Empire Real Estate Lawyers

Ciolino & Onstott provides high-quality, cost-effective outside general counsel services to individuals and small to medium-sized businesses in Louisiana and across the United States. We represent clients across various industries, including niche areas such as real estate, construction, entertainment, medical marijuana, and non-profit.

Jill Gautreaux is special counsel to the New Orleans office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 2015 and practices in the real estate, business, and commercial litigation groups. Jill assists clients with corporate matters, real estate, liquor licensing, and business transactions in the hospitality, technology, retail, and professional services sectors. She handles corporate transactional matters including business formation, buy/sell agreements, mergers and acquisitions, and dissolution/liquidation. Jill also represents individuals and companies in contractual disputes and shareholder litigation in Federal and State courts.

She helps her clients in a wide variety of legal and transactional matters including leases, sales, mortgages,...

Ms. Casteix is Managing Partner of Barrios Kingsdorf & Casteix LLP. Her practice primarily focuses on business and real estate transactions as well as estate planning and administration (successions). She is a native and lifelong resident of New Orleans. After receiving her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law, Ms. Casteix began her legal career as a law clerk for the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans. In 1980 she became a partner in the firm of Cleveland, Barrios, Kingsdorf & Casteix where she remained a partner until 1995 when Barrios, Kingsdorf & Casteix was founded....

David Halpern is a partner in the New Orleans office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 2015 and practices in the business, real estate, and commercial litigation groups. David has over 30 years of legal and business experience, and assists clients with a variety of legal, corporate, and land use matters. His clients include national, regional, and local businesses, real estate developers, bars and restaurants, and New Orleans area businesses. His practice includes land use issues, zoning ordinances, mergers and acquisitions, and transactions. He also serves on governmental advisory boards and represents businesses and individuals before regulatory authorities.

David...

In 2005, Gregory S. Marsiglia joined Lowe, Stein, Hoffman, Allweiss & Hauver, LLP, having practiced law in New Orleans since 1997 in a variety of commercial, corporate, and general civil litigation, and in a variety of corporate, real estate, and business transactions. Mr. Marsiglia also advises corporate and commercial clients on formation and planning issues, internal governance, in a variety of contractual matters. His construction litigation and contracting practice has been a steady and significant portion of the practice during the past ten years, as has general commercial litigation for clients in other industries. Mr. Marsiglia also has...

Mr. Nance has a general practice with special focus on all aspects of the Internet, entertainment, media, business and construction law, state and federal civil litigation. He has over 21 years of experience practicing law in Europe, South America and the US, including experience in litigation and administrative hearings as well as first-chair jury trial experience.

Mr. Nance speaks fluent English, German, Spanish and conversational Polish and French, having earned a bachelor's degree in German and Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990 and a J.D. in civil and common law from Loyola University School of Law, New...

Randy Opotowsky is a highly experienced real estate attorney and commercial litigator, who is held in high regard by his colleagues in New Orleans. He has more than 44 years of experience in residential and commercial real estate law, and business and corporate law, including 25 years as a litigator. His practice areas include residential and commercial closings, condominium creation and conversion, multi-family and subdivision development, and representation of condominium homeowner associations. Randy has developed a reputation for providing high quality legal counsel to condominium owners, developers and associations in condominium conversions of existing buildings, condominium collections, ground-up condominium development,...

Managing Partner Robert Steeg is highly respected for his handling of a wide variety of real estate transactions. He has assisted hundreds of clients with handling thousands of purchases, sales, loans and leases for all sizes and kinds of real estate throughout the southeast Louisiana region, including industrial, office, multi-family, and retail properties. Reflecting on his 40 years of experience, Rob points to two important aspects of his approach to his law practice. “First, I try to treat every client with respect and with awareness that the transaction at hand is one of the most important things in their life at...

David A. Martinez is a highly experienced commercial and residential real estate and title insurance attorney. David's practice areas include title examinations, title insurance law and secured transactions. He is highly respected for his legal acumen and approach to resolving a client’s issue in a practical way, qualities that have attributed to him being recognized by his peers as one of the top real estate attorneys in New Orleans through his inclusion in Best Lawyers in America. David coordinates title insurance for numerous commercial and residential transactions, including hotels, office buildings, shopping centers, convenience store chains, and multi-state sales and loan...

