Kentwood Environmental Lawyers

Jeff’s practice includes representing major international oil and gas companies in a broad range of high-stakes lawsuits, primarily involving allegations that soil, sediment, groundwater, drinking water, and other types of environmental contamination were caused by oil and gas exploration and production activities. He has extensive experience drafting motions and briefs in federal and state courts at both the trial and appellate levels.

Prior to joining the firm in 2016, Jeff served as a law clerk for the Honorable Carl J. Barbier, of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, where he assisted in the disposition of numerous...

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,...

Blair Schilling represents clients in a wide range of commercial matters in federal and state court, with a concentration in environmental law. Her environmental practice includes representing landowners throughout Louisiana against some of the oil and gas industry's largest operators in matters involving coastal restoration, land contamination, land use, clean water, getting brownfield sites safely back into commerce, regulatory and permitting, and expropriation issues. In doing this work, Blair represents state government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private companies and individuals, including the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), the Environmental Defense Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, Restore the Mississippi River...

Robert Killeen was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1962. He attended Tulane University in New Orleans where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1984, and a Juris Doctor in 1987. Mr. Killeen was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 1987, and the Texas Bar in 1990. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, United States Court of Federal Claims, United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas, and United States District Courts for the Western, Middle and Eastern Districts...

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 Heinrich is Of Counsel to the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 2000 and practices in the litigation group. John represents clients in commercial litigation, products liability, chemical exposure claims, personal injury defense, medical malpractice defense, toxic tort defense, ERISA, and OSHA matters. John has litigated cases not only in Louisiana but in 14 other states in both state and federal forums.

John earned his B.A. from Louisiana State University in 1973. He earned his J.D. in 1987 from the LSU Law Center where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Order...

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...

John Funderburk is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller and practices in the litigation and construction groups. He represents clients in energy, commercial, environmental, transportation, and construction litigation in both state and federal courts. Prior to joining the firm, John practiced with a global law firm from its Houston, Texas office.

John has represented both individuals and corporations in complex environmental litigation, contract disputes, maritime actions, personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits, deceptive trade practices claims, and oilfield contamination litigation. In addition, he coordinates with clients and experts to respond quickly to accidents and incidents across the...

Gayla Moncla is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller and practices in the areas of toxic tort and environmental litigation, premises liability, and commercial litigation. She has more than 25 years of experience in the chemical and petrochemical industries, defending workplace accidents, chemical exposure cases, products liability cases, as well as advising clients regarding workplace safety issues and OSHA regulations. Gayla also has experience in retail premises litigation having defended retail clients for over 25 years.

Gayla earned her B.S. from Louisiana State University in 1973. She earned her J.D. in 1989 from the LSU Law Center...

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...

Ethan joined Montgomery Barnett in 2012 as an associate. He attended Loyola Law School, where he served as the Substance & Citation Managing Editor of the Loyola Law Review. He also served as President of the Maritime Law Society and co-authored the " A Navigational Chart Through Wrongful Death in Admiralty," a graphical illustration of the proper beneficiaries and their rights, remedies and damages for a wrongful death claim of Jones Act seamen and Longshore & Harbor workers.

Yuxian Wang practices in toxic tort litigation, oil and gas litigation, asbestos litigation and hearing loss litigation. Yuxian has extensive experience in defending the petrochemical and manufacturing industries in lawsuits claiming chemical exposure. She has particular expertise in litigation involving the vinyl chloride industry including litigation related to allegations of cancer and other injuries arising from vinyl chloride exposure, as well as litigation related to alleged exposure to ethylene dichloride. She represents industrial clients in defending asbestos and hearing loss claims. She also works with oil exploration and refining companies in lawsuits by landowners claiming property damages related to oil...

Blake R. David was raised in Lafayette and is a founding partner of Broussard & David, LLC. Mr. David focuses on personal injury and wrongful death litigation with an emphasis on offshore/maritime, trucking accident, aviation, products liability, industrial accident, and automobile claims. Mr. David is an "AV" rated attorney by Martindale-Hubble (highest rating possible). Mr. David is board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial Advocacy. Mr. David is also an Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).

Mr. David has been recognized by Louisiana Super Lawyers in the field of personal injury law, and...

Scott Zimmer is a partner in the Shreveport office of Kean Miller and practices in the commercial litigation group. He assists clients in all manner of litigation, including commercial, environmental, transportation, gaming industry litigation, and complex personal injury matters.

Scott is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is listed in Louisiana Super Lawyers 2018 - 2019.

Scott earned his B.S. from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1994. He earned his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 1998.