Adrianne Baumgartner and Dan Dorsey, partners in the Firm’s Covington office, obtained a unanimous verdict in favor of their respective clients after a three day jury trial in the 22nd Judicial District Court for the Parish of St. Tammany. The case involved an incident with a 62 year old pedestrian and a four-wheeler in anread more…

Claims Litigation Managemnt, an insurance industry trade group dedicated to multidisciplinary networking, recently honored Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson managing partner, Adrianne Baumgartner, with a feature profile. Our own effusive praise for Adrianne’s hard work is amply demonstrated through the trust placed in her as the lead of our management team. Abundant evidence of more universalread more…

See our recent blog post on an important success for managing partner Adrianne Baugartner on a Daubert motion. Many judges are reluctant to wade into the scientific arena. The 22nd JDC’s Judge Martin Coady was not, in a well reasoned opinion finding that a physician’s “experience” did not get her opinion past the court’s “gatekeepingread more…

The measure of a firm is success achieved on behalf of clients. That metric can be difficult to quantify. Thus, we take pride in proxy measures that consistently show Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson among Louisiana’s most accomplished. Again this year, Adrianne Baumgartner is honored by SuperLawyers as one of the top 25 women attorneys inread more…

The firm proudly announces that Chauntis Jenkins has joined other partners as members of Claims Litigation Management. The official press release follows: Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson is pleased to announce that Chauntis T. Jenkins has been invited to join the prestigious Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. The CLM is a nonpartisan alliance comprised of thousandsread more…

Jim Nieset recently completed the second annual Litigation Management Institute program of the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance in New York City. Jim joins Ryan Acomb as PH&J graduates of this week long seminar advancing sophisticated understanding of the litigation and insurance interface in an increasingly complex claims environment. Program participants are forced to expandread more…

Fast on the heels of his zero jury verdict in CDC, we are proud to add congratulations to Nick Gristina for his appointment to the Louisiana Law Institute committee on expedited jury trials. Nick was attending his first meeting as this post was being drafted. We look forward to his insight on the work ofread more…

Eschewing a surer recovery, plaintiff came to trial against Nick Gristina before a CDC jury and left without a judgment. Alleging cervical herniation resulting from a motor vehicle accident, plaintiff sought damages exceeding Louisiana’s $50,000 minimum for jury trial. For the defense, Gristina successfully disputed fault through evidence of pointing to a non-defendant third-party asread more…

Managing partner, Adrianne Baumgartner will speak September 14 in Boston, MA at the annual Claims Litigation Management Bad Faith and Coverage Conference. The topic, Selection and Preparation of 30 (b) (6) Witness and Company Fact Witness – One Size Does Not Fit All, will be presented by three person panel. She is joined by Indianapolisread more…

Kathleen Simon and Eric Johnson defended an alleged brain injury case into trial, where plaintiff finally settled for one-half of the $100,000 primary insurance policy. Plaintiff’s counsel attempted to prove damages that included a $17,000,0000 life-care plan. The defense fought a contentious evidentiary motion practice, to successfully keep the plan out of evidence. For moreread more…

3:20 p.m. – Thursday, August 30, 2012 For southeast Louisiana, Isaac is a blustery sodden memory. Our offices are intact. We reopen Friday, August 30, 2012 on a regular schedule. Employees unable to report on time need to contact their supervising partner or Malcolm Martin as soon as possible. We hope everyone is well. 5:20read more…

Policy exclusion arguments are litigious challenges to gravity. Not letting public policy physics get the better of their defense, James Thompson and Michele Trowbridge Barreca recently obtained summary judgment against UM coverage on a regular use exclusion. Judge Robert Murphy of the 24th Judicial District Court granted Farm Bureau’s motion on the strength of argumentread more…

In an important result from the Fourth Circuit, affirming judgment of 34th JDC Judge Kirk A. Vaughn, prescription was found to have run without interruption by the pendency of suit against the primary UM insurer. Acomb defended second layer policy in a permissible UM stacking situation. A description of the case with link to theread more…

Kathleen Simon defended a jury trial defense verdict before the First Circuit, prevailing again in Figeroha versus State Farm. The jury’s exoneration of her client on finding of no-fault withstood several evidentiary challenges. The First Circuit agreed with the plaintif only as to a non-reversible issue, police officer testimony confirming his citation issued to theread more…

Fortune Magazine lists Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson in a group of less than one-half of one-percent of all law firms achieving a superior peer-reviewed ratings standard. More than one-third of all Porteous lawyers possess the Martindale-Hubbell highest achievable AV rating. Selected from a quarter million, Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson is one of only 31 Louisiana firms included on Fortunes’ national  listread more…

Ryan Acomb recently spoke at the National Forum on Defending and Managing Admiralty & Maritime Litigation in Houston, Texas. True to his ever calm personna, he offered suggestions on best practices for handling settlement negotiations. Acomb was part of a distinguished panel of speakers from around the country. ACI’s Admiralty Maritime Litigation brochure

We are proud to welcome back our partner and colleague Chauntis Jenkins from the Civil District Court trial bench in New Orleans. Chauntis served as Judge Pro Tempore through the first quarter of 2012 on appointment by the Louisiana Supreme Court. Of the experience, Ms. Jenkins observes: It was an honor to serve as Judgeread more…

On referral from District Attorney Cam Morvant II, Lafourche Parish retained Mike Gee of the firm’s Thibodeaux office to handle negotiations and possible litigation in a dispute with out-of-state landowners. Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson will represent the Parish in renegotiation of public rights to an important recreational and commercial fishing water access. The assignment follows Mikes recent success defending Lafourche Parishread more…

