Overview
Louis Colletta has more than 20 years of legal practice representing large transportation authorities, governmental entities, and private corporations. He has extensive experience drafting complex commercial contracts, land leases for major economic development projects, and facility operating agreements; and he also regularly advises on federal and state compliance matters. Among his many and diverse clients, Louis has represented the City of New Orleans, the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish School Board.
When conflicts arise that evade amicable settlement, Louis is an experienced litigator and aggressively advocates for his clients in state and federal courts. Working within the Railroad Practice Area, Louis regularly handles mass tort, class action, insurance, and transportation litigation and has successfully defended freight rail carriers in a wide range of cases, including those involving the Federal Employer’s Liability Act. He has also handled cases involving first-party property damage and complex commercial contracts.
Prior to joining Lugenbuhl, Louis served in various in-house positions that helped provide the well-rounded perspective he brings to all of the matters he handles today, especially those involving governmental entities. Those positions included serving as Assistant General Counsel and Director of Security for the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District, the 11th largest port in the United States; as Executive Counsel for the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans/New Orleans Public Belt Railroad; and also as Chief Counsel and subsequently Chief of Staff for LSU’s Health Sciences Center New Orleans.
Following law school, Louis served as a law clerk for the chief judge of Louisiana’s Third Circuit Court of Appeal.
Outside the office
- Alexander v. Norfolk Southern Corp., 82 So.3d 1234 (La. 2012)
- Canadian National Railway v. Unistar Plastics LLC, 2006 WL 2460754 (E.D.La.)
- Dean v. The City of New Orleans, 2005-1347 (La. App. 4 Cir. 7/12/06); 936 So.2d 851
- Thompson v. City of New Orleans, 05-0947 (La. App. 4 Cir. 5/24/06); 933 So.2d 207
- Oestringer v. City of New Orleans, 2003-2213 (La. App. 4 Cir. 6/2/04); 876 So.2d 240
- Gardache v. City of New Orleans, 2003-1286 (La. App. 4 Cir. 3/31/04); 874 So.2d 247
- Muhammad v. New Orleans Police Department, 2002-0306 (La. App. 4 Cir. 6/26/02); 822 So.2d 183
- Craft v. Lard Oil Company, Inc. 2008-0915 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2/11/09); 3 So.3d 92
- Isla Corp. v. Sundown Energy, LP, 2007 WL 1240212 (E.D.La.)
Professional Affiliations
- Louisiana State Bar Association (House of Delegates (2016- present)
- Louisiana Supreme Court
- Assistant Bar Examiner for Constitutional Law
- Bar Association of the Federal Fifth Circuit
- Federal Bar Association
- Maritime Law Association of the United States
- National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel
- Louisiana Bar Foundation
- The Association of Corporate Counsel
- Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board
- Hearing Committee Member (2015-present)
- Hearing Committee Chair (2022)
Community Affiliations
- H.E.L.P. (Homeless Experience Legal Protection)
- SOLACE (Support of Lawyers/Legal Personnel All Concern Encouraged)
- Touro Bouligny Neighborhood Association, President
- Touro Bouligny Security District, Board Member
- Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating
- Best Lawyers (2013-2024)
- Louisiana Super Lawyers (2016-2024)
- Inside New Orleans Reader’s Favorite “Elite Lawyers” (2022-2023)
- Best Lawyers – Lawyer of the Year, Railroad Law (2021)
- New Orleans Magazine’s “Top Lawyers” (2013-2017, 2023)
- New Orleans City Business, Leadership in Law (Class of 2017, 2019)
Co-author, Louisiana Section, State-By-State Guide to Architect, Engineer, and Contractor Licensing, 2004 Cumulative Supplement, Aspen Publishers