I was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, living there until I was 21 years old, when I moved to New Orleans for law school. I have vivid memories of being a child and arguing with my father – who is a lawyer – about something, and after I had made my point, he would stare at me silently, then look down, shake his head, and say “gosh you’d be a good lawyer.” And because of that, I just always knew I was going to go to law school. I tried to stray from that path a few times – my...

Dylan is an associate at Denechaud & Denechaud. He was born in Melbourne, Australia. Dylan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne and earned a Juris Doctor cum laude and a Master of Arts from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. In law school, Dylan was a senior editor on law review and a moot court participant. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable Donald E. Rysavy and the Honorable Fred W. Wellmann in Minnesota’s Third Judicial District. Dylan met his Covington-born wife while studying abroad in Germany. They live in New Orleans with...

Lillian E. Eyrich is a highly experienced title insurance attorney who has a reputation for solving title insurance problems, so that a transaction can go through and not get stopped. She has been recognized by her peers as one of the best in the industry. She was honored by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as the “New Orleans Best Lawyers Real Estate Law Lawyer of the Year” in both 2022 and 2012. Lillie provides title insurance for closings handled through Steeg Law's in-house title insurance agency, Orleans Title, for numerous commercial and residential transactions, including hotels, office buildings,...

Joseph R. Marriott focuses his practice on business and real estate transactions exclusively. He is a graduate of Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. At Loyola, he served as the Real Estate Law Society president for two years and as a VITA volunteer for two years while he held law clerkships with Babovich and Speadle, NAI Latter & Blum, Spera Law Group, and Quality Title Services. Mr. Marriott is an active member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association, Jefferson Bar Association, New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson Chamber of...

Con has a wide range of experience with business transactions, commercial litigation, federal and state tax law, and wealth transfer planning. He serves clients in various business sectors including energy, healthcare, real estate, and internet technology.

Paul Simoneaux is a Partner at Steeg Law Firm in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the transactional practice. His practice focuses on commercial real estate sales, development, leasing, and financing. Paul has developed a reputation for handling complex financial closings and understanding how various funding sources can be combined to his clients’ advantage. He regularly advises developers and property owners on real estate projects and the use of various public real estate incentives, including historic tax credits, low-income housing tax credits and tax-exempt bonds, new markets tax credits, state and local gap financing programs, restoration tax abatements, and payment in lieu...

Ethan Zubic focuses his practice on commercial litigation in a wide range of practice areas, from cooperative purchasing enterprises to property damage to legacy litigation, as well as environmental law, admiralty and maritime law, insurance coverage and defense, real estate litigation and commercial transactions. He has handled cases involving property insurance, ocean marine insurance coverage disputes, subrogation claims, marine pollution insurance defense, commercial transactions and general litigation in Louisiana state and federal courts. Ethan is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Environmental and Litigation - Real Estate, as well as the Louisiana Super Lawyers Rising Stars...

Charles L. Stern, Jr., a partner at Steeg Law and the head of the litigation section. Chuck handles commercial and business litigation for clients in a variety of industries, including title insurance, commercial real estate, and banking. He is highly respected for his vast experience in title disputes and title insurance coverage. His other areas of practice include: construction and development disputes; bankruptcy and workouts (creditor representation) with a concentration on disputes affecting or involving commercial real estate; litigation involving disputes among shareholders of closely-held corporations; and bet-the-company litigation. Chuck is an extremely skilled litigation attorney, who maintains the highest standards...

Scott R. Simmons earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1990 from Louisiana State University and his juris doctor in 1993 from Loyola University in New Orleans School of Law. Mr. Simmons was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 1994 and subsequently to the bars of the United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana. He has practiced in the areas of commercial litigation, residential and commercial real estate, title examination and title insurance, real estate development and financing, class actions, personal injury and consumer representation. Mr. Simmons is a Louisiana Notary...

