26 www.lawyer-monthly.com Committee in the Murphy oil spill litigation. He was appointed to Plaintiffs’ Legal Committee in the Education Testing Services litigation. In the Billieson lead paint class action, he was appointed as Class Counsel. Leger was also a member of F Lee Bailey’s Litigation Sub-Committee in the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal, India. He currently serves as Co-Lead Counsel in the litigation surrounding the collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans, involving injuries to hundreds of people and loss of business and property damage to numerous businesses near the site. Leger represents numerous Louisiana local governments in the nationwide prescription opioid litigation. He is involved in coordinating nearly 200 local governments in Louisiana regarding settlement discussions and development of future litigation strategy. He also serves as class counsel in class actions against the insurance industry following losses sustained because of Hurricane Ida in South Louisiana. by the federal district judge as Co-Lead Counsel on behalf of the many businesses damaged. It was determined that the ship was owned by the communist Chinese government. Leger proved that the captain and officers of the ship had lied under oath before the United States Coast Guard and had destroyed logs and documents of the ship. The litigation team travelled to Hong Kong to depose and expose corporate officials of the CCP ownership. Other notable maritime cases handled by Leger include the M/V TEXACO NORTH DAKOTA (an oil tanker which hit a post hurricane damaged and unlit oil platform off the coast of Louisiana while headed to Texas, resulting in a fiery explosion.); M/V MISS CHRIS/Claiborne Ave. Bridge (an allision and collapse of a motor vehicle bridge involving a tug and barge over a ship channel); M/V LEE III/M/V ZIM MEXICO III (A collision in the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River causing the deaths of the entire crew of one of the vessels and closure of the river and port) and M/V MEL OLIVER / M/V TINTAMARA (Leger was appointed by the Federal Judge as a member of the Claimants’ Steering Committee, representing businesses and governmental entities damaged because of the collision of a ship and barges causing a massive oil spill in the Mississippi River). He presently represents the families of three of the men who perished in the capsizing and sinking of the M/V SEACOR POWER in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana in 2021. Leger has represented individuals, businesses, port authorities, towing companies, barge owners, shipyards, and ship pilots, officers, and crew in courts and Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board hearings. Other Notable Cases Leger’s experience and leadership extends far beyond admiralty and maritime law. In the historic Castano v American Tobacco litigation, he served on the Trial Team, Discovery Committee, Science Committee and Administrative Committee. This case was brought against the tobacco and cigarette industry in numerous states. Leger also served as counsel to the Attorney General of the state of Louisiana, in litigation against the tobacco industry. The Castano litigation and the Attorney General lawsuits resulted in the largest settlement in history at approximately $250 billion on behalf of the various states. The Scott v. American Tobacco litigation was a class action tried against the tobacco industry. Leger was one of the Trial Team leaders. The case, from jury selection to verdict, took approximately three years to try. It stands as the longest jury trial in the history of Louisiana and resulted in a verdict of over $600 million. The judgment now funds smoking cessation programs in the state of Louisiana. In Louisiana breast implant litigation, Leger was Class Counsel. After Hurricane Katrina, he was appointed to Plaintiffs’ Legal LAWYER MONTHLY LEGAL AWARDS 2021 USA The Castano litigation and the Attorney General lawsuits resulted in the largest settlement in history at approximately $250 billion on behalf of the various states.
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