., 2004
Additional Links
(See profile under New Orleans, LA for additional information)
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