Debra Fischman

Ms. Fischman is a member in the Firm's Litigation Section defending school districts and other governmental bodies and agencies and private employers throughout the State of Louisiana in employment and professional liability matters consisting of wrongful termination, breach of contract, breach of tenure laws, retaliation, racial and gender discrimination, violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age and Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII (sexual, racial and gender discrimination and harassment), Title IX, and other wrongful acts; toxic tort, commercial litigation, family law and personal injury litigation. 

Ms. Fischman is a member of the Association of Women Attorneys; Louisiana State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section; New Orleans Bar Association; Federal Bar Association; and Bar Association of the United States of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has been admitted to practice in the State of Louisiana since 1978 and she has additionally been admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Representitive Cases

• Ripoll v. Dobard, No. 13-6143, 2014 WL 1389659 (E.D. La. 2014)
• Dennis Melancon, Inc. v. City of New Orleans, No. 12-1337, 2014 WL 1117881 (E.D. La. 2014)
• New Orleans Fire Fighters Pension and Relief Fund v. City of New Orleans, 131 So.3d 412 (La. App. 4th Cir. 2013)
• First Bank and Trust v. Treme, 129 So.3d 605 (La. App. 5th Cir. 2013)
• Shale Consultants, L.L.C. v. Wilson, No. 13-1124, 2013 WL 4750066 (W.D. La. 2013)
• Orleans Parish School Bd. v. Lexington Ins. Co., 123 So.3d 787 (La. App. 4th Cir. 2013)
• O'Reilly v. Louisiana Dept. of Educ., No. 11-1454, WL3270443 (E.D. La. 2013)
• Orleans Parish School Bd. v. Lexington Ins. Co., 118 So.3d 1203 (La. App. 4th Cir. 2013)
• Dennis Melancon, Inc. v. City of New Orleans, Nos. 12–1337, 12–1909, 12–1964–EEF–SS, WL 588975 (E.D. La. 2013)
• Dennis Melancon, Inc. v. City of New Orleans, Nos. 12–1337, 12–1909, 12–1964–EEF–SS, WL 588982 (E.D. La. 2013)
• Dennis Melancon, Inc. v. City of New Orleans, 703 F.3d 262 (5th Cir. 2012)
• Marshall v. Air Liquide-Big Three, Inc., So.3d (La.App. 4 Cir. 2012)
• Dennis Melancon, Inc. v. City of New Orleans, F.Supp.2d (E.D. La. 2012)
• Orleans Parish School Bd. v. Lexington Ins. Co., 95 So.3d 1205 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2012)
• Williams vs. Recovery School District, --- F.Supp.2d ----, 2012 WL 893421, E.D.La. (2012)
• Orleans Parish School Bd. v. Lexington Ins. Co., 76 So.3d 592, 2011 WL 4582442, 275 Ed. Law Rep. 492, 2011-0009 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2011)
• Phillips v. Louisiana State Office of Governor, 433. Fed.Appx. 235, 2011 WL 2847452, C.A.5 (La.) (2011)
• Trahan v. Drury Hotels Co., LLC, F.Supp.2d, 2011 WL 2470982, E.D.La., June 20, 2011 (2011)
• Becker v. Murphy Oil Corp., ---So.3d---, 2011 WL 2164151, 2010-1519 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2011)
• Orleans Parish School Bd. v. Pastorek, 56 So.3d, 2011 WL 193455, 2010-1709 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2011)
• Versai Management Corporation, d/b/a Versailles Arms Apartments v. Clarendon America Insurance Company, et al, 08-30874 (C.A. 5 2010)
• Flettrich v. Touro Infirmary, 13 So.3d 1196, 2009 WL 1464966, 2007-1621 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2009)
• Marshall ex rel. minor children v. Air Liquide-Big Three, Inc., 2 So.3d 541, 2008 WL 5263857, 2008-0668 (La. App. 4th Cir. 2008)
• Omega Center for Pain Management, L.L.C. v. Omega Institute of Health, Inc., 975 So.2d48 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2007)
• Nassar v. Academy Sports & Outdoors, 277 Fed. Appx. 392 (5th Cir.(Miss.) 2007)
• Larroquette v. Cardinal Health 200, Inc., 466 F.3d 373 (5th Cir. (La.) 2006)
• Dumas v. Christian Health Ministries, 181 Fed. Appx. 433 (5th Cir. (La.) 2006)
• Broussard v. Jester, 876 So.2d 940 (La. App. 3 Cir 2004)
• International Chemical Workers Union v. Columbian Chemicals Co., 331 F.3d 491 (5h Cir.(La.) 2003)
• Arriola v. Orleans Parish School Board, reversed, 809 So. 2d 932, writ granted (La. 2002)
• Arriola v. Orleans Parish School Board, 799 So.2d. 488 (La. 2001)
• Arriola v. Orleans Parish School Board, 789 So.2d 64 (La. App. 4 Cir 2001)
• Ross v. Conoco, Inc., 805 So.2d 352 (La. App. 3 Cir. 2001)
• Yourick Lavine, Jr., Mrs. Cynthia Lavine and Harry Bonvillain v. Redgies Jackson, Calvin Cooks, Mike Lausen, John Doe, City of Thibodaux, Thibodaux Police Department and Titan Indemnity Company, 730 So.2d 958 (La. App. 1st Cir. 1998)
• Allo v. Horne, 672 So.2d 961 (La. App. 5 Cir. 1996)
• Allo v. Horne, 636 So.2d 1048 (La. App. 3 Cir. 1994)
• Doyle v. Titan Indem. Co., 692 So.2d 516 (La. App. 5 Cir. 1993)
• McElreath v. Progressive Ins. Co., 595 So.2d 693 (La. App. 5 Cir. 1992)
• Lewis v. Time Saver Stores, Inc., 599 So.2d 442 (La. App. 4 Cir 1992)
• Roberts v. Murphy Oil Corp., 577 So.2d 308 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1991)
• Miller v. State, 572 So.2d 197 (La.App 1 Cir. 1990)
• Cooper v. Ceco Corp., 558 So.2d 1355 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1990)
• Rogers v. Janzen, 891 F.2d 95 (C.A.5 (La.) 1989)
• Lowe v. Patterson, 492 So.2d 110 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1986)
• Ben Glazer Co., Inc. v. Tharp-Sontheimer-Tharp, Inc., 491 So.2d 722 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1986)
• Locascio v. Maurice, 447 So.2d 6 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1984)
• Brooks v. Rosiere, 585 F. Supp. 351 (E.D. La. 1984)
• Delaney v. Giarrusso, 633 F.2d 1126 (C.A.5 (La.) 1981)
• Metropolitan New Orleans Chapter of Louisiana Consumers' League, Inc. v. Council of City of New Orleans, 391 So.2d 878 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1980)
• Arthurs v. Morial, 383 So.2d 444 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1980)
• League of Women Voters of New Orleans v. City of New Orleans, 381 So.2d 441 (La. 1980)
• Baker v. Bell, 630 F.2d 1046 (C.A.5 (La.) 1980)
• Acorn v. City of New Orleans, 377 So.2d 1206 (La. 1979)
• Gordon v. City of New Orleans, 371 So.2d 768 (La. 1979)
• Cheatham v. City of New Orleans, 378 So.2d 369 (La. 1979)
• HMC Management v. New Orleans Basketball Club, 375 So.2d 712 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1979)

