Jones Walker Elects 12 New Partners and Reelects Strong Board Leadership

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jones Walker LLP is pleased to announce that the firm has elected 12 new partners and reelected Richard Cortizas and Rivers Lelong to its board of directors for four-year terms, effective Jan. 1.

"We are thrilled to announce our newly elected partners, whose extensive experience enhances a range of practice areas and teams firmwide. This group exemplifies excellence and shares a commitment to advancement and client value," said Jones Walker managing partner Bill Hines. "Additionally, I look forward to continuing the important work of the firm's board of directors with Richard and Rivers and am grateful for their strategic perspective and leadership in this capacity."

Jones Walker's newest partners include former special counsel attorneys Tiffany Dupree, Lauren Rose, and Greg Schafer, as well as former associates Det Beal, Shawn Daray, Katie Herbert, Sara Kuebel, Robbie Mahtook, Zachary Montgomery, Samantha Oppenheim, Brad Sands, and Lauren Tarver-Tatman. These partnerships are also effective Jan. 1.

Board Members

Richard F. Cortizas is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group in the New Orleans office and the firm's chief culture & inclusion officer. Richard focuses his practice on transactional matters, representing clients in complex land use and zoning matters, public finance, and economic development projects. He has extensive experience representing corporate clients, developers, and individuals before local planning commissions, boards of zoning adjustments, and governing authorities of political subdivisions throughout the state. Richard also represents clients before local and state regulatory bodies in a wide range of governmental matters. He is currently serving on the boards of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the French Market Corp., the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, WWOZ Radio New Orleans, WYES-New Orleans Public Broadcasting, and the Lusher Charter School, and previously served as president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana's board.

F. Rivers Lelong, Jr. is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group in the New Orleans office. Rivers' practice involves a variety of commercial transactions comprising secured finance, real estate, acquisitions, and divestitures of privately held companies and their assets, and the negotiation of sophisticated commercial contracts. He is also general outside counsel to an international consumer packaged goods company as well as to other smaller private businesses. Rivers is currently serving on the boards of the Louisiana Museum Foundation Board and as Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of Trinity Episcopal School. He previously served as President of Friends of the Cabildo.

New Partners

Tiffany Dupree is a member of the Labor & Employment Practice Group and the Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources Industry Team in the Baton Rouge office. Tiffany represents clients in a broad range of commercial and regulatory matters such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance, governmental investigations, and contract negotiations. She regularly represents employers in OSHA inspections, investigations, and enforcement actions and counsels clients on compliance strategies designed to reduce regulatory and litigation risks. She also reviews and negotiates commercial contracts, helping clients manage risks through clear liability allocation, indemnity provisions, and other contract terms that protect business operations and reduce the likelihood of disputes.

Lauren Rose is a member of the Maritime Practice Group in the Miami office. A former prosecutor for Miami-Dade County, Lauren represents maritime clients, including the world's largest cruise lines in all litigation matters and is a member of the Maritime Appellate Group and Emergency Response Team. In addition to her maritime practice, she also handles general litigation disputes and has extensive appellate experience in both state and federal appeals, both civil and criminal in nature. In addition to serving clients in Florida, Lauren also represents clients in New York and New Jersey in general litigation matters. 

T. Gregory Schafer is a member of the Litigation Practice Group and the insurance team in the New Orleans office. Greg represents clients in a wide variety of matters, including the defense of corporations in toxic tort cases involving exposure to benzene, asbestos, and mold. He also defends healthcare systems and providers in cases in general liability, contractual disputes, and alleged violations of HIPAA. Greg has served as lead counsel in a large number of jury and bench trials. He has also handled a significant number of appeals in federal and state court and before the Louisiana Supreme Court. Greg is a member of the by-invitation-only American Board of Trial Advocates.

Giles Detwiler (Det) Beal, IV is a member of the Corporate Practice Group in the New Orleans office. Det advises domestic and international businesses, business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors on a wide variety of corporate transactions and debt and equity investments. He has worked with incubators such as Idea Village and helped form startups and other business enterprises across the country with interests and operations in the healthcare, technology, data services, cannabis, and other leading industries, counseling clients at every stage of the corporate life cycle.

