Jones Act Assistance

My firm offers a unique selection of services for individuals, companies and maritime attorneys. Behind every service I provide is my commitment to professionalism.

If you require a succession representative or tutor appointed in Louisiana for Jones Act standing, my firm offers fast service that is empathetic and professional.

Time matters in a Jones Act case. Evidence needs to be gathered. Statements need to be taken. Experts may need to be retained.

The scenario is all too common: you have a client in Louisiana, but the family is in chaos from the death of a loved one. Even worse, there’s a family member adverse to your client’s interests who wants to retain their own attorney to handle the Jones Act case, threatening your client’s interests to choose a different attorney. Protecting your client’s interests usually requires getting into Court quickly so that the proper pleadings can be filed. In some cases, millions of dollars and the selection of a competent attorney may be riding on the first to file papers with the Court.

I provide fast turnaround services for Louisiana Jones Act cases to protect your client’s rights to become succession representative of the decedent’s estate, which provides standing for the claim. If one or more of your clients is a minor, then in most circumstances tutorship proceedings will also be required in order to qualify for succession representative, which means having to file multiple matters.

Rates you can understand

Our contract is between you, the attorney and our firm rather than with your client. We do not contract with your client as our services are paid for by your firm directly. This allows you piece of mind that I will not attempt to influence your client against you.

Provided that the client and at least one other affiant is within the state of Louisiana and are available to execute paperwork, the turnaround for filing and obtaining a decision as to whether your client will be appointed representative is usually same or next day, but varies from court to court and where the affiants are located within the state. Our fees specifically address waiting at the courthouse until the order is signed. I make myself personally available to answer the Judge’s questions when allowed to do so in order to walk out with an order in hand. If a judge is not available on the date of submission, or where courthouse policy does not allow for me to wait for the judge, I will repeatedly communicate by phone as to when the order will be signed.

Fees for Services are as follows:

Petition for Notice and Request for Hearing to Protect Rights (must be done within 10 days of decedent’s death to guarantee right to hearing if multiple parties wish to be representative), followed by Petition to become Succession Representative….. $3,500.00 plus all court costs (requires multiple appearances to Court)

Petition for Succession Representative without notice (when retention is after 10 days from date of decedent’s death, which means first petition to be considered is usually appointed succession representative)….. $3,500.00 plus court costs (requires rush to the court and stoppage of other work for the firm).

Tutorship Papers … $2,650.00 plus costs if standalone; $1,500.00 plus costs if combined with one of the two services listed above.

Any contestation of the Succession Representative is billed at litigation costs of $250 per hour and is not included in the services listed above.

All fees and a cost retainer are required up front. We do not guarantee that your client will be first to be considered succession representative or legal tutor, but my service from the time the job is received to obtaining a decision is usually 1-2 business days from receipt of the job. I personally meet with your client, and print out the necessary paperwork at the client’s home or place of business so that any edits or corrections can be made immediately prior to leaving to present to the Court. When your job is taken, an entire day is dedicated to waiting at the courthouse for the judge to render a decision on the paperwork when the court allows.

Our fees are billed at a premium based upon the expediency and nature of our service, which caters to your client personally and attends to their matter with expedited diligence as opposed to using a court runner, electronic filing or snail mail.