July 16, 2008

Fishman Haygood Ranked Top Louisiana Corporate Firm

For the sixth year in a row, we were ranked at the top of Louisiana corporate and M&A law firms by America’s Leading Business Lawyers, published by Chambers & Partners.  The UK-based legal publishing company bases its rankings on personal interviews with clients and attorneys across the United States.

Chambers particularly highlighted our “dominant” securities law practice and our concentration of “high-caliber” lawyers.  Every one of our partners over age 35 was ranked as a top practitioner in his or her field. 

Here’s what Chambers had to say about us: 

Corporate / Mergers & Acquisitions:  “These 15 high-caliber lawyers handle corporate consulting and transactions, M&A, company and corporation formation and equity investments.  As a boutique, the firm focuses on providing its regional clients with the absolute best in corporate services.Louis Fishman specializes in business transactions.  He also advises clients on various corporate and securities issues and handles family business disputes. Paul Haygood handles corporate finance and planning matters, representing a number of financial institutions.  Peers ‘think the world of Robert Walmsley ’ and his broad corporate practice, calling him ‘a great problem solver.’John Werner is known for tackling sophisticated matters, such as the financing of transactions in the private M&A, private equity and mezzanine lender markets.”

Banking & Finance:  “This 15-lawyer commercial boutique stands out for its pure banking practice.  The New Orleans-based firm represents an impressive list of local and regional banks, including Whitney National Bank, First Community Bank, Omni Bank and First NBC Bank in all loan and M&A transactions. Scott Willis is head of the real estate and commercial finance groups.  He handles real estate financing transactions, having recently handled the lending for multifamily housing developments, and bond investments for a shopping center refinancing.  He continues to advise Sterling Properties on a series of developments on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.”

General Commercial Litigation: “Not only is this group preeminent in First Amendment and media law in Louisiana, representing a number of media outlets including The Times-Picayune and The Associated Press, but it is also well known for securities disputes.  Peers praise the team for being boutique-like in its focus and business-oriented in its approach, calling it ‘a superb deal-maker.’  Head of the litigation practice James Swanson is ‘a solid trial lawyer known for getting great results for his clients.’  His practice spans media, securities and tax.  His skill in the latter is highlighted by his representation of the State of Louisiana, which is suing BP for $100 million in tax. Loretta Mince is ‘great for First Amendment and media work.’  She is currently representing The Times-Picayune and CNN against the State Attorney General and Orleans Parish Coroner over the public’s right to access records related to the deaths at Memorial Medical Center following Hurricane Katrina.”

Back to News Page