Shawn J. Daray is a member of the Tax Practice Group and the Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources Industry Team in the New Orleans office. Shawn also co-leads the clean energy and energy transition team. He counsels investors, businesses, project developers, community development entities, and other nonprofit organizations on the full range of federal tax issues. He has particular experience advising clients on current, industry-specific economic development tax credit opportunities, including new markets tax credits, historic rehabilitation tax credits, and renewable energy tax credits, among other federal incentives. Shawn's clients include upstream, midstream, and downstream oil, gas, and energy companies; manufacturers, retailers, and other energy end users across numerous industries; and participants in public-private partnerships and infrastructure projects.

Katherine Herbert is a member of the Corporate Practice Group in the Baton Rouge office. Katie's practice focuses primarily on assisting public and private company clients with a variety of corporate matters, including stock and asset mergers and acquisitions transactions, conversions, consolidations, dispositions, internal reorganizations/restructurings, and private equity transactions. She also works closely with clients to address day-to-day operational and governance issues.

Sara B. Kuebel is a member of the Maritime Practice Group in the New Orleans office. Sara advises clients on a broad range of disputes, with a concentration in maritime litigation. She has experience litigating various matters, having assisted with numerous bench and jury trials in both federal and state court, as well as multiple arbitral hearings. Sara currently teaches a course on maritime commerce as an adjunct professor at LSU Law. She is also active in the community, serving on the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Young Leadership Council and as the Chapter President for the New Orleans Chapter of the Women's International Shipping & Trading Association.

Robert A. Mahtook, III is a member of the Corporate Practice Group and the Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources Industry Team in the Lafayette office. Robbie also co-leads the clean energy and energy transition team. He is experienced in complex real estate transactions, including acquisitions and divestitures, lease negotiations, and real estate finance and development matters. Robbie's transactional practice also includes representing clients in the development of renewable energy and infrastructure projects across the country, including with site control, permitting, and title/mineral curative matters.

Zachary T. Montgomery is a member of the Corporate Practice Group and the mergers and acquisitions and private equity team in the New Orleans office. Zachary focuses on complex corporate transactions, including public and private mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, capital raises, special situation strategies, and joint ventures in a variety of sectors, including energy, infrastructure, mining, and technology. In addition to his transactional work, he also advises senior management, investment funds, family offices, and boards on general strategic, governance, and corporate matters.

Samantha A. Oppenheim is a member of the Litigation Practice Group and the bankruptcy & restructuring team in the New Orleans office. Samantha's practice focuses on complex bankruptcy and restructuring matters, with a particular emphasis on mass tort Chapter 11 cases. She has experience representing creditors, debtors, and official and ad hoc committees in bankruptcy courts across the country. Samantha also represents clients in commercial disputes outside the bankruptcy context and has experience in federal appellate practice. 

Bradley E. Sands is a member of the Construction Team in the Atlanta office. Brad has successfully represented owners, general contractors, and major subcontractors alike in a wide range of projects within the construction industry. He provides legal advice to clients throughout the entire life cycle of a project, from initial contract drafting to final arbitration award.

Lauren V. Tarver-Tatman is a member of the Corporate Practice Group and the finance team in the Baton Rouge office. Lauren serves as bond counsel to government entities as well as corporate and not-for-profit obligors in conduit financings in connection with the issuance of taxable and tax-exempt debt obligations. Additionally, she acts as underwriter's counsel, trustee's counsel, counsel to purchasers of municipal bonds, and borrower's counsel for an array of public finance transactions.

About Jones Walker
Jones Walker LLP (joneswalker.com) is among the largest 140 law firms in the United States. With offices in Alabama, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, and Texas, we serve local, regional, national, and international business interests. The firm is committed to providing a comprehensive range of legal services to major multinational public and private corporations, Fortune® 500 companies, money center banks, worldwide insurers, and emerging companies doing business in the United States and abroad.

Contact:
Ryan Evans
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