Litigation

Our litigators provide litigation counsel, advice, and support to many of the world's largest corporations, as well as to prominent local and regional companies. To meet the needs of each client—large or small—our litigation practice draws from a large pool of attorneys to provide the talent needed at an appropriate, cost-effective level of staffing. We are experienced in a wide variety of substantive areas, including:

• Antitrust and trade regulation
• Banking
• Bankruptcy
• Commercial disputes
• Construction
• Contested wills
• Contracts
• Environmental and toxic torts
• Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
• Fiduciary litigation
• Insurance
• Intellectual property
• International arbitration
• Labor and employment
• Oil and gas
• Products liability
• Professional liability
• Public utility regulation
• Securities
• Transportation
• White collar crime

The firm's attorneys have considerable experience managing and resolving class actions in a variety of substantive areas, including antitrust, securities, and products liability, among others. We are pleased to have served as defense counsel in class actions on behalf of BellSouth Telecommunications, CSX Corporation, Freeport-McMoRan Inc., General Motors Corp., Stewart Enterprises, Inc., and many others.

When the need arises, our litigation attorneys call on the experience and knowledge of their peers practicing in other areas of the firm. Detailed descriptions of the litigation practice's attorneys and experience in these areas are available upon request.

Our group handles disputes in many types of forums. In addition to appearing in state and federal courts in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, and throughout the country, we represent clients before a variety of state and federal agencies.

We are experienced with alternative dispute resolution (ADR). We have appeared in proceedings under the auspices of the American Arbitration Association, National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), and the International Chamber of Commerce, as well as under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules of 1976. Jones Walker has qualified mediators, National Association of Securities Dealers Regulation (NASDR) arbitrators, and others experienced in resolving disputes outside of the courts.

Counseling

We often counsel clients in litigation avoidance or assist in efforts necessary to close commercial transactions. For example, our antitrust attorneys analyze the implications of proposed mergers and acquisitions, and, when necessary, appear before the appropriate state and federal agencies concerned with such issues. They also provide guidance to businesses in antitrust compliance. Our bankruptcy attorneys provide pre-bankruptcy counseling and are frequently involved in workouts. Our environmental attorneys assist clients in complying with federal and state regulations.

Philosophy

Each client and matter is unique, and therefore, our approach permits us to honor differences while capitalizing on the experience and substantive backgrounds of our members. We have sufficient depth and flexibility to staff a particular matter in a way that is appropriate for each client, regardless of the time demands involved. Our litigation attorneys are committed to partnering with each client to set litigation goals, to develop plans and budgets to implement those goals, and to work diligently and effectively to achieve them.