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Timely, substantive
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Timely, substantive
industry news
and insights.
Longshore/Defense Base Act Update: Chief ALJ Compares Apples to Oranges Following Schulmeister Decision
Longshore/Defense Base Act Update: Chief ALJ Compares Apples to Oranges Following Schulmeister Decision
We previously highlighted the Benefits Review Board’s (BRB) decision in Marcus Schulmeister v. Blackwater USA et al, BRB No. 23-0255 (September 25, 2024) — a matter arising under the Defense Base Act — and how this decision casts doubt over the…
Mind the Gap: Identifying Potential Risks in Construction Contract Language
Mind the Gap: Identifying Potential Risks in Construction Contract Language
Before ground is broken or hammers are put to nails, well-drafted agreements governed by construction contract law set the essential foundation for all parties involved in the construction project, including owners, contractors, and subcontractors. Those in the construction industry should…
Maritime Attorney Jason Waguespack Featured in “The Marine Insurer”
Maritime Attorney Jason Waguespack Featured in “The Marine Insurer”
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith maritime attorney Jason Waguespack was featured in the January 2025 quarterly edition of “The Marine Insurer.” The text of the article, “When COGSA was challenged,” appears below. From a vessel leaving Vietnam to seeking…
Immigration Policy Changes: Expected Impacts for Corporations and Employers
Immigration Policy Changes: Expected Impacts for Corporations and Employers
Throughout his presidential campaign, Donald Trump emphasized the need for stricter immigration policies, framing corporate immigration reform—an integral aspect of business immigration law— as a crucial element of his “America First” agenda. He pledged to safeguard American jobs by curbing…
DEI: With Some Employers Moving Away from Past Trends, Where Are They Headed Now?
DEI: With Some Employers Moving Away from Past Trends, Where Are They Headed Now?
Near the end of President Donald J. Trump’s first term in office, he issued an Executive Order titled Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, the purpose of which was to “combat offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating.” The…
Galloway Employment Lawyer Presents for New Orleans Bar Association
Galloway Employment Lawyer Presents for New Orleans Bar Association
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith employment lawyer Doris Bobadilla presented a CLE on employment law matters for the New Orleans Bar Association. The CLE was a part of the 2024 Procrastinators’ Program in December 2024. Doris presented on LGBTQIA+ issues…
Galloway Takes Center Stage as Headline Sponsor of 2024 Energy Insurance Americas
Galloway Takes Center Stage as Headline Sponsor of 2024 Energy Insurance Americas
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith, a leading law firm in the energy insurance sector, served as headline sponsor of the 2024 Energy Insurance Americas conference on Thursday, November 21, in Houston, Texas. Galloway provides result-driven representation in the oil & gas and…
Michael Grimley Presenting at Construction Risk Conference in San Diego
Michael Grimley Presenting at Construction Risk Conference in San Diego
J. Michael “Mike” Grimley, a Director in our Pensacola office, will present at the International Risk Management Institute, Inc. Construction Risk Conference on October 29 in San Diego, California. The CRC offers education, networking, and business opportunities, making it an essential…
Defense Base Act Update: Benefits Review Board Addresses Recent Trends in Expert Medical Evidence
Defense Base Act Update: Benefits Review Board Addresses Recent Trends in Expert Medical Evidence
In a recent decision, the Benefits Review Board (BRB) clarified the weight afforded to “treating” physicians’ opinions and endorsed the use of judicial notice of prior Decisions and Orders discussing a “treating” physician’s similarly worded medical reports. In Rogers Avendaño…
Understanding Social Inflation and Jury Bias: Strategies to Minimize Nuclear Verdicts
Understanding Social Inflation and Jury Bias: Strategies to Minimize Nuclear Verdicts
In corporate litigation, a million isn’t what it used to be. Now, with the rise of social inflation and its potential harm to companies, a billion is the new million. Social inflation is the increase in the severity of a…
Galloway Wins Summary Judgment in Louisiana Medical Malpractice Case
Galloway Wins Summary Judgment in Louisiana Medical Malpractice Case
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith attorneys Ryan O’Connor and Cody Castle secured a summary judgment win on behalf of the firm’s client, a Louisiana-based emergency medical transport company, in a medical malpractice case in Baton Rouge. Galloway continues to…
Jason Waguespack Named to CityBusiness Power List for Port & Maritime
Jason Waguespack Named to CityBusiness Power List for Port & Maritime
Jason Waguespack, a Director and Firm Managing Director at Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith, has been named to the 2026 Power List: Port & Maritime by New Orleans CityBusiness. The prestigious honor recognizes a small group of influential professionals and…
Galloway Announces Four Attorney Promotions to Director
Galloway Announces Four Attorney Promotions to Director
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith, a premier law firm with offices in Louisiana, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama, and Georgia, is pleased to announce that four attorneys have been promoted to Director, effective January 1, 2026. Since its founding…
Refining Removal? A Question for the U.S. Supreme Court
Refining Removal? A Question for the U.S. Supreme Court
New Orleans Maritime Attorney Published in “Following the Fifth” Kathleen Charvet, an admiralty and maritime attorney in Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith’s New Orleans office, has published an article in the inaugural edition of Following the Fifth, a new publication from the Bar Association…
Pay Transparency & FLSA Bonuses: Key Issues for Southeast Employers
Pay Transparency & FLSA Bonuses: Key Issues for Southeast Employers
Compliance Considerations for the End of the Year With many employers finalizing year-end bonuses and preparing for 2026 recruiting, questions continue to arise regarding pay transparency requirements and the proper classification of bonuses under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA).…
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