Litigation Experience
Focused solely on representing Plaintiffs in First Party Insurance disputes arising from Hurricane Katrina beginning in October 2005. In 2006 successfully handled over 100 first party Hurricane Katrina claim disputes and secured over two million dollars in settlements for my clients. To date have filed over 200 lawsuits arising out of first party insurance disputes since 2005 and have secured over forty three million dollars in settlements for our clients. The settlements have arisen from mediations, settlement conferences with the court, and litigation maneuvers that placed the insurers in an untenable position whereby settlement was a necessity. The focus of the firm's practice since Hurricane Katrina has been first party insurance disputes and class action litigation.
Class Action Experience
May 2009
Enrolled as class counsel in Enjoli et. al. vs. Iovate Health Sciences, U.S.A, USDC, EDLA No. 09-3533, Division “R”,. Magistrate “3”. Currently being considered for transfer by the JPML, IN RE: Hydroxycut Markeing and Sales Practice Litigation, MDL No. 2087.
The Enjoli et. al. matter seeks to address alleged deceptive sales practices against the Defendants, Iovate Et. Al.. Jeffrey P. Berniard drafted all pleadings in this matter, including the Motion seeking transfer to the EDLA, which was filed with the JPML. Jeffrey P. Berniard is currently working along with co-counsel from around the county of the subsequently 21 filed causes of action alleging similar transgressions by the Defendants.
May 2009
Enrolled as class counsel in Wiltz et. al vs. Knauf Gips KG, et. al, USDC, EDLA No. 09-3488, Division “s”,. Magistrate “2.” This matter is currently consolidated with several other lawsuits alleging the same causes of action in the Eastern District of Louisiana, In Re: Chinese-manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2047.
Jeffrey P. Berniard drafted all pleadings in this matter and is currently working along with co-counsel from around the county of the filed causes of action alleging similar transgressions by the Defendants.
March 2009
Enrolled as class counsel in Gerald Paul Bodet et. al. vs. Charter Communications, USDC, EDLA No. 09-3068, Division “F”,. Magistrate “1.”
The Bodet matter seeks to address alleged antitrust allegations against the Defendants, Charter Communications Et. Al.. Jeffrey P. Berniard along with co-counsel filed the first and only petition for damages against Charter for the alleged Sherman Act Antitrust violations. Jeffrey P. Berniard is currently working along with co-counsel to prosecute this matter.
February 2009
Enrolled as class counsel in Henry Holmes et. al. vs. Cox Communications, USDC, EDLA No. 09-2996, Division “S”,. Magistrate “4”. Transferred by the JPML to the Western District of Oklahoma, IN RE: Cox Enterprises, Inc., Set-top Cable Television Box Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2048.
The Holmes consolidated matter seeks to address alleged antitrust allegations against the Defendants, Cox Communications Et. Al.. Jeffrey P. Berniard along with co-counsel filed the first petition for damages against Cox for the alleged Sherman Act Antitrust violations. Jeffrey P. Berniard is currently working along with co-counsel from around the county of the subsequently 15 filed causes of action alleging similar transgressions by the Defendants.
October 2008
Enrolled and approved by Judge Kern Reese as one of three lead class counsel in Toni Swain Orrill, et. al. v. AIG, Inc., et. al., CDC Docket Number 2005-11720, Division “L”, Section 6.
The Orrill et. al. matter was a competing and sister class action of the Chalona et. al. matter. In this matter a class of 70,000 members was seeking bad faith penalties for the alleged tardiness in payment and tardiness in opening of claims during Hurricane Katrina and Rita by the insurance company of last resort in Louisiana. The Chalona and Orrill matters were joined for purposes of settlement. A settlement of $35 million dollars was successfully negotiated along with two other lead class counsels for this matter. Personally involved in every aspect of the case and the complexity of this matter was further exacerbated by way of a third competing sister class action filed in another parish who sought to derail the settlement by various methods.
January 2007
Enrolled and approved by Judge Robert Buckley as one of three lead class counsel in Chalona et. Al. vs. Louisiana Property Insurance Company, 34th JDC, No. 107-125, Div. “A.”
