Bio

John Wolff is a senior partner handling complex litigation, class actions and other difficult disputes, often involving life sciences, oil and gas, construction, environmental legacy and toxic tort claims. John has earned a reputation as a high-stakes courtroom lawyer, at the trial and appellate levels, representing major national corporations in trouble in Louisiana. John has been involved in just about every large, contentious case in Louisiana for the last 30 years, trying many to verdict and, when it is to his client's strategic advantage, settling. For example, he has successfully defended local and state agencies, public and private companies and individuals in:
Explosions, accidents and other losses – on oil rigs, industrial locations and the like – with deaths or significant injuries, including the July 1999 explosion at the Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. plant in Gramercy, LA
Catastrophic levee, maritime and other post-hurricane damage
Contractual, merchant and premises liability, insurance coverage, immunity and admiralty-related disputes with exposure upwards in the hundreds of millions of dollars
Bet-the-farm defense work involving professional malpractice and liability, faulty construction, product liability (including Chinese drywall, medical devices and pharmaceuticals) and asbestos and other toxic tort claims
Legacy claims for environmental damage, such as the Bayou Corne sinkhole litigation
He also successfully defended the hydropower industry in a recent decision upheld by the US Supreme Court. John has represented Chubb Corporation for years in Louisiana (a direct-action state) in complex matters, showing a sophisticated understanding of multiple layers of insurance coverage and their impact at all stages of a case. In addition to being good on his feet in front of judges and juries, John can pull together and deploy a legal team and skillfully manage big cases behind the scenes, with massive document discovery and Keogh Cox’s paperless management, multiple parties, joint defense, confidentiality agreements and other complexities. John has also been a leader in the use of courtroom and case management technology, providing greater assurance to his clients and allowing for easier access, assessment, sharing, presentation and responsive communication of reports, documents, pleadings and exhibits. John is a highly-regarded leader in Louisiana's charitable and legal communities, too. He has served, for example, as a guest speaker for the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel and on the Louisiana State Bar Association's Bench and Bar Section's Ad Hoc Judiciary Committee. Throughout his career, he has been active on non-profit boards, in particular those helping at-risk children.

Additional practices:Trial
Premises Liability
Representative Experience
Obtained U.S. appellate court ruling, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court that found FERC preemption of state law claims for the hydropower industry.
Secured a permanent injunction, upheld by the Louisiana Supreme Court, prohibiting CRNAs from expanding their scope of practice to include interventional pain procedures.
Handled cases involving products in an industrial setting.
Obtained many summary judgments in favor of medical device manufacturers.
Numerous class action cases.
Significant jury trials and appeals.
Professional Affiliations
Member, East Baton Rouge Parish
Member, Louisiana State Bar Association Environmental Section, Member
Bench and Bar Section's, Ad Hoc Judiciary Committee
Transition into Practice Program
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
Member, East Baton Rouge Bar Association
Member, Defense Research Institute
Member, U. S. District Court, Fifth Circuit, Bar Association
Member, All State And Federal Courts In Louisiana
Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, Guest Speaker
Honors Awards
Judicial Edition, AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell – “Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards, Reflecting the Confidential Opinions of Members of the Bar and Judiciary” - 2015
Top Lawyers in Louisiana, American Lawyer Media – 2013
AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell – 2011
Peace Maker Award, Brown & Brown -- 2007
Community Involvement
Board of Directors, Baton Rouge Epicurean Society (BRES)
Former Board Member, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge
Human Resource Chairman, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge
Louisiana Litigation Blog
05.08.2019 The Louisiana Supreme Court rules that amount billed by healthcare providers beyond what has been paid by a Workers Compensation insurer is NOT a collateral source that is recoverable against tort defendants
07.07.2017 The Duty to Defend Continues to Evolve in Louisiana
02.28.2014 Keogh Cox’s Win Prevents Plaintiff from Recovering Louisiana Lottery Jackpot
Firm News
07.28.2016 John Wolff participates in pilot mentoring program
02.01.2015 February 2015 Firm News
04.01.2014 Keogh Cox maintains its victory at the U.S. Supreme Court
08.23.2012 August 2012 Firm News
12.01.2008 Scope of Practice: Appellate Court upholds permanent injunction preventing CRNAs from attempting practice in the field of Interventional Pain Management

John P. Wolff, III

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