Our Team

New Orleans native Stuart H. Smith has practiced law for 32 years and has built a reputation for pioneering the field of Technologically Enhanced Radioactive Material (TERM) oilfield waste litigation and achieving record verdicts for his clients. Mr. Smith devotes his casework to Mass Torts; Class Actions; Environmental Law; Toxic Torts; Litigation; Maritime Law and Personal Injury. Mr. Smith has appeared as a commentator on all national networks and major cable channels.

Crude Justice Book

BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS

• Louisiana
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana
• United States Supreme Court

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Louisiana State Bar Association
• Louisiana Association For Justice
• American Association For Justice

PUBLICATIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND RECOGNITIONS

• Lawyers Weekly Top 10 Jury Verdicts of 2001: 2nd Highest, Grefer v Alpha Technical, $1.06 billion verdict
• Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award, Criminal Procedure
• Author: “The Special Fund Under The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act,” The Maritime Lawyer published by Tulane Law School, 1987
• Moot Court, 1986, Moot Court Teaching Assistant, 1986 National Appellate Advocacy Team
• One of the largest donors to the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and founder of the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice at the university’s Broadway campus

Licensed in Louisiana

Juan LaFonta, a New Orleans native and the son of a bricklayer and public school teacher, LaFonta has always known hard work. A graduate of Brother Martin High School, LaFonta received his undergraduate degree from the University of New Orleans (1997) and his Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center (2000.) LaFonta is also a former adjunct professor at Dillard University in New Orleans. LaFonta is of Creole descent.

LAW PRACTICE: Juan Lafonta and Associates, L.L.C.

Mr. LaFonta has 20-years experience managing a high-volume personal injury law practice servicing thousands of clients while managing the staff and logistics for operations. His well-respected and organized law firm in New Orleans, Louisiana won its first trial in 2004 with a $1 million dollars award. Since then, he has adjudicated or negotiated millions. Currently, LaFonta is regarded as one of the top African-American Lawyers in Louisiana. In 2016, LaFonta became a lifetime charter member of the Rue Ratings’ “Best Attorneys of America” and Rue Ratings’ “Best Law Firm.”

FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR

Juan LaFonta was elected to the Louisiana State Legislature in 2005 under a special election several months before Hurricane Katrina. LaFonta, represented District 96 which include the historic neighborhoods of Faubourg, Marigny, Treme and Gentilly. LaFonta was the first ever freshman legislator to be elected to a caucus in U.S. history when he became chair of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus.

According to OurCampaigns.com LaFonta is “committed to economic development in his community, working to ease the tax burden on local businesses to help create jobs. He is a believer in accessible healthcare, championing the effort to rebuild Charity Hospital and pushing legislation to expand healthcare coverage and requirements on insurance companies.” LaFonta served on several committees during his run in office including the Commerce Committee, the Retirement Committee, the Insurance Committee.

After Hurricane Katrina, LaFonta served the House Special Committee on Disaster Planning, Crisis Management, Recovery and Long-Term Revitalization. LaFonta also negotiated 1.2 billion dollars for the gulf coast region after Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. LaFont is also an Adjunct Professor of Public Health Law at Dillard University New Orleans and a member of the Louisiana Latino Commission.

Licensed in both Texas and Louisiana

Andrew Jacoby has been an environmental litigator since 2009. His case work involves helping people affected by oil and gas operations, landfills, radiation sources, and other types of environmental damage and public health threats. He has also represented a solar industry trade group. His work includes the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, CERCLA, RCRA, Price-Anderson Act, CZMA, SDWA, FIFRA, and other environmental laws. He is a long-time volunteer for environmental and public health advocates in Louisiana, drafting legislation to protect Louisiana’s most vulnerable citizens from public health threats posed by powerful industry. Mr. Jacoby has a J.D. from Tulane Law School and a business degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

Licensed in Louisiana

Jack Harang is a graduate of Loyola Law School who has practiced law in Louisiana for 50 years.  Since that time, he has litigated in approximately a thousand criminal and civil jury trials in thirty states.  Throughout his career, he has handled many complex litigations cases, in the areas of pharmaceutical, environmental, maritime, toxic torts and mass disaster litigation, and he has served as lead and co-lead trial counsel in numerous mass tort litigation. 

His honors and distinguishments include:
• Presenting to the American Trial Lawyers Association on jury trials and punitive damages
• Presenting before the American Bar Association on getting punitive damages, and nursing home litigation
• Awarded the President Eisenhower’s Trust Fund Fellowship Exchange Program to present about our legal system and jury trials in both Russia and China 
• Having cases featured in numerous national media publications
• Winning groundbreaking litigation in the fields of nursing home litigation, NORM (exposure to naturally occurring radioactive material as a result of oil field pollution), and punitive damages 
• Co-founded the Nursing Home Litigation Section of the American Trial Lawyers Association 

Significant Cases:
• Barryhill and Bolian vs. Beverly Enterprises,  USDC So. Dist. MS. 1986: The First Quality of Life Nursing Home Case which was instrumental in effectuating the Nursing Home Reform Act in the United States.
• In Re:  New Orleans Train Explosion: Phyllis Laney vs. CSX Railroad. New Orleans train explosion represented more than 9,000 New Orleans residents. Won a $3.25 billion verdict.
• Greffer vs. Exxon Mobile: Obtained punitive damages and remediation costs resulting from NORM contamination of a thirty-acre pipe yard. Won a $1.56 billion dollar verdict.

601 Poydras Street, Suite 2345, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130