Attorney Lance McCardle

Practice Focus

Class Actions/Mass Actions/MDLs, Construction, Governmental Securities Litigation, Lender Liability, Ponzi/Banking Schemes, Real Estate Litigation, Securities and Antitrust, Environmental

Lance McCardle, a partner in our Litigation Section, practices in the areas of securities arbitration and litigation, environmental law, and general commercial litigation. Lance regularly represents investors (both individuals and institutions) in claims against their brokers, investment advisors, and/or investment banks in court or in arbitration proceedings administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). He also represents several landowners in claims against oil and gas companies for damage and land loss caused by oil and gas operations.

“Lance is really compassionate with the clients and very passionate about his advocacy for them. He also has great attention to detail and is an excellent writer.” —Litigation: Securities Client, Chambers and Partners

Lance is a dogged, diligent advocate, which is evidenced by the number of thank you notes sent from clients who are ever grateful for his work in recovering their investment losses. His clients appreciate his candor upfront regarding the strengths and weaknesses of their case and the ongoing advice as their case progresses. Lance will not be outworked by opposing counsel, and he is unwilling to compromise unless he believes his clients are receiving the best possible outcome.

Lance is a fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation and a member of the Louisiana, Texas, Federal, American, and New Orleans Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Public Investor Advocate Bar Association (PIABA) and former editor-in-chief of the PIABA Bar Journal, currently serving on the journal’s editorial board. Additionally, Lance is Treasurer of PIABA’s 2025 Board of Directors.

Lance is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society, and a member of the St. Thomas More Inn of Court. He is also part of the American Association for Justice, Louisiana Association for Justice, and the Academy of New Orleans Trial Lawyers. Lance is a former director of the Younger Lawyers Division of the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and former member of the ABA Securities Law Committee.

Lance has taught litigation skills classes at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and Media Law at Tulane University Law School. He has represented criminal defendants on a pro bono basis.

In 2025, Lance was recognized by Chambers and Partners as a leading lawyer (Band 1) in both Litigation: Securities and Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs, as well as Band 3 in Environment: Litigation. He has also been named to The Best Lawyers in America® since 2017, and he was recognized as the Best Lawyers® 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” in Securities Litigation (New Orleans). He is a Benchmark Litigation “Litigation Star” and has been named a top-rated Securities Litigation attorney by Super Lawyers since 2017.

Education

J.D., magna cum laude, from Loyola University College of Law, 2005
- Comment/Case Note Editor of the Loyola Law Review
M.B.A. from Loyola University, 2005
B.S., cum laude, from Louisiana State University, 1999

Publications / Presentations

Recent Publications

Co-author, with Jason W. Burge, Cases & Materials, 28 PIABA B.J. 471, 2021.
Co-author, with James R. Swanson, Advantages of FINRA Arbitration from the Claimants’ Perspective, in Securities Litigation 2021: From Investigation to Trial, Practicing Law Institute ed., 2021.
Co-author, Cases & Materials, 27 PIABA B.J. 111, 2020.

Recent Presentations

Speaker, PIABA annual meeting, “Damages in FINRA Arbitrations,” Oct. 21, 2025.
Speaker, New Orleans Bar Association 2024 Masters of the Courtroom^smProcrastinators’ Programs^sm, “Use of Focus Groups and Mock Trials,” Dec. 12, 2024.
Speaker, PIABA annual meeting, “Using State Statutes to Amplify our Client’s Damages Claim and Target Additional Defendants,” Sept. 26, 2024.
Speaker, Louisiana Certified Public Accountants (LCPA), Forensic, Litigation, & Valuation Services Conference, “Testing 1-2-3: Using Focus Groups, Mock Trials, and Shadow Juries in Litigation,” Aug. 19, 2024.
Speaker, PIABA mid-year meeting, “Strategies and Techniques in FINRA Arbitrations Involving IRA, Pension, and Other Retirement Accounts,” April 27, 2023.
Speaker, Inns of Court – St. Thomas More Inn of Court, “Weathering the Storm: Panel Discussion on Hurricane Ida Litigation,” March 7, 2023.
Speaker, Louisiana Certified Public Accountants (LCPA), Forensic, Litigation, & Business Valuation Conference, “Calculating Damages in Investment Loss Cases,” Oct. 21, 2021.

Representative Matters

A group of Louisiana landowners against pipeline companies, obtaining an injunction in which the pipeline companies were ordered to restore wetlands that had been lost and maintain those wetlands going forward.
An elderly couple in a securities arbitration involving a private placement real estate investment, obtaining a $1.6 million award, including 100% of their losses and an award of attorney’s fees.
Investors in a securities arbitration involving the sale of unsuitable non-traded REITs, promissory note programs, limited partnerships, and private oil drilling programs, resulting in an award of $307,000 in favor of the customers.
A construction company in a AAA arbitration proceeding brought by a homeowner, resulting in a dismissal of all claims for damages brought by the homeowner and an award of damages, interest, costs, and attorney’s fees in favor of the construction company.
Many investors in claims relating to the sales of private placements such as non-traded REITs, promissory notes tied to real estate or equipment leasing programs, and structured products, resulting in confidential settlements.
Several foreign investors against the owners and managers (and several affiliated companies) of an investment fund that was supposed to be part of a federal program that provides permanent U.S. residency to foreign nationals.
Institutions (including the Baylor College of Medicine and the Louisiana Stadium & Exposition District) in claims against their bond underwriters and investment banks in connection with the issuance of auction rate securities.
A family in jury trial involving single business enterprise and alter ego claims against several affiliated companies for damage caused by insolvent entity (matter settled for confidential amount in the middle of jury trial).
Businesses and individuals in claims against their insurance companies and insurance brokers.
Several landowners in claims against oil and gas companies for the damage and land loss caused by the oil and gas operations.
An oilfield services company in a products liability claim against the manufacturers of a defective product.