Phelps Lawyers Honored on Baton Rouge Business Report’s Capital Region 500 List
BATON ROUGE, La. - July 24, 2023 - The Baton Rouge Business Report featured six Phelps lawyers and numerous firm clients and community partners in the inaugural issue of the Capital Region 500, a guide to powerful and influential community leaders in the greater Baton Rouge area. Phelps Lawyers were recognized in the following sectors:
Real Estate
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- Randy Roussel was recognized by the guide as one of the top real estate lawyers in the region, regularly helping clients obtain project approvals. Prior to starting his legal career, he worked as a certified public accountant and clerked for the federal Fifth Circuit. He is active in a number of civic and social causes and volunteers his time to nonprofit organizations including the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Center for Planning Excellence and Friends of Burden. “Solve problems one at a time,” Randy advises. “You can’t solve everything at once.”
Community
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- Michael Victorian, an associate in Phelps’ Baton Rouge Litigation group, maintains an active presence in the local community. He currently serves as President of the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society of Baton Rouge, that supports Black Legal professionals and students. He continues his mentoring efforts for local youth as President-Elect of 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge. Michael is an adjunct professor at Southern University Law Center and taught a professional development course at Louisiana State University’s E.J. Ourso College of Business.
Professional Services
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- Dennis Blunt serves as Vice-Managing Partner of Phelps’ Baton Rouge office and has developed a solid reputation across the Capital Region for guiding clients through complex legal disputes. Dennis focuses his practice on commercial litigation and includes the representation of companies in class actions and mass torts in state and federal courts. He represents clients in a variety of industries including public utilities, education, health care, insurance and financial institutions.
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- Kelsey Funes concentrates her practice on construction law and has made a name for herself representing owners and contractors in public and private construction projects throughout the Gulf Coast Region. Kelsey is also a mediator focusing on the resolution of construction disputes and serves as an arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association’s construction panel. She has been recognized locally for her efforts mentoring young lawyers and has served on the faculty of LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center’s Apprenticeship Week (Construction) and Trial Advocacy program. Kelsey’s passion for advocacy extends beyond her legal practice through her service on the boards of numerous local non-profit organizations including Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area and the Center for Planning Excellence. She has been recognized as a Construction Law Trailblazer by the National Law Journal and leads the Dispute Resolution Division of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law.
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- Walt Green focuses his practice on data privacy and governmental investigations. Walt was the United States lawyer for the Middle District of Louisiana and the Executive Director for the National Center For Disaster Fraud from 2013-2017. He retired from the United States Department of Justice with over 20 years of federal experience. Walt served in the Marine Corps for over 30 years and describes completing Officer Candidate School as his proudest moment. Since entering private practice, Walt has been a sought-after speaker and commentator on fraud, cybersecurity and data privacy issues in a variety of international publications.
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- Ragan Richard has served as managing partner of the firm’s Baton Rouge office since 2012. He concentrates his practice on corporate transactions, real estate and finance. He was instrumental in the Nicholson Gateway Project near Louisiana State University and facilitated the university’s public-private partnership that paved the way for development. Ragan is very active in the Baton Rouge community and has served on the boards of Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber.
The Baton Rouge Business Report conducted nearly a year of research to highlight key influencers representing a broad spectrum of sectors in business, government and nonprofits. The Capital Region 500 aims to help readers connect, one of the publication’s core missions. Interested Baton Rouge Business Report insiders can view the full digital report here.