Areas of Practice

Criminal Defense

Crime and Punishment are big business in the State of Louisiana.  People involved, or at risk of becoming involved, in the criminal justice system fuel this business largely because they do not know or understand how to exercise their rights, when charged with violating the law.  In addition, many people too easily accept plea agreements that require no service of jail time without weighing the substantial short and long-term consequences of having a criminal record.  The immediate cost of a conviction, whether misdemeanor or felony, almost always includes paying a fine and serving probation.  Long-term, one or more convictions create barriers to employment, restrictions on parental rights, restrictions on voting rights, possible restrictions on housing rights, loss or suspension of licenses (professional, driving, etc.), and possible deportation or refusal of reentry for legal aliens.  The firm provides meticulous representation in defense of clients’ rights upon being arrested and charged with a crime.

Civil Rights

A civil rights claim arises when a person’s rights, as guaranteed and protected by the government, have been violated. United States laws that define a person’s civil rights are found in the Bill of Rights, the 13th and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A person’s civil rights may not be denied or interfered with because of their membership in a “protected” group or class. Discrimination because of race, age, sex, religion, national origin, and/or ability constitutes a violation of the civil rights that the government protects and guarantees. The firm is committed to passionate advocacy on behalf of clients whose civil rights have been violated.

Employment Discrimination

Federal, state, and/or local laws are violated when an employer mistreats an employee because of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, nationality, and/or disability, or because an employee engages in protected activities, such as filing a workers compensation claim or an EEOC complaint. If you feel you have been wrongfully terminated, sexually harassed, retaliated against, or otherwise adversely impacted in the workplace, you may have a cause of action for employment discrimination.

Social Security/Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

The federal Social Security Disability Act defines "disability” as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determined condition or mental impairment which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or result in death. Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI) are paid to individuals who have worked in recent years, with “recent” usually meaning 5 out of the last 10 years. Supplemental Security Income benefits (SSI) are paid to individuals who have low level income and are disabled, regardless of the individual’s work history. SSI children disability benefits are paid to children under the age of 18, who are disabled and whose parents have low level incomes. SSDI or SSI appeals are typically filed when a claimant has been denied benefits or awarded benefits lower than an amount to which he/she is entitled.