Press Release

NEW ORLEANS and LAFAYETTE, La.—William H. Hines, Managing Partner of the law firm of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre L.L.P., and Gary J. Russo, a board member with the law firm of Longman Russo, A Professional Law Corporation, today announced plans to combine lawyers in their respective Lafayette offices. The transaction was approved by the partners of Jones Walker and the shareholders of Longman Russo in September 2008, and is effective January 1, 2009. The transaction expands Jones Walker’s presence in Lafayette, where the firm has had an office since 1991. Longman Russo, formerly Perret Doise, has been a staple in Lafayette for 21 years. The combined firm will have more than 270 attorneys.

The transaction comes just months after Jones Walker combined with the Alabama-based firm of Miller, Hamilton, Snider & Odom LLC, giving Jones Walker new offices in Birmingham, Mobile, and Montgomery in Alabama, and in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as additional attorneys in the firm’s Miami and Washington, D.C. offices.

Mr. Hines commented, “Longman Russo has a great reputation in the Lafayette area and throughout the Acadiana region, and has a long history of service to the community. Both firms have discussed joining forces over the years, and we are happy that this combination has been consummated. Jones Walker will gain very talented and well-respected attorneys who will provide our firm with greater depth in its core competencies and expand the firm’s footprint in Lafayette.”

Mr. Russo agreed, “This transaction offers more depth and capabilities to the firm as well as to the communities we serve. With the continued growth in the Acadiana region, and our work with clients in other states, we saw a wonderful opportunity to join forces with the largest Louisiana-based law firm and one of the most prominent firms in the Gulf South to allow us to better serve our client base and to expand upon the range of services we now offer.”

The law firm will continue under the name of Jones Walker, led by William H. Hines as Managing Partner. Mr. Russo will serve as Office Head of the firm’s Lafayette office, located at 600 Jefferson Street, Suite 1600, in Lafayette, La.

Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre L.L.P. provides an extensive range of legal services to a national and international corporate client base through offices in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

The firm of Longman Russo, formerly Perret Doise, was founded in 1987, and provided a broad range of legal and professional services to local, regional, national and international clients.

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