Bar Admissions

• Louisiana, 1978
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, 1978
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana, 1988
• U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana, 1988
• U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1980
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Mississippi, 2005
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1999

Education

• Tulane Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana
• J.D. - 1978
• Newcomb University, New Orleans
• B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) - 1975
• Honors: Alpha Lambda Delta
• Major: Political Science & Art History

Honors and Awards

• Louisiana Super Lawyer, 2010-2012, 2014, 2015
• Selected by Human Resource Executive and Lawdragon as one of the nation’s top corporate employment attorneys for 2014
• Best Lawyers in America since 2012, with special designations in Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 2012 – 2015
• Martindale Hubbell - Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, 2011
• Chambers and Partners: Labor and Employment Law, 2010-2012
• CityBusiness Women of the Year, 2010

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Jewish Community Center, Board Member, 1994 - 1996
• St. George's Episcopal School, Board of Development, Member, 2000 - 2003
• Jewish Children Regional Service, Board Member, 2004 - 2010
• Louisiana Bar Foundation, Fellow, 2008 - Present
• Anti-Defamation League, Regional Board Member, 2008 - Present
• Association of Women Attorneys, Member
• Louisiana State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, Member
• New Orleans Bar Association, Member
• Federal Bar Association, Member
• Bar Association of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Member

Past Employment Positions

• McGlinchey Stafford, Associate/Partner, 1981 - 1999
• City of New Orleans, Assistant City Attorney, 1978 - 1981

 

See Library Tab for articles, publications and presentations by Debra Fischman