Swartz Energy, Oil & Gas Lawyers

Mr. Kingsdorf graduated from Tulane University in 1971 and from Tulane University School of Law in 1974. He clerked at the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal for Judges Peter Beer and Ernest N. Morial and then clerked at the Louisiana Supreme Court for Justice Albert Tate, Jr. In 1980, he became a partner in the firm of Cleveland, Barrios, Kingsdorf & Casteix where he remained until 1995 when he co-founded the firm of Barrios, Kingsdorf & Casteix, LLP. In addition to serving as faculty member at numerous seminars, he has lectured at the Tulane University School of Law...

Julie Silbert is special counsel in the New Orleans office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 1994 and practices in the environmental law and commercial litigation groups. Julie has extensive experience in the Louisiana energy, petrochemical and manufacturing industry and works with clients regarding litigation strategy and litigation management. She has experience in litigation involving complex commercial matters, casualty, toxic mold, NORM litigation, and environmental contamination.

Julie earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from Tulane University. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Tulane University Law School in 1984. Julie was a recipient of a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship...

John M. Madison, Jr. was a founding member of Wiener, Weiss & Madison and has practiced law continually with the firm since 1975. His practice includes commercial litigation, construction law, oil and gas law, with emphasis on representation of mineral owners, business law and employment law. His experience ranges from the representation of the owners of small businesses to national corporations.

Melissa Hemmans is an experienced Litigation Attorney in Kean Millers's Baton Rouge office. Her practice includes Petrochemical, Manufacturing, Municipal, Civil Rights Defense, Oil and Gas, and Local Business matters. She has extensive experience with cases involving Toxic Tort and Environmental claims. Melissa is dedicated to providing clients with creative solutions, unique strategies, and unparalleled value.

In 1996, Melissa received her B.A. from Louisiana State University. She obtained her J.D. from the LSU Law Center in 1999. Melissa is admitted to practice law in the State of Louisiana, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, United States District Courts for the Eastern,...

Alan Berteau is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 1995 and practices in the legacy and commercial litigation defense groups. He represents clients in complex and class action litigation matters involving damage claims relating to oil and gas exploration and production operations, commercial disputes, chemical exposure claims, and industrial accidents.

Alan has particular experience representing clients in class action and mass tort cases involving, long-term exposure and groundwater or soil contamination, air releases, and in the use of computer technology, including mapping and litigation support software, in the management and prosecution of...

Chuck Talley is a partner in the New Orleans office of Kean Miller. He practices in the admiralty and maritime, and oil and gas practice groups. Chuck has particular experience in admiralty and maritime law, personal injury defense, including defense of Jones Act seaman claims, property damage claims, Corbello litigation, appeals, and oil & gas law. He has more than 31 years of trial and appellate experience before state and federal courts throughout the United States.

Chuck is listed in Louisiana Super Lawyers, 2008-2019. He is also listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2020.

Chuck was selected by New Orleans CityBusiness as...

Troy Charpentier is a dedicated and experienced Louisiana Attorney. He joined Kean Miller in 1996, where he works with the Litigation Group in the Baton Rouge office. Troy has successfully represented local, regional and national clients in an array of legal disputes. His practice areas include General Commercial Litigation such as Contract Claims, Lease Disputes and Landlord/Tenant matters. Additionally, Troy advocates for clients with Pipeline Permitting and Incident Response before the Department of Natural Resources. He has extensive experience in Pipeline Expropriation projects. Troy is committed to providing outstanding service and the best possible outcomes.

Troy received a B.A. from Louisiana...

I grew up in a small town in Texas and lived there until I moved to New Orleans for high school. Ever since then, New Orleans has been my home. I went to college at LSU and graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School, finishing in the top 10 percent of my class. After I graduated, I married my high school sweetheart and moved back to New Orleans to work at Liskow & Lewis, one of the most respected law firms in Louisiana. I litigated all kinds of disputes at Liskow: everything from personal injury, oil and gas, and environmental...

Michael S. Brandner, owner of the Brandner Law Firm, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up there and attended Jesuit High School. After graduating from high school, he attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he earned his bachelor's degree in political science in 1999. He then went on to study law at the Loyola University New Orleans School of Law where he served on the Executive Board of the Loyola Student Bar Association and was a member of the Loyola University School of Law Board of Trial Advocates. Mr. Bradner received his juris doctor in 2002....

Richard McConnell is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He is trial counsel for energy and financial companies in high stakes lawsuits involving a wide variety of claims. Prior cases involved soil and groundwater contamination, wetlands loss, toxic tort exposure, lost mineral leasing opportunities, mineral lease cancellation, pipeline right-of-way claims, expropriation/condemnation, and commercial litigation. Richard also serves as appellate counsel arguing before state and federal appellate courts.

Richard’s recent experience includes obtaining a successful verdict as trial counsel for national pipeline companies in a wetlands loss lawsuit involving canals that widened over time, he was lead...

Mark Doré is senior counsel in the Lafayette office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 2018 and practices in the oil and gas, business and corporate and real estate groups. Mark’s practice focuses on representing upstream energy companies in Louisiana, including oil and gas transactional matters, mineral title examination, due diligence, acquisition and sale of oil and gas properties, regulatory compliance, and providing advice to attorneys and landmen at companies engaged in upstream activities.

While in law school, Mark launched his own oil and gas/real estate title company in Lafayette, Louisiana, and continued working full time as an independent...

Don Wiener is of counsel for the firm of Wiener, Weiss & Madison. He has more than 25 years of experience in commercial transactions, including corporate, oil and gas law, real estate, commercial lending, title insurance and probate.

Licensed in Louisiana and Texas; 1988 - Graduated from Texas A&M University - Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance; 1991 - Graduated from Texas Tech University School of Law - Doctor of Jurisprudence

Kimberly Hymel is an attorney in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 2004 and practices in the energy, oil and gas, pipeline and commercial litigation groups. Kimberly represents national and international energy and petrochemical clients in a wide variety of litigation, with particular experience in environmental property damage cases, commercial contractual disputes, and toxic tort litigation. She has also worked extensively on electronic discovery issues, including management of large-scale discovery efforts for multi-national companies and advising clients regarding development and implementation of workable strategies, procedures, and discovery software tools for the collection, review, and...

Patrick Roquemore is an associate attorney in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 2005 and practices in the litigation, energy, legacy oil field site, and oil & gas groups. Prior to joining Kean Miller, Patrick was a judicial law clerk for the Twenty-third Judicial District Court for the Parishes of Ascension, Assumption, and St. James. He also served as an attorney for the Louisiana Court of Appeal, First Circuit (Criminal Division). Patrick has extensive experience in all aspects of legal research, including the drafting of opinions, jury instructions, and participating in and assisting in...