Louis LaCour joined Adams and Reese in 1984 and is a founding member of the firm’s Appellate Practice Team. Since that time, Louis has carefully nurtured its growth and attracted national clientele. He is the former Vice-Chair and now serves as the Chairman of the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Appellate Section.
Louis’s entire practice is devoted to appeals at the state and federal level, in all substantive practice areas, and he can bring deep experience to the table when a client is contemplating an appeal of an adverse outcome. As an adjunct professor for Tulane University, Louis has taught courses in legal writing, civil procedure, and class actions.
His other significant contributions include:
- Representing client (the parent company) in an oxygen pipeline explosion and fire. At trial, the jury returned a verdict of $158 million, which we appealed. The key issue for appeal was the legal duty of a parent corporation toward the employees of a subsidiary. The court of appeal affirmed the trial court’s judgment, but the Louisiana Supreme Court, in a 6-1 decision, held that the primary duty for safety is one’s direct employer, and that simply aiding a subsidiary in that task is not an assumption of a duty by the parent company. The court reversed the decision of the court of appeal, and dismissed all claims against our client. Bujol v. Entergy Servs., 03-C-0492 (La. 5/25/04), 922 So. 2d 1113.
- Representing client in an appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court after the appeals court reversed the trial courts decision and assessed $8 million of damages as a result of a propane explosion. On review by the Louisiana Supreme Court, it reversed the court of appeal’s judgment, finding that the court of appeal had improperly invaded the province of the jury as fact finders. Bonin v. Ferrellgas, Inc., 03-C-3024 (La. 7/2/04), 877 So. 2d 89.
- Representing client after a massive explosion at the Kaiser Aluminum facility in Gramercy, Louisiana. Dozens of lawsuits were filed, and a six week trial ensued with a jury concluding that the Firm’s client had no culpability in the accident. On post-trial motions, however, the district court granted plaintiffs’ motion for JNOV and conditional new trial, assessed fault, and imposed an $88 million judgment against our client. On review by the court of appeal, it concluded that the jury’s verdict was supported by substantial evidence, and reversed the district court’s judgment in its entirety. In re Gramercy Plant Explosion at Kaiser, 04-1151 (La. App. 5th Cir. 3/28/06), 927 So. 2d 492.
Louis is a member of the Board of Directors for the Louisiana Technology Council, and is the Chairman of its Legal and Compensation Committee. He also serves on the Adams and Reese Technology Committee.
An Eagle Scout, Louis has served many leadership roles with the Boy Scouts of America, including being named to the Southeast Louisiana Council's Board of Directors. Professionally he most admires United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Although Louis doesn’t always agree with his opinions, he believes his intellectual rigor and conviction are incomparable, and serves as a model to both bench and bar. He thinks the same can be said of Alex Kozinski, Chief Judge of the United States 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. He also greatly admires Bryan Garner, editor of Black’s Law Dictionary (and many other books) for his devotion to the cause of plain English for lawyers and the things they write.
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