Areas of Practice

The firm provides a full range of legal services in the admiralty and maritime area. We represent underwriters, oil companies, drilling contractors, vessel owners, offshore service companies, engineering/construction firms, diving contractors, and marine product manufacturers in all aspects of admiralty litigation, including:
• Jones Act cases
• Wrongful death actions
• Longshore and harbor workers’ actions
• Platform/drilling rig accidents
• Marine product liability claims
• Environmental pollution claims
• Pipeline accidents
• Tugs and towage
• Salvage and cargo claims
• Limitation of liability
• Contractual indemnity claims
• Interpretation of marine insurance policies

Christovich & Kearney has cultivated an extensive federal and state appellate practice. Our lawyers have represented clients in matters raising novel or complex legal issues, in all fields of law in writ applications and appeals for matters litigated within the firm and for cases tried by other firms, as well as the preparation of amicus curiae briefs on behalf of trade associations and other interested organizations. The firm’s appellate lawyers have represented clients before the United States Supreme Court, United States Circuit Courts of Appeal, the Louisiana Supreme Court, and Louisiana Appellate Courts.

The firm provides a range of legal services in the area of art law. We represent artists, collectors, dealers, arts organizations, institutions, museums and non-profit corporations:
• Art commerce and resale rights
• Ownership, collecting, acquisition, display and sales of artworks
• Consignments, commissions & loan agreements
• Provenance, appraisal, valuation, multiples & authentication of artworks
• Historic preservation, public art & conservation
• Art transport, shipping & insurance
• Biennial and Triennial Exhibitions & Art Fairs
• Non-profit board compliance & governance
• NAGPRA (25 U.S.C. §3001-30013, 43 C.F.R. Part 10), restitution and repatriation
• VARA (17 U.S.C. §106)

Christovich & Kearney for years has represented aviation-related manufacturers and their insurers in state and federal courts involving product defect litigation and accident liability. Our litigation experience includes rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft personal injury, death and property loss claims; aircraft engine and component part product liability claims; pilot liability; passenger disputes; air cargo claims; and a wide range of matters involving aircraft hull and liability insurance, including coverage analyses and litigation of coverage issues through declaratory judgment actions, trials, and appeals.

Christovich & Kearney attorneys are experienced in business/corporate law in both transactional and litigation matters. The firm has represented individuals, public and private corporations, and other institutions in matters involving:
• Contract claims and disputes
• Sales and leases
• Lender liability
• Redhibition
• Bankruptcy
• Business formation
• Non-competition agreements
• Non-disclosure/Confidentiality agreements
• Arbitration
• Construction law
• Franchise disputes

Our attorneys have extensive experience in casualty and insurance defense litigation. The general casualty matters we regularly handle include:
• Premises liability
• Property damage claims
• Products liability
• Personal Injury
• Commercial General Liability Claims
• Automobile accidents
• Defamation and related torts
• False arrest/detainment
• Civil rights claims
• Construction claims
• Interstate trucking cases
• Mass tort and class action litigation
• Worker’s Compensation
• Hurricane/natural disaster litigation
• Landlord/tenant claims
• Elevator and escalator claims
• Occupational health and safety claims
• Insurance coverage issues
• Subrogation
• Maritime/Admiralty Claim
• First and Third-Party Claim
• Bad Faith and Extra-contractual Claims
• Excess and Surplus lines
• Intentional Tort

Over the years Christovich & Kearney has represented clients in complex class actions and mass tort litigation cases. These matters have included defense of clients in:
• Class action against the tobacco industry
• Class action relating to firearms manufacturers
• Class action involving toxic exposures
• Multi district litigation involving orthopedic bone screws
• Heart valve litigation
• Breast implant class action
• Fen-Phen litigation
• Air bag class action
• Class action claims arising from industrial and offshore accidents
• Regional representation of wireless phone company in cell phone litigation
• Offshore platform explosions resulting in major multi-party damage, business losses, personal injury and death
• Legionnaires' Disease
• Lead paint litigation

Christovich & Kearney has substantial experience representing clients in the construction industry. Our clients include owners, developers, builders, design professionals, contractors, sub-contractors, material suppliers, product manufacturers, and insurers. We advise clients in litigated and non-litigated matters. Our litigation representation includes disputed matters in courts and in arbitration proceedings. Our attorneys strive to resolve disputes quickly, sensibly, and economically, but are fully prepared to litigate matters through trial and appeal. Our firm has handled construction cases in Louisiana and Texas, including cases involving:
• Construction defects
• Design flaws
• Contract breaches and other disputes
• Product and material defects
• Water intrusion
• Mold litigation
• Construction liens
• Public and Private Works Act claims
• Insurance coverage and bond issues
• Delay damages, including liquidated damage provisions
• Marine and land-based structures

The firm provides legal services to meet the specialized legal needs of the elderly, the disabled and their families. This practice compliments our Estate Planning practice. Elder Care practice includes:
• Powers of attorney
• Living wills/Advance Directives
• Interdictions
• Disability planning
• Last illness planning

