Deborah Jean Moench

Ms. Moench is a business/transactional lawyer whose practice covers a broad range of commercial, real estate and business law. Before joining the firm, Ms. Moench acquired first hand experience in general commercial and real estate transactions (acquisitions, sales, leases, contracts, land use and commercial development) in both the public and private sectors. In the public sector, her early experience included the commercial development and leasing of public wharf and cargo facilities for the New Orleans, Louisiana port authority serving a three parish metropolitan area. More recently, she directed the sale and final liquidation of various large mortgage portfolios and extensive real estate assets of numerous insurance companies deemed insolvent by the regulatory authority charged with overseeing the activities of the insurance industry in the State of Louisiana. For eight years in the interim, Ms. Moench served as general counsel for a New Orleans, Louisiana based real estate developer specializing in high profile, downtown/urban marketplace centers, suburban retail strip malls, out parcel development and regional power centers anchored by national retailers, theaters and grocery chains, with direct involvement in such developments from site selection and acquisition to permanent financing and long term property management.

In her current practice, Ms. Moench is actively involved in all facets of commercial development (including the development of shopping centers, free standing retail/restaurant establishments, industrial properties, Planned Unit Developments, mixed-use projects, parking lots and garages, warehouses and other traditional and nontraditional real estate projects), landlord/tenant relations (including the drafting of form leases and negotiation of lease agreements, construction operation and reciprocal easement (servitude) agreements and other agreements that affect real property) and owner/purchaser relations (which includes drafting and negotiation of property and sales agreements, construction contracts and development agreements).

Ms. Moench graduated from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana, while clerking at the United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. She received a B.A. degree, cum laude, from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia.
Ms. Moench was admitted to the Louisiana State Bar in 1983 and is a member of the American Bar Association, Louisiana Bar Association and the New Orleans Bar Association.

Areas of Practice

• Commercial
• Real Estate
• Business Law

Bar Admissions

• Louisiana, 1983
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, 1983

Education

• Loyola University New Orleans School of Law, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Mary Baldwin College, Staunton, VA, USA
  • B.A.. (Cum Laude)
  • Honors: Dean's List Every Semester

Honors and Awards

• Best Lawyers in America since 2009 with special designations, during 2015 or a prior year, in Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law, 2009-2015
• Louisiana Super Lawyers, 2007 - 2015
• Top 25 Women, Louisiana Super Lawyers, 2008 - 2011
• CityBusiness Women of the Year, 2010
• Top 25 Lawyers, Louisiana Super Lawyers

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Louisiana Bar Association, Member, 1983 - Present
• New Orleans Bar Association, Member, 1983 - Present
• American Bar Association (ABA), Member, 1983 - Present
• ABA, Real Property, Trusts and Estates, Member (2010 - Present)
• ABA, Real Property, Trusts and Estates, Office Leasing Group, Chairperson (2012 - 2013)
• ABA, Real Property, Trusts and Estates, Ground Leasing Group, Chairperson (2014 - Present)
• International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Associate Member, 1996 - Present, 1996 - Present
• ICSC, Ambassadorship (2013 - Present)
• ICSC, Law Conference, Roundtable Leader (2001 - Present)
• ICSC, Louisiana State Operations Chair, 2010 - 2013
• ICSC, Louisiana State Governmental Relations Chair, 2003 - 2007
• ICSC Gulf South Idea Exchange, Planning Committee, 2003 - 2007
• New Orleans Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Founding Member, (2002 - Present)
• CREW, Secretary (2002-2005)
• CREW, President (2006)
• CREW, Chairperson - Programs Committee (2007 - 2011), Member (2007 - Present)
• CREW, Chairperson - Website Committee (2006-2008)
• Association for Women Attorneys, Member, 1996 - Present
• Certified Commercial Investment Managers (CCIM), Affiliate Member, 2001 - Present
• Fellow, Louisiana Bar Foundation (2010 - Present)
• Urban Land Institute, Member (2010 - Present)
• Commercial Investment Division of the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors (2004 - Present)
• New Orleans Rotary Club, Member, 1990 - Present

Past Employment Positions

• McGlinchey Stafford, Associate, 1996 - January 20, 1999
• Harrah's Casino (New Orleans), Open Access Program, Director, 1994 - 1996
• Louisiana Department of Insurance, Office of Receivership, Director of Real Estate, Claims and Collections, 1992 - 1994
• Darryl Berger Development Companies, General Counsel, 1985 - 1992
• Port of New Orleans, Board of Commissioners, Staff Attorney, 1983 - 1985

Pro Bono Activities

• French Quarter Festivals (FQFI), Inc., 1984 - Present
• FQFI, General Volunteer (1984 - Present)
• FQFI, Chairperson, Merchandise Committee (1989 - 1999)
• FQFI, Board of Directors (1995 - 2002, 2004 - 2012, 2015)
• FQFI, At Large Member, Executive Committee (2006 - 2011)
• FQFI, Secretary (2009 - 2011)
• FQFI, President (2011 - 2012)
• FQFI, Continuing Member, Executive Committee (2012 - Present)
• FQFI, Chairperson, Personnel Committee (2013)
• FQFI, Chairperson, Nominations Committee (2013 - Present)
• FQFI, Continuing Member, Growth Committee (2010 - Present)
• United Way, Women's Leadership Council, 2000 - Present