The Chalona et. al. matter consisted of a class of 70,000 members that were seeking bad faith penalties for the alleged tardiness in payment for claims during Hurricane Katrina and Rita by the insurance company of last resort in Louisiana. One of three Plaintiffs attorneys for the class and was involved in every aspect of the case up until it was subsumed and consolidated with the Orrill et. al. class action detailed below.
Class Action Experience
May 2009
Enrolled as class counsel in Enjoli et. al. vs. Iovate Health Sciences, U.S.A, USDC, EDLA No. 09-3533, Division “R”,. Magistrate “3”. Currently being considered for transfer by the JPML, IN RE: Hydroxycut Markeing and Sales Practice Litigation, MDL No. 2087.
The Enjoli et. al. matter seeks to address alleged deceptive sales practices against the Defendants, Iovate Et. Al.. Jeffrey P. Berniard drafted all pleadings in this matter, including the Motion seeking transfer to the EDLA, which was filed with the JPML. Jeffrey P. Berniard is currently working along with co-counsel from around the county of the subsequently 21 filed causes of action alleging similar transgressions by the Defendants.
May 2009
Enrolled as class counsel in Wiltz et. al vs. Knauf Gips KG, et. al, USDC, EDLA No. 09-3488, Division “s”,. Magistrate “2.” This matter is currently consolidated with several other lawsuits alleging the same causes of action in the Eastern District of Louisiana, In Re: Chinese-manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2047.
Jeffrey P. Berniard drafted all pleadings in this matter and is currently working along with co-counsel from around the county of the filed causes of action alleging similar transgressions by the Defendants.
March 2009
Enrolled as class counsel in Gerald Paul Bodet et. al. vs. Charter Communications, USDC, EDLA No. 09-3068, Division “F”,. Magistrate “1.”
The Bodet matter seeks to address alleged antitrust allegations against the Defendants, Charter Communications Et. Al.. Jeffrey P. Berniard along with co-counsel filed the first and only petition for damages against Charter for the alleged Sherman Act Antitrust violations. Jeffrey P. Berniard is currently working along with co-counsel to prosecute this matter.
February 2009
Enrolled as class counsel in Henry Holmes et. al. vs. Cox Communications, USDC, EDLA No. 09-2996, Division “S”,. Magistrate “4”. Transferred by the JPML to the Western District of Oklahoma, IN RE: Cox Enterprises, Inc., Set-top Cable Television Box Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2048.
The Holmes consolidated matter seeks to address alleged antitrust allegations against the Defendants, Cox Communications Et. Al.. Jeffrey P. Berniard along with co-counsel filed the first petition for damages against Cox for the alleged Sherman Act Antitrust violations. Jeffrey P. Berniard is currently working along with co-counsel from around the county of the subsequently 15 filed causes of action alleging similar transgressions by the Defendants.
October 2008
Enrolled and approved by Judge Kern Reese as one of three lead class counsel in Toni Swain Orrill, et. al. v. AIG, Inc., et. al., CDC Docket Number 2005-11720, Division “L”, Section 6.
The Orrill et. al. matter was a competing and sister class action of the Chalona et. al. matter. In this matter a class of 70,000 members was seeking bad faith penalties for the alleged tardiness in payment and tardiness in opening of claims during Hurricane Katrina and Rita by the insurance company of last resort in Louisiana. The Chalona and Orrill matters were joined for purposes of settlement. A settlement of $35 million dollars was successfully negotiated along with two other lead class counsels for this matter. Personally involved in every aspect of the case and the complexity of this matter was further exacerbated by way of a third competing sister class action filed in another parish who sought to derail the settlement by various methods.
January 2007
Enrolled and approved by Judge Robert Buckley as one of three lead class counsel in Chalona et. Al. vs. Louisiana Property Insurance Company, 34th JDC, No. 107-125, Div. “A.”
The Chalona et. al. matter consisted of a class of 70,000 members that were seeking bad faith penalties for the alleged tardiness in payment for claims during Hurricane Katrina and Rita by the insurance company of last resort in Louisiana. One of three Plaintiffs attorneys for the class and was involved in every aspect of the case up until it was subsumed and consolidated with the Orrill et. al. class action detailed below.