Donald “Don” Massey joined Adams and Reese in 1984, and is a Partner and Team Leader for Energy and Environmental litigation. Presently, Don serves as Outside General Counsel for the Delta Marine Technologies Group of Companies ("Delta Marine"). Delta Marine is a multinational group of companies, with operations spanning the globe, from Trinidad and the South Atlantic, to Canada, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific Rim, China and Australia. It is widely recognized for providing the highest degree of quality services in a timely, efficient and client focused manner. Delta Marine is an industry leader in offshore vessel and project management, with a niche in the subsea diving and ROV services sector. As Outside General Counsel, Don oversees a wide variety of Delta Marine's legal needs, which are primarily transactional.
In addition, Don maintains an active litigation practice, focused on environmental/toxic tort and transportation litigation, including motor carrier, products liability and personal injury claims. Don is often First Chair for cases in multiple jurisdictions. He has a broad range of civil and criminal trial experience and has served as liaison counsel in multiple major class action/mass tort cases. He has also had appellate experience in all Louisiana appellate courts, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.
His significant contributions include:
A Louisiana Supreme Court reversal of a multi-million dollar award against the Louisiana Insurance Commission, where $120 million was claimed.
A judgment for $0 in a products liability case against Bayliner Marine/ Brunswick Corp. filed in Orleans Parish State Court, in which the plaintiff had over $350,000 in medical expenses.
A judgment for $0 in a premises liability claim against Marriott for an alleged disabling brain injury to an R.N., filed in federal district court in New Orleans, where approximately $4 million in specials was sought.
Denial of class certification in a mass catastrophe truck/train collision with over 8,000 alleged victims, in which extensive punitive damages were sought.
Denial of class certification in a well-publicized radiation contamination suit against multiple oil companies for contamination allegedly resulting from pipe cleaning operations.
In addition to practicing law, Don has served as an adjunct professor at the University of New Orleans where he has taught torts law and legal investigation and interviewing courses. He writes frequently for law reviews and professional periodicals and has a very active CLE speaking schedule. In addition, Don is frequently appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as an ad hoc judge in New Orleans City Traffic Court.
Don is passionate about grassroots efforts to improve the local educational system in Louisiana and serves on many civic and political groups. He serves as Chair the Board of Directors for KID smART, whose mission is to work with the arts to engage children in learning about themselves and the world in which they live.
Don is also a charter member of the Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys and a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America.
He most admires his grandfather Earl Massey for teaching him to recognize the similarities rather than the differences in people and to hold a spirit of charity and selflessness. In his free time, Don enjoys any activity with his family along with hunting, fishing, scuba diving, boating and sports cars.
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