Christovich & Kearney has represented clients in employment litigation both at the administrative and state and federal court levels as well as before arbitration tribunals. We have defended local and national businesses , including hospitals, manufacturers, retailers, nursing homes, contractors and schools and Universities in the following types of litigation:
• Wrongful termination
• Breach of employment contracts
• Noncompetition Agreements
• Trade secrets
• Age discrimination
• Sexual harassment
• Sexual discrimination
• Racial discrimination
• Disability discrimination
• OSHA violations
• ERISA

Christovich & Kearney represents employers, manufacturers, distributors, premises owners, transporters, and their insurers in litigation involving environmental law, toxic tort, and occupational disease. Our attorneys handle claims involving:
• Asbestos Litigation
• Benzene exposure
• Radiation (NORM) claims
• Disposal of hazardous waste
• Remediation and abatement
• State and federal regulatory matters
• Permitting
• CERCLA

The firm provides a wide range of estate planning and personal planning services for individuals, including wills, trusts, and marital property agreements. Representation in this area of law includes:
• Preparation of wills and trusts
• Probate
• Successions

Christovich & Kearney has a broad health care practice, and for many years has defended physicians, hospitals, and nursing homes throughout the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. Our health care practice covers all aspects of the health care field from general liability defense to corporate structuring and Medicare / Medicaid regulatory issues.

We have extensive experience with medical review panels and medical malpractice civil suits.

Our practice includes the following areas:
• Medical malpractice defense
• Medicare/Medicaid compliance
• Arbitration and mediation
• Agreement drafting
• Settlement negotiations

Throughout its history, Christovich & Kearney has advised its clients on insurance law issues. The firm represents numerous insurance companies in all aspects of insurance law, including:

• Coverage issues
• Reinsurance and excess insurance
• Errors and omissions
• Fidelity and surety matters
• Catastrophe litigation
• First and third party claims defense
• Bad faith claims
• Title claims
• Uninsured motorist claims
• Accident and health insurance claims
• Extra contractual and bad faith claims
• Directors and officers liability
• Professional liability
• Subrogation claims
• General Liability
• Property Insurance
• Workers' Compensation Insurance
• Commercial Auto Insurance

Christovich & Kearney has a longstanding history of handling premises liability cases, including the defense of grocery and department stores, retail food outlets, convention centers, stadiums, parking lots, nursing homes and industrial sites throughout Louisiana. Our firm’s experience includes defending:
• Slip and Fall claims
• Hazardous Conditions
• Remediation
• Environmental Claims
• Merchants

Product Liability litigation is a challenging area of law that requires an attorney with specific legal skills and a significant level of competence and resourcefulness. The product liability defense attorneys of Christovich & Kearney have what it takes to handle these complex cases. We have extensive, proven legal experience and a network of experts and investigators to create powerful defense strategies in the face of allegations that a product has caused harm. We have successfully defended clients in a wide range of product liability claims to include aircraft, elevators/escalators, recreational and sports equipment, food and beverages, lawn mowers, toys, water heaters, electrical appliances, cell phones, industrial lubricants, motor vehicles and accessories, turbine engines, mechanical presses, transformers, and tobacco.

Medical device products liability is an expanding and increasingly regulated area of law. Christovich & Kearney has represented medical device manufacturers in cases that are often combined with medical malpractice actions. Breast implants, orthopedic bone screws, pacemakers/defibrillators, surgical staplers, trocars, vena cava filters, restraints, contact lenses, and heart lung machines are some of the medical devices we have defended. Christovich & Kearney has represented medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies in multidistrict litigation as well as in individual cases.

The firm has extensive experience in defending professional malpractice claims. Partners at Christovich & Kearney represented many attorneys, law firms, physicians, accountants, and health care providers in a wide variety of matters, including defense of ethics complaints before disciplinary boards. Among those we have represented in professional liability cases are:
• Lawyers and judges
• Physical therapists
• Dentists
• Hospitals/emergency rooms
• Physicians and nurses
• Psychologists and social workers
• Engineers
• Pharmacists
• Insurance agents
• Accountants
• School board members
• Municipalities

The firm has represented clients in various aspects of commercial and residential real estate matters. Through its wholly owned title agency, C&K Title Company, LLC, its agents issue title insurance policies to lenders and owners. Our real estate practice includes:
• Acquisition, financing, and sale of residential and commercial
properties
• Title insurance claims and defense litigation.
• Donations and exchanges
• Foreclosures/collections
• Landlord-tenant disputes
• Leases
• Property management issues
• Title examination and title insurance policies.
• Limited liability company formation

Transportation litigation comprises a large portion of Christovich & Kearney’s practice. Our attorneys handle a wide variety of case involving:
• Aviation Claims
• Helicopters
• FELA litigation
• Automobile accidents
• Interstate trucking accidents
• Railroad claims
• Bus accidents
• State and federal regulatory law

Christovich & Kearney has substantial background defending both state and federal workers’ compensation claims. This representation includes handling claims filed under the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, the Federal Employers' Liability Act, the Jones Act, and maritime claims for maintenance and cure. Among the compensation and employers' liability matters we have litigated are:
• Occupational disease claims
• Heart attack claims
• Course and scope of employment issues
• Borrowed servant claims
• Statutory employer defense
• Second injury fund claims
• Rehabilitation/functional capacity assets
• Interventions / subrogations