Michael Gee in the Thibodaux office scored a resounding victory for Lafourche Parish when Louisiana Federal Eastern District Judge Donald Walter granted defense judgment as a matter of law. His ruling took  the matter from a jury after four days of trial. The civil rights action under federal law alleged that the parish negligently failedread more…

James Thompson won a jury verdict on finding of no negligence or strict liability favoring his client, a St. Charles Parish homeowner. Plaintiff, who was wearing a prosthetic leg, claimed she fell and fractured her femur as a result of a defect in the defendant’s garage. Among other damages, she claimed permanent disability, including permanentread more…

Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson partner Chauntis T. Jenkins received an appointment pro tempore from the Louisiana Supreme Court to the Orleans Parish Civil District Court seat held by Judge Herbert Cade. Judge Cade was elected to fill a vacant seat in Orleans Parish Traffic Court. Her appointment commenced on January 1, 2012. Chauntis will remainread more…

See the firm Insurance Law Blog for details on a series of successful Civil District Defenses by Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson partners. Louisiana Insurance Law Blog

and graduates as a member of the Claims Litigation Management Alliance’s first Litigation Management Institute graduating class. Press Release Congratulations Ryan!

Professional accomplishments are necessary metrics by which clients judge our success, but life is not limited to occupation. In recognition of that fact, we proudly recognize New Orleans Associate Matthew Mann for his recent induction as a member of the 2002 Tulane University baseball team into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame. Quoting from aread more…

Two more Porteous attorneys obtained defense judgments in recent weeks. Former managing partner James Thompson proved, once again, the value of experience shortly before associate Michelle Trowbridge provided an object lesson in the quality of her training. Mr. Thompson prevailed on behalf of Louisiana Farm Bureau in the same court, the 24th Judicial District inread more…

Following a four day jury trial, Kathleen Simon took down another claimant for no recovery. The St. Tammany Parish jury found that a motorist was not at fault for a collision with a bicyclist. Once again, a North Shore jury succumbs to the wit and wisdom of our esteemed colleague. Congratulations.

Jim Nieset defended on appeal summary judgement in favor of firm client ANPAC and it insured on a premises liability claim. Trial and appellate courts agreed with Nieset’s affirmative defense that plaintiff injured himself on an open and obvious hazard. A full write up and link to a pdf text of the opinion is postedread more…

Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson partner Nick Gristina successfully defended a personal injury lawsuit arising out of an altercation between his female client and her former boyfriend. The plaintiff’s initial demand was over $200,000. After a two day jury trial in the 24th JDC before Judge Liljeberg, the jury deliberated for 33 minutes before returning aread more…

Chauntis Jenkins was honored as Southern University’s 2011 law school alumna during an April 7 reception at the Shaw Center in Baton Rouge. The distinction is well earned and the firm is honored too for having her as our partner. Pictured from left to right are: Adrianne Baumgartner (Managing Partner), Charles L. Chassaignac, IV, Chauntisread more…

Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson is pleased to announce that Mr. James Nieset Jr has been invited to join the prestigious Council on Litigation Management. The Council is a nonpartisan alliance comprised of thousands of insurance companies, corporations, Corporate Counsel, Litigation and Risk Managers, claims professionals and attorneys. Through education and collaboration the organization’s goals areread more…

The Louisiana Fifth Circuit recently affirmed dismissal of a plaintiff personal injury claim on Exception of Res Judicata. In the matter of McKinnis v. Reine, the evidence established that plaintiff accepted settlement payment and executed a release prior to filing suit. The result in favor of Reine and her insurer, Louisiana Farm Bureau, represented byread more…

UPDATE: To read the Defense Reasearch Institute (DRI) article click here. The Louisiana Supreme Court unanimously denied plaintiff’s writ application seeking to overturn a summary judgment in favor of PH&J’s client in an automobile/bicycle collision. We first noted this case HERE. Nick Gristina Matt Mann

Louisiana’s First Circuit Court of Appeal affirmed dismissal in favor of Porteous client defendants disposing of a lawsuit filed by plaintiff under the Death on the High Seas Act.  The trial court victory was modified only to make the dismissal with prejudice.  Ryan Acomb represented the prevailing defendants.  The appellate court agreed that an ex-wife is not a “dependent relative” entitledread more…

Ryan Acomb preserved a trial court summary judgment at the US Fifth Circuit on a Jones Act negligence and maintenance and cure claims. Representing L&M Botruc Rental, Inc., Acomb supported the motion with a showing that plaintiff failed to produce evidence of defendant/employer negligence resulting in injury. Further, the Fifth Circuit concurred that plaintiff wasread more…

Two more favorable outcomes for defendants represented by Porteous attorneys.  Chauntis Jenkins successfully presented a comparative fault defense as a Civil District Court (Orleans Parish) jury returned a verdict finding plaintiff 80% at fault.  Jim Nieset secured a favorable judgment in the 24th Judicial District Court (jefferson Parish) for an insurance agent alleged to haveread more…

Chauntis Jenkins, a partner in the firm’s New Orleans office was awarded the Southern University Law Center Distinguished Alumni Award for 2011.  Contgratulations Chauntis!

UPDATE: To read the Defense Reasearch Institute (DRI) article click here. Nick Gristina, a partner in the Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson New Orleans office teamed up with associate Matt Mann to win a difficult summary judgment that has now been affirmed by Louisiana’s Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal. Even with plaintiff disputing the facts, defendants,read more…

At the firm’s annual meeting on November 12, Adrianne Baumgartner was elected to replace James Thompson as the firm’s managing partner.  Mr. Thompson is stepping down after eight years at the helm.  We all appreciate Jim’s hard work steering Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson through the traumas of Hurricane Katrina and the loss of two senior partners.read more…