Pat Patrick (ppatrick@patrickmillerlaw.com) graduated from the University of South Alabama and from Tulane Law School in 1984, where he served as Articles Editor for the Tulane Law Review. Prior to the formation of Patrick Miller LLC he was a partner in a large New Orleans law firm. Pat's practice focuses on insurance, tort, indemnity, workers' compensation (state and LHWCA), and maritime issues. He has handled environmental and toxic tort cases in regard to both property damage and personal injury aspects. He handles cases at all levels of the state and federal court systems. He is a registered lobbyist in Louisiana....

My firm provides legal advice and assistance in the areas of real estate, construction law, successions, trusts/estate planning, tenant/landlord, foreclosure, worker's compensation, social security/disability, personal injury and collections. I am a solo practitioner delivering personal trustworthy service to individuals, their families and businesses throughout the community. As a former Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department of the State of Louisiana, my commitment is to continue to provide the same professional service and maintain an open door policy to all of my clients. I encourage all clients to keep abreast of the progress of their cases and...

The year before I began law school, I scored in the top 1% worldwide on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). This score earned me the Faculty Merit Scholarship to the Paul M. Hebert School of Law at Louisiana State University. In 2004 I was fortunate to be able to study International Comparative Law at Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 in Lyon, France.

Since law school, my career has reflected my approach to life. I believe a person must be well rounded in order to be successful. Having a diversity of interests and experiences allows me to adapt more easily to...

Wesley M. Plaisance is a Partner in the New Orleans office of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson LLP (www.bswllp.com) where he heads the Tax Sale and Quiet Title Litigation Group and practices other commercial litigation with a focus on real estate related litigation. Wesley M. Plaisance regularly handles tax sale litigation matters across Louisiana including without limitation in the following Parishes: Orleans, East Baton Rouge, St. Tammany, Jefferson, Lafayette, Livingston, Plaquemines and Lafourche. Mr. Plaisance represents tax sale purchasers in suits to confirm tax sale title(s) and ownership with and/or without cancellation of mortgages and other encumbrances, in settlement of tax...

Stephen is an experienced transactional attorney who strives to provide his clients with practical and cost-efficient resolutions to their complicated legal issues. His practice is predominantly focused on real estate and M&A transactions, commercial lending and financial transactions, and business organizations. Stephen also advises clients with respect to renewable/green energy projects, oil and gas law, property law, estate planning, and succession law. www.linkedin.com/in/spscullin

With extensive experience in real estate and business management, Christie Tournet & Associates is the consummate business, estate planning, and successions/probate firm. Christie views legal issues through a unique lens and becomes a trusted legal and business adviser.

I am a CPA and attorney. I have been a CPA since 1994 and an Louisiana attorney since 2000. The Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization has designated me as a Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist (since 2008), as well as a Board Certified Tax Law Specialist (also since 2008). My practice focuses strongly on the needs and issues particular to farmers, middle income clients and small business owners. These include issues such as estate tax reduction, medicaid long-term care planning, special needs planning, asset protection planning, and small business protection planning. Plans I regularly recommend and personally draft for...

Mr. Sterbcow’s practice focuses on consumer financial services and real estate regulatory compliance and litigation including: Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Truth In Lending Act (TILA), Fair Housing Act, Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Dodd-Frank Act, Sherman Anti-Trust Act, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act involving federal and state mortgage lending and consumer credit compliance issues, title insurance compliance, real estate brokerage programs and operational compliance, affiliated business arrangement compliance, financial services marketing and promotional programs, state and federal licensing compliance, multiple listing service compliance, Best Practices compliance, and consumer fair financing practices....

Trenton A. Grand, a native of Baton Rouge practices law in areas of consumer and commercial bankruptcy, debt reorganization, estate planning-wills and trusts, personal injury, and residential and commercial real estate transactions.

Brad’s practice utilizes the Master of Business Administration he earned in addition to his Juris Doctor. In addition to representing businesses of all kinds, he practices many different areas of law, performing both transactional work and litigation. Brad’s trust and estate practice covers everything from simple wills and successions to complex trusts and advanced estate planning. As part of his real estate practice, he is a title agent for Gulf Title Corporation, which is an agent for First American Title Insurance Company of Louisiana. Brad’s collection practice specializes in purchased debt. He also litigates many labor and employment matters and...