Whistleblowers are employees who report the misconduct or illegal activity of another employee or higher up. Many whistleblowers make their reports anonymously to avoid any retaliation from their employer. Whistleblowing is a legally protected activity through the...
Commercial Litigation
What is the litigation landscape for artificial intelligence?
ChatGPT burst onto the public scene just recently, but it has already garnered significant attention. The artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot is just one of many AIs that can create written content, computer code and even images based on a short series of user...
A look at Louisiana’s law against unfair trade practices
In general, Louisiana and the federal government support competition. In theory, competition spurs innovation, keeps costs down and promotes other benefits for consumers. But this pro-competition approach doesn't mean that anything goes in the marketplace. There are...
Energy industry faces climate change lawsuits
The topic of the Louisiana oil and gas industry's role in climate change sparks a lot of arguments, and some of these arguments have taken the form of lawsuits. In recent years, a number of state and local governments have filed climate change-related lawsuits...
Resolving breach of contract claims
Businesses rely on contractual relationships with employees, suppliers, vendors and other third parties for continued success and growth. But when one party doesn’t live up to the terms of a contract (written or oral), it can cause extensive or, in some cases,...
Protecting the business and the family
Disputes between the owners can destroy a privately held business. In cases involving a family-owned business, they can destroy family relationships. In a recent case, the giant cheesemaker Leprino Foods and its biggest shareholders fought off a challenge from two...
COVID and contracts: When is force majeure an excuse for nonperformance?
Historically, contractual clauses known as “force majeure” have been used to protect parties from liability in case an unforeseen event such as war, terrorism or natural disaster prevents performance. The premise is that a party should be excused from fulfilling their...
Can lawsuits name individual corporate officers?
When a business is exposed to complex litigation, the stakes can be extremely high - particularly when individuals are part of a lawsuit. One of the primary benefits of incorporation is that the structure shields officers and directors from personal liability arising...
A breach of fiduciary duty lawsuit could be costly
A fiduciary owes a duty of personal loyalty and trust toward the person he or she represents. Fiduciaries are obligated by law to act solely in their clients’ best interest and to avoid any conflicts of interest – including personal conflicts. You should be able to...
Louisiana business’ case shows power of enforceable settlements
Business disputes can take a while to sort out. In fact, some complex cases can take years to resolve. While you and your business certainly need sound legal representation as you try to negotiate settlement in your case, the issues aren’t necessarily resolved once an...