Ball Employment Lawyers

Charles Stiegler is an experienced labor and employment attorney who has fought cases involving allegations of discrimination, retaliation, and unpaid wages in state and federal courts throughout the country.  After graduating with honors from LSU law school, Mr. Stiegler worked for high-end law firms based in Silicon Valley and New York City before starting his own practice here in New Orleans, Louisiana.

He specializes his practice in claims of unpaid overtime, unpaid wages, and unpaid commissions, but also practices in all other aspects of employment law including non-compete agreements, trade secret claims, False Claims Act lawsuits, and claims involving workplace...

Brad Harrigan focuses on intellectual property and insurance defense. As part of his intellectual property practice, Mr. Harrigan has managed trademark portfolios for Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and individuals consisting of hundreds of domestic and international trademark applications and registrations.

Mr. Harrigan has significant experience representing clients in trademark prosecution matters such as USPTO Office Actions, TTAB proceedings, and ICANN UDRP arbitrations. Mr. Harrigan has also represented clients in IP litigation matters throughout the country, including state and federal disputes concerning trademark, copyright, trade secret, and unfair competition issues. His defense work includes a broad range of experience in property...

Zoë Vermeulen is a partner in the New Orleans office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 2012 and practices in the admiralty and maritime practice group, as well as the labor and employment group.

Zoë earned her B.A. in Public Relations from Louisiana State University in 2008. She earned her J.D., magna cum laude, in 2012 from Tulane University Law School, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif and Moot Court Board.

Hugh Lambert founded The Lambert Firm (now Lambert Zainey Smith & Soso) in 1977 and has since grown the firm to one of the most prestigious and well respected firms in New Orleans, representing individuals and businesses alike in a wide range of legal matters. In addition to his legal representation, Hugh Lambert is a frequent lecturer across the United States on class actions and mass torts. He has also authored and published legal articles. He has held a broad range of leadership positions in many organizations devoted to law, civic and charitable pursuits. He is a member in good...

Licensed to practice in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, Justin Chopin is the owner and managing attorney of The Chopin Law Firm LLC. Born and raised in New Orleans, Justin is thoroughly familiar with the legal challenges that individuals and businesses face along the Gulf Coast. The firm represents individuals who have suffered personal injury, as well as small businesses. Prior to founding his own firm, Justin worked for one of the largest defense firms in America, as well as for some of the most highly regarded regional firms.

Michael Lowe is a partner in the Shreveport office of Kean Miller and practices in the litigation group. Michael represents clients in the areas of labor and employment law, construction litigation and commercial litigation.

His employment practice involves all aspects of labor and employment litigation. Michael represents clients in state and federal courts, as well as before various federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights (LCHR). He assists clients in the development of policies and procedures, the drafting and enforcement of employment contracts,...

JOHN R. WALKER is a Partner in SBSB's Houston office. For the past almost twenty-five years, it has been my privilege to represent insurance and employer interests focusing on the defense of claims brought under the Longshore and Harbor Act, the Defense Base (DBA), the Non-Appropriated Funds (NAF) Instrumentalities Act, the Jones Act, and General Maritime and Admiralty Law. Additionally, John also has extensive experience in First Party Insurance Defense matters, representing employers, insurance carriers, and third parties in State, Federal and Appellate courts. Prior to joining the firm, John handled First Party Insurance Defense,...

Chelsea Brener Cusimano has a substantial litigation practice and client base after a decade of work with her family firm and public officials. Chelsea is the daughter of the late Lisa Brener who began her trailblazing civil rights and employment practice in New Orleans in the 1980s. Chelsea is a fourth-generation New Orleans lawyer. Chelsea has successfully litigated Collective Actions under the FederalFair Labor Standards Act, including managing a Collective Action with over 90 Plaintiffs from 2018-2020. Chelsea is a member of both the Louisiana and Georgia bars, and holds an LL.M. from George Washington University in National Security and International Affairs. She...

Kenneth L. Tolar focuses primarily on general intellectual property matters including patent, trademark and copyright prosecution, intellectual property litigation and licensing on behalf of both corporations and independent inventors nationwide, patentability and trademark availability opinions, inter partes practice before both the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board; during his career, he has secured over 350 patents on behalf of independent and corporate inventors.

Mr. Tolar also engages in general commercial litigation, insurance defense, labor disputes arising under The Fair Labor Standards Act, personal injury and first-party insurance claims.

Brian Carnie is a partner in the Shreveport office of Kean Miller and practices in the labor and employment group. He represents employers of all sizes in the private and public sectors. Brian dedicates his practice exclusively to the representation of management's interests in virtually all aspects of labor and employment law, including the defense of wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, workplace tort, breach of contract, FMLA, and OSHA whistleblower claims in federal and state courts, and before administrative agencies. Brian prepares, litigates and defends non-compete agreements and other restrictive covenants for his clients. He has extensive experience in Fair...