Baker Donelson has grown its New Orleans office with the addition of three attorneys: Laura Walker Plunkett, who joins as shareholder in the Tax Group; Erin E. Kriksciun, who joins as shareholder in the Financial Services Litigation and Compliance Group; and Charline K. Gipson, who joins as of counsel in the Corporate Group.
New Orleans Managing Shareholder Kent Lambert said, "Adding three attorneys of this caliber is a tremendous benefit to Baker Donelson and our clients. Erin and Laura previously led Louisiana's only Private Wealth Law practice to hold a Band 1 ranking in the Chambers High Net Worth guide, and Charline brings tremendous depth to our growing Louisiana corporate and commercial practices. We are thrilled to welcome these outstanding attorneys."
Ms. Plunkett concentrates her practice in tax-exempt organizations and charitable giving, estate and business succession planning, administration of trusts and estates, and fiduciary litigation. She serves as counsel to owners of privately held businesses and other high-net-worth individuals in their estate, tax, and business succession planning and philanthropic endeavors, including private foundations. Ms. Plunkett practices in the area of probate administration, including high-stakes fiduciary matters. She works with her clients to handle estate administration including the orderly transmission of assets to heirs and legatees; post-mortem estate planning; oversight of the preparation of federal estate tax returns; and related controversy work such as will contests, trust disputes, and fiduciary litigation.
After obtaining her J.D. from Emory University, Ms. Plunkett served as a deputy attorney general in Alabama. She holds an LL.M. from the New York University School of Law and is certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization in Estate Planning and Administration and as a Tax Law Specialist. She has been recognized in Louisiana by the Chambers High Net Worth guide in private wealth law since 2016.
Ms. Kriksciun, an Estate Planning and Administration Specialist certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization, counsels owners of closely held businesses, high-net-worth individuals, and family groups in their estate, tax, and business succession planning. She has significant experience in guiding family groups, owners of closely held businesses, and high-net-worth individuals, including private family trust companies and tax-exempt organizations, through practical tax, business, and estate and trust planning resolutions. In estate planning, Ms. Kriksciun offers advice to clients about estate administration, including the orderly transmission of assets to heirs and legatees; post-mortem estate planning; oversight of the preparation of federal estate tax returns; and related controversy work such as will contests, trust disputes, and fiduciary litigation. She also assists non-profits and charitable foundations with formation, IRS qualifications, tax-exemption status compliance, general funding, and operational matters.
A graduate of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, Ms. Kriksciun holds an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law. She has been recognized in Louisiana by the Chambers High Net Worth guide in private wealth law since 2020.
Ms. Gipson concentrates her practice in general corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial transactions for publicly traded and privately held corporations. While serving as outside general counsel for corporate entities, she handled a wide array of corporate and commercial transactions, including organizational restructuring, private and public finance, non-profit organization and federal tax exemption, real estate development, settlement and negotiation strategy, contracts, Form S-1 registrations of initial public offerings, and corporate governance matters.
Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Ms. Gipson co-founded a New Orleans law firm. Before that, she was a corporate associate working on corporate deals at a New York City firm. A graduate of Cornell University, where she earned both her J.D. and a Bachelor of Science in communications, Ms. Gipson served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ivan L.R. Lemelle in the Eastern District of Louisiana of the U.S. District Court.
Baker Donelson also recently announced the addition of another Louisiana attorney, Brent Hicks, who joined as a shareholder in the Firm's Baton Rouge office.