SHAREHOLDERS
J. Clifton Hall III

William P. Maines

Wendy Blanchard Hall

George H. Lugrin, IV

SENIOR COUNSEL
Erik D. Garza

Neil E. Giles

Michael L. Golding

Candace A. Ourso

OF COUNSEL
Evan T. Caffrey

Gene W. Lafitte, Jr.

Karen K. Milhollin

Karen R. Morgan

ASSOCIATES
Jacob Esparza

Jeffrey E. Fahys

Wesley K. Keel 

Karen R. Morgan

Ryan M. Parks

Stephanie R. Tippit

Cade W. White

Allyson L. Wilkinson

Amanda J. York

J. Clifton Hall III
Shareholder

J. CLIFTON HALL III is a founding shareholder of Westmoreland Hall. Clif practices in the energy sector where he concentrates on insurance coverage disputes, other commercial disputes and subrogation matters. He has advised numerous insurers on coverage claims in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He also has worked on non-marine insurance issues including professional indemnity for lawyers and accountants, property, political risk and various types of business interruption claims.  Clif also represents non-insurer clients in a variety of commercial disputes.

Admissions:

• Courts of the State of Texas (1998)
• Courts of the State of Louisiana (1982)
• United States District Courts of Louisiana and Texas

• Louisiana State University, J.D. 1982
• Drake University, B.A. 1978
  • (Philosophy/English)

• Houston Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas
• Louisiana Bar Association
• American Bar Association

A representative sampling of the matters Clif has handled include:

• Representing insurers in non-litigious resolution of over $1 billion in claims resulting from damages caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
• Successful trial defense in state court in Texas of a $40 million construction risk coverage dispute arising out of a loss at a cogeneration facility in the Dominican Republic.
• Trial and appellate practice of a $100 million recovery action in federal court in Louisiana arising out of the loss of a pre-fabricated module (Petronius) in unrecoverable waters in the Gulf of Mexico.
• Trial of a $25 million recovery action in federal court in Texas arising out of an oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico during coiled tubing operations.
• Trial of a $25 million recovery action in federal court in Virginia arising out of the rupture of a 36 inch oil pipeline in Northern Virginia.
• Trial of a $7 million recovery action in federal court in Alaska for losses to four 238kv submarine electric cables.
• Trial of a $6 million recovery action in Oklahoma state court arising out of a well blowout in Western Oklahoma.
• Dismissal with prejudice and no payment by insurers of a $50 million coverage claim in state court in Texas arising out of alleged damage to in-field pipelines in Wyoming.
• $12 million coverage dispute in federal court in Louisiana regarding alleged property damage to offshore facilities in the Gulf of Mexico following Hurricane Ivan.
• $28 million coverage dispute in state court in Texas arising out of political risk/contract frustration coverage for an oil field venture in Myanmar.
• Defense and indemnity/contribution action in state court in Pennsylvania following settlement of injuries sustained by Gloria Estefan.
• $12 million gas contract litigation in state court in Texas arising out of Colorado based contracts to deliver gas.
• $7.5 million action in state court in Texas against an assured to recover settlement funds advanced by third party insurers under reservation.
• $50 million insurance coverage dispute in Texas state court arising out of failed real estate investment scheme and professional liability claim against lawyers and accountants.
• Defense of multiple lawyer malpractice claims in multiple states arising out of Fen-Phen litigation.
• Defense of lawyer malpractice claim in Texas arising out of an allegedly negligent patent opinion.
• Defense of professional liability claim and related bad faith insurance claim arising out of nursing home litigation in Oklahoma.
• $100 million coverage dispute in multiple state courts in Louisiana and Texas arising out of offshore property losses caused by Hurricane Rita.
• $50 million coverage dispute in Texas state court arising out of the loss of various platforms during Hurricane Katrina.
• Texas state court coverage litigation over the validity of policy sub-limits for flood zones A and V.
• Defense (after trial) of a $100 million jury verdict against a law firm for breach of fiduciary duty and malpractice.
• Defense of claim for improper cancellation of insurance coverage in Louisiana state court.