Born 1936 University of Wisconsin, B.B.A., 1958; J.D., 1968 Admitted to Bar, 1969, Louisiana; 1971, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1972, U.S. Supreme Court Member, Louisiana Bar Foundation; Fellow, American Bar Foundation; American Board of Trial Advocates; International Association of Defense Counsel; The Maritime Law Association of the United States
Mr. Hoffman received the American Jurisprudence Award for the highest grade in the Appellate Advocacy course at University of Wisconsin Law School. He was one of the finalists on the moot court appellate advocacy team to argue before a panel of two Wisconsin Supreme Court justices and one Federal Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit judge.
Throughout his nearly forty years of practice, he has argued many appeals in Louisiana appellate courts, both state and federal, and before the Supreme Court of Louisiana. When he was New Orleans City Attorney, he argued all appeals on behalf of the city. In March 2006, he successfully argued an appeal before the Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, State of Louisiana, and obtained an affirmance in a product liability case.
As a result of his pro bono activities with the Louisiana Bar Foundation, including being Vice-President and Chairman of the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts Committee, Mr. Hoffman is personally acquainted with most of the judges on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Hoffman has practiced for more than thirty years in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels. He has litigated casualty, maritime, product liability, environmental, toxic tort, professional liability, and government liability cases. Mr. Hoffman is the lead defense attorney in lawsuits involving products liability, toxic tort and major casualty cases. Prior to joining the firm, he served as New Orleans City Attorney (1978-1979).
Mr. Hoffman was the founder of the French American Chamber of Commerce, Louisiana Chapter, and serves on its Board of Directors. He has served on the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce and was chairman of its Aviation Committee. He serves on the Board of Directors of the World Trade Center and on its Governmental Affairs Committee.
A lifetime fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation, Mr. Hoffman is past president of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Louisiana Chapter, a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel, and a proctor in the Maritime Law Association of the United States. He is a sustaining member of the National World War II Museum.
A former member of the Tulane Law School trial advocacy faculty, he serves as a member of the trial skills faculty of Loyola Law School and guest lectures at Louisiana Law Center seminars. Mr. Hoffman holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and a juris doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin.
Litigation
Toxic Torts Law
Products Liability Law
Rodney A. Seydel, Jr., Partner
Born 1953 Loyola University, B.A., 1980; Tulane University, J.D., 1983 Admitted to Bar, 1983, Louisiana Member American and Louisiana State Bar Associations; International Association of Defense Counsel
Rodney Seydel has practiced for more than twenty years during which he has concentrated on medical malpractice, premises liability, products liability and occupational diseases.
An experienced trial lawyer, Mr. Seydel has practiced in all federal district courts in Louisiana, as well as numerous state judicial district and appellate courts.
Mr. Seydel received a bachelor of arts degree from Loyola University in New Orleans and a juris doctor degree from Tulane University School of Law. As a member of the Tulane University Law Review, he was on the board of editors, served as its business manager and was the author of the case 57, "Status of the Sieracki-Seaman after the 1972 Amendments to the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act" which appeared in the Tulane Law Review, 379 in 1982.
Mr. Seydel holds membership in the Louisiana State and American Bar Associations. He is a former officer of the Young Lawyers Section of the New Orleans Bar Association. He also lectures on issues regarding medical malpractice and premises liability.
A native of Washington state, Mr. Seydel is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana and all Louisiana Courts.
General Litigation
Insurance Defense
Premises Liability
Medical Malpractice
Mary Ann Darr Wegmann, Associate
Born 1953 Loyola University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1975; J.D. (cum laude), 1982 Note/Comment Editor, Loyola Law Review, 1981-1982 Admitted to Bar, 1982, Louisiana Member Federal, Louisiana State and New Orleans Bar Associations; Fellow, Louisiana Bar Foundation
Insurance Defense
Corporate Law
Construction Law
Commercial Law
Martin A. Childs, Associate
Born 1967 Louisiana State University, B.A., 1990; J.D., 1998 Admitted to Bar, 1999, Louisiana Member Louisiana State Bar Association; International Association of Defense Counsel
University of Wisconsin, B.B.A., 1958; J.D., 1968 
