Gordon Arata On land and at sea, New Orleans firm goes the extra mile for an array of clients
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By Tom Kirvan
t seems only fitting that the name of its blog is “Drill Deeper,” an apt label applied by a New Orleans law firm that has a history of representing clients in the energy, maritime, chemical, and construction industries. Yet, the legal reach of Gordon, Arata, Montgomery, Barnett, McCollam, Duplantis & Eagan, LLC extends far beyond those four industries, and includes among others, finance, banking, real estate, telecommunications, and public utilities. All that thanks to a 2017 merger of two prominent Louisiana-based law firms that now includes satellite offices in Lafayette, La. and other locations.
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By way of history, the firm traces its origin to 1895 when Montgomery Barnett was formed. Over the course of the next century, the firm developed a global reputation in the admiralty and maritime areas, while also handling commercial litigation, real estate matters, and other practice areas. Relatedly, in 1970 Gordon Arata was born, methodically establishing a legal niche representing clients in the energy and petrochemical industries before becoming known for its high stakes work on energy regulatory issues and business litigation. In 2017, the two firms became one and now boasts a team of 40 attorneys with plans “to grow that number” in the years ahead, according to Sam Masur, who is part of a
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three-member management committee for Gordon Arata that includes Marion Weinstock and Greg Duplantis. “Sharing management responsibilities is a little unusual in how most law firms operate, but it works well here and allows each of us to maintain a regular caseload while we devote probably 20 percent of our time to administrative matters,” said Masur, who is based in the firm’s Lafayette office, located 135 miles west of New Orleans. A University of Georgia alum who earned his law degree from Louisiana State University, Masur is marking his 35th anniversary with Gordon Arata this year