Overview

Laurent Demosthenidy represents businesses, government entities, and individuals in complex litigation, through trial and appeal. He has experience in a wide variety of fields, including commercial litigation, admiralty and maritime, catastrophic personal injury and casualty, insurance coverage and bad faith, and First Amendment law. This direct experience taking complex matters to trial gives Mr. Demosthenidy the knowledge and skills to advise clients in navigating the immediate aftermath of an incident and either to represent them or assist them in monitoring and evaluating other outside counsel though the course of litigation.

He also advises clients on insurance recovery and other transactional matters, including business formation, contract drafting and negotiation, and employment-related matters. He is admitted to practice before all Louisiana and Mississippi state and federal courts.
 
Mr. Demosthenidy studied Political Science at U.C. Santa Barbara and then attended Tulane University Law School, where he received a juris doctor with certification in Admiralty law in 2006. While at Tulane, he served as a justice on the Tulane Moot Court Board and a student attorney with the Tulane Criminal Clinic.

Mr. Demosthenidy has made homes in both the U.S. and France, has served on the boards of local non-profits, and gives his time to teach in the Tulane Law School trial advocacy program. He lives in New Orleans with his wife and their two daughters.

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Professional Experience

• Advised and assisted a local business in preparation, submittal, and negotiation of eight-figure Hurricane Ida claim.

• Represented hydrocarbon pipeline company in wetlands erosion litigation. Plaintiff landowner alleged that the client and other similar companies were responsible for the erosion of marshlands surrounding pipelines on their property, claiming damages well into eight figures. After all other defendants had settled, the day before trial was set to commence, plaintiffs agreed to settle for the remaining cost of defense.

• Advised and assisted a Mississippi River terminal operator in connection with vessel allision claim, including preparation, submission, and negotiation of disputed insurance coverage claim valued in excess of $30 million and representation of the client in related admiralty litigation.

• Champagne v. USAA Cas. Ins. Co., et al., 2019-CA-0334 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2019). Employer’s claim for defense and indemnity against employee’s liability insurer dismissed. Employee’s insurer paid policy limits and subsequently rejected tender of defense by excess carrier. Appellate court held that the primary insurer had no obligation to fund continued defense of the case by the employer once its limits were exhausted.

• Muller v. Fort Pike Volunteer Fire Department, et al., 2019-CA-0156, 275 So. 3d 927 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2019).  Obtained dismissal of defamation case under Louisiana’s anti-SLAPP statute.

• Cruz v. Creecy, et al., 2018-CA-127, 254 So. 2d 817 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2018). After a bench trial, the district court rendered a defense judgment based on lack of causation in personal injury matter. The Fifth Circuit affirmed the judgment.

• Sims, et al. v. Vides, et al., 24th JDC No. 767-734. Obtained jury verdict in favor of defendants in personal injury case.

• Bennett v. Moscano, et al., 18-C-179 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2018). Writ granted by Fifth Circuit, reinstating Parish Government’s right to jury trial under La. R.S. 13:5105 (D). Subsequently, following a four -day trial, the jury returned a defense verdict.

• Zen-Noh Grain Corp. v. Thompson, 123 So. 3d 777 ((La. App. 5 Cir. 8/27/13). Grain seller sued individual for breach of contract. The trial court dismissed Zen-Noh’s case under lis pendens based on plaintiff’s argument that Zen-Noh was liable to him in a completely different contractual dispute. The Fifth Circuit vacated the dismissal, agreeing that the disputes concerned different transactions and occurrences. Subsequently, Thompson abandoned all claims against Zen-Noh.

• Claudio v. Silla Cooling Sys., 55 So. 3d 902 (La. App. 5 Cir. 12/14/10). Injured plaintiff obtained a judgment against his employer under a dual-capacity theory, arguing that the employer’s property lease agreement required it to assume the premises liability of the building’s owner. The court of appeal reversed and rendered judgment for the employer under La. R. S. § 12:1032(b).

• Defended movie stunt company in traumatic brain injury case with potential exposure of over $5,000,000, obtaining favorable settlement days before trial.

• Represented offshore exploration company in Jones Act paraplegia case, involving extensive indemnity and liability issues.

• Represented defendant employee of offshore supply company in personal injury case involving severe traumatic brain injury, permanent disability, and punitive damage exposure.

• Represented Louisiana oilfield support company in multimillion -dollar federal litigation related to construction of facilities on Bakken Shale Formation in North Dakota.

• Represented offshore supply company in multi-million dollar dispute with contractor over oil spill cleanup efforts.

• Represented employee of offshore supply company in OSCLA matter involving severe traumatic brain injury, permanent disability, and punitive damages

• Defended landowner in connection with wrongful death claims, obtaining settlement of less than $50,000. Later jury trial resulted in an award of over $2.5 million against non-settling defendant.

• Obtained trial judgment in favor of subsidiary of publicly traded multinational company in breach of barge construction contract.

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Admissions

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• Louisiana (2006)

• Mississippi (2007)

• U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (2006)

• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana (2006)

• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana (2006)

• U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana (2006)

• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi (2007)

• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi (2007)