PROFILE

David is an experienced litigator in a wide variety of personal injury and property damage claims in the areas of products liability, environmental and toxic tort, asbestos, automotive, and premises liability. In addition to serving as trial counsel, he has managed several cases for trial including multi-million dollar claims. He has an active trial practice in federal and state courts. David has served as Louisiana Trial Counsel for a variety of mass-tort, complex litigation, and class action cases. His practice focuses on Medicare Secondary Payer & Section 111 compliance and he is a frequent writer and lecturer on Medicare reimbursement issues. He is now serving as a member of Medicare Secondary Payer committees and working groups for the firm’s clients, as well as national professional organizations.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

• Complex Litigation
• Pharmaceutical & Medical Device
• Products Liability
• Insurance
• Casualty
• Environmental & Toxic Tort
• Premises Liability
• Asbestos
• Trials
• Science & Experts

Representative Matters / Experience

• Wood Destroying Organisms: Regional Counsel
• Insecticides: Louisiana Trial Counsel
• Termiticides: Louisiana Trial Counsel
• Welding Rod Litigation: Louisiana Trial Counsel

Honors

• Best Lawyers in America, Product Liability Litigation-Defense
• Louisiana Super Lawyers, Personal Injury Products: Defense
• CityBusiness Leadership in Law, 2013
• Certified Litigation Management Professