Roy C. Cheatwood

Roy C. Cheatwood is Managing Shareholder of the Louisiana offices, member of the Firm's Board of Directors, and member of the Firm's Strategic Planning Committee. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, including construction, contract, banking, corporate and securities, anti-trust and unfair trade practices, trade secrets, oil and gas, energy and minerals, and legal malpractice. He has represented high profile individuals on various liability issues. Mr. Cheatwood represents local, national and international concerns in complex commercial matters before trial and appellate courts and regulatory authorities. He also represents clients in various forms of alternative dispute resolution and has been selected to arbitrate disputes for other litigants.

Recent Representative Matters

• Lead trial counsel in a bellwether case in a multi-district litigation comprising tens of thousands of individual lawsuits alleging injuries due to formaldehyde exposure while living in FEMA trailers following the devastation from Hurricane Katrina. After two-week federal jury trial, won a unanimous verdict in favor of our client dismissing all claims and removing them from third bellwether case.
• Defended bond insurer against $1.1 billion suit alleging fraud, conspiracy to defraud, unfair business practices, negligent misrepresentation, and related business torts. Following the successful resolution of a motion to recuse the initial trial judge, extensive electronic and conventional document discovery, and depositions of the plaintiffs' CEO and CFO, insurer was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice under a confidential agreement that involved no monetary consideration to the plaintiffs.
• Defended a major integrated health care system against dozens of claims seeking damages in excess of $300 million for the alleged breach of management and consulting contracts. The case involved every facet of health care delivery, including: health care system management, hospital operations, quality of care, academic interests, community service obligations, fiduciary duties, and operations of profit v. non-profit health care systems. Our efforts resulted in a favorable settlement for our client.

Publications & Speaking Engagements 

• "Business Development and Evaluation for Recruiting Lateral Partners," National Association of Legal Search Consultants 2012 Annual Meeting (May 4, 2012)
• "Direct Examination," Louisiana State Bar Association's Trial Masters Seminar (April 27, 2012)
• "Legal Professionalism: Overview and Application of the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct and Professionalism, and Their Relation to the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct," with Hon. Phyllis M. Keaty and Hon. Paul N. Sens, Louisiana State Bar Association (November 21, 2011)
• "Your Most Valuable Discovery Device," Louisiana State Bar Association CLE (November 11, 2011)
• "TRIALS: No Tricks, Just Treats," co-chair, Louisiana State Bar Association's 2011 VooDoo Festival Seminar (October 28, 2011)
• "Depositions Boot Camp: Beyond Basic Training," Chair, Louisiana State Bar Association CLE (November 2010)
• "Direct Examination - Getting What's In the Brew," Louisiana State Bar Association CLE program Voodoo Fest, "Trials: Not a Halloween Surprise" (October 2010)
• "Powerful Witness Preparation," Louisiana State Bar Association, All You Need to Know About Commercial Litigation Program (October 2009)
• "Direct Examination by a Heavy Weight," Louisiana State Bar Association, Trials: Experts of the Bench & Bar (October 2009)
• "Discovery Practice in Federal Court," Louisiana State Bar Association, Gain the Edge! Federal Practice (November 2008)
• "Hot Tips for Litigators," New Orleans Bar Association (December 2007)
• "A Summary of Effective Techniques," New Orleans Bar Association, Mediation (December 2006)
• Litigation Thought Leadership Advisory Group, New York, New York (May 2006)
• "21st Century Forensics: Understanding Megatrends in Metadata, Electronic Discovery & Ether-Evidence," New Orleans Bar Association, Practice in the Real World: A Litigant's Dream or Nightmare, Bench Bar Conference (March 2005)
• "Environmental Litigation: A View from Both Sides," Louisiana State Bar Association, Summer School for Lawyers (Class Actions) (June 2004, June 2002)
• "Titans of the Classroom and Courtroom – Issues for the New Millennium," Louisiana State Bar Association (May 2004)
• "Nuts and Bolts of Environmental Litigation – Learn How to Win an Environmental Case," Louisiana State Bar Association (September 2003)
• "Pushing the Expert Testimony Envelope: The Intricacies of a Daubert Hearing – A Live Demonstration," American Bar Association, Section of Litigation Annual Conference  (April 2003)
• "Hot Topics from Hot Lawyers and a Hot Judge: 73 Ways to Win," Loyola University School of Law CLE (December 2001)
• "Expert Examination and Rule 104A," New Orleans Bar Association – Masters of the Courtroom (December, 2001)
• "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Damages But Were Afraid to Ask," American Bar Association Annual Meeting (Business Damage after Kumho Tire) (July 2000)
• "The Care and Use of Expert Witnesses," 12th Annual Trial by Masters: Preparing Your Case for Trial or Settlement (December 1999)
• "Professionalism," 1999 Masters of the Courtroom Seminar (December 1999)
• "Daubert's Latest Wrinkles: Presenting and Attacking Expert Testimony," 1999 Louisiana State Bar Association Jazz Festival Seminar (April 1999)
• "Presenting and Defending Expert Testimony," Commercial Litigation: A Step-by-Step Guide to Advancing and Defending Damage Claims for the Start-Up Business (November 1998)
• "Evidence and Torts: New Developments Under the Code of Evidence," Emerging Issues in Tort Litigation Seminar (November 1997)
• "Cross Examination of Expert Witnesses," Effective Use of Experts and Technology in Federal and State Courts, 9th Trial by Masters Seminar (December 1996)  
• Co-author of Louisiana Courtroom Evidence, a treatise published in 1993 interpreting the Louisiana Code of Evidence, supplemented in 1996

Professional Honors & Activities

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the areas of Appellate Law, Banking and Finance, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law, Legal Malpractice Law and Professional Malpractice Law since 1995
• Named the Best Lawyers' 2012 New Orleans Litigation - Banking & Finance Lawyer of the Year
• Named as a top commercial litigator in Louisiana by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers since 2003 
• Listed in Louisiana Super Lawyers since 2007; listed as among the top ten attorneys in Louisiana, 2009; listed as among top 50 attorneys in Louisiana since 2007
• Named to the Lawdragon 3000 (2010, 2011)
• Named the Best Lawyers' 2011 New Orleans Appellate Lawyer of the Year
• Recognized as a "Top Lawyer" by New Orleans Magazine (2010)
• Faculty Member – American Bar Association, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Loyola University College of Law, "Critical Trial Skills for Legal Services Attorneys" (July 2008)
• Master Barrister – Tulane Inn of Court
• Judge – Tulane Moot Court Competition; National Appellate Advocacy Competition
• Member – Louisiana State Bar Association; New Orleans Bar Association; American Bar Association; Federal Bar Association; Defense Research Institute, Commercial Litigation Committee; International Association of Defense Counsel
• Member – Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation

Admissions

• Louisiana, 1974
• U.S. District Courts, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
• U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal
• U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal
• U.S. Supreme Court

Education

• Tulane University, J.D., 1974, Moot Court Board
• University of South Florida, B.A., 1968

Military Service

• 1st Lieutenant, U.S. Army Infantry, Vietnam