Stephen Herman Joins Fishman Haygood’s Litigation Section

Fishman Haygood, L.L.P. is pleased to announce that Stephen J. Herman has joined the firm’s litigation section as special counsel.

Herman’s broad civil practice spans 30 years and includes the representation of both plaintiffs and defendants in commercial, class action and professional liability matters. Most notably, he was appointed in 2010 by the United States District Court – Eastern District of Louisiana to serve as one of only two liaison and lead class counsel for the businesses, individuals, and local governments involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill litigation.

Prior to joining Fishman Haygood, Herman was a partner at Herman Herman Katz, a family-founded law firm started by his grandfather in 1942.

“Steve brings a wealth of sophisticated commercial and class action litigation experience to Fishman Haygood,” said Fishman Haygood Partner Jim Swanson. “Since its founding, our firm has been focused on one thing: excellence. We are excited about the value that Steve will add to our team and provide to our clients.”

“Steve is a proven leader within the Louisiana legal community and beyond,” said Fishman Haygood Partner Kerry Miller. “His commitment to excellence—both inside and outside the courtroom—aligns with the tenets of our firm, and we are thrilled he has decided to join Fishman Haygood’s litigation section.”

Apart from his legal practice, Herman teaches an advanced torts seminar on class actions at Loyola Law School and an advanced civil procedure course in complex litigation at Tulane Law School. He frequently speaks about and writes on various legal topics. He is the author of America and the Law: Challenges for the 21st Century, a collection of essays on the basic issues facing the American legal system.

Herman is actively engaged in professional associations at the city, state, and national levels. He currently serves as president of the New Orleans Bar Association and chair of the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Section on Class Actions, Mass Torts and Complex Litigation. Herman is a past president of the Louisiana Association for Justice (LAJ), and he has served on the board of governors for the American Association for Justice (AAJ) since 2014.

Herman also is a member of the American Law Institute and is a fellow of both the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Litigation Counsel of America.

Additionally, his nonprofit involvement includes service as a former Louisiana Appleseed board member, a former Southeast Louisiana Legal Services board member, and past president of both the National Civil Justice Institute (formerly the Pound Civil Justice Institute) and the Civil Justice Foundation.

“Joining Fishman Haygood is the right move at this point in my career, and I am eager to continue serving the community through my new role,” said Herman. “Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with—and sometimes against—Fishman Haygood’s team, and I have always been impressed by their focus on quality and results in high-stakes matters.”

In 2017, Herman was presented with the Stalwart Award, LAJ’s highest honor, and in 2018 he received the Harry Philo Award from the AAJ. He was named a finalist for the Public Justice 2005 Trial Lawyer of the Year and has been recognized by Best Lawyers®, Louisiana Super Lawyers, the Lawdragon Top 500, National Law Journal Elite, Chambers USA, New Orleans Magazine Top Lawyers and Who’s Who Legal. Additionally, he was named a New Orleans CityBusiness Leadership in Law recipient in 2010, 2017 and 2018 before being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Herman graduated magna cum laude from Tulane Law School and clerked for Justice Harry T. Lemmon of the Louisiana Supreme Court. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College.