Heather Duplantis concentrates her practice in professional liability defense and insurance coverage litigation and counseling. In the area of professional liability, Heather's practice focuses on the defense of professional malpractice claims against insurance agents and brokers, attorneys, accounting firms, home inspectors, and financial advisors. In the area of insurance coverage, she provides counseling to third-party liability insurers, and defense of insurance coverage litigation, including bad faith coverage litigation. In this regard, Heather has litigated numerous declaratory judgment actions in state and federal courts in Louisiana and Texas. She also has experience litigating complex commercial disputes, defending securities fraud claims against accounting firms, and defending oil field "Company man" in personal injury litigation.
Heather is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and Texas. She began her career in Austin, Texas where she worked as a commercial litigator, first as an associate at Vinson & Elkins, LLP and then as a partner at Reeves & Brightwell, LLP before returning home to her native Louisiana and joining Phelps Dunbar's Baton Rouge office in 2006.
Experience
- Obtained summary judgment in numerous claims against professionals.
- Obtained dismissal with prejudice in multi-million dollar securities fraud suit against California-based accounting firm.
- Obtained summary judgment in numerous insurance coverage disputes.
- Obtained defense verdict in suit against local parish council in lawsuit involving alleged due process and equal protection violations related to a zoning dispute.
- Obtained summary judgment in favor of "company man" in multi-million dollar personal injury suit involving collapse of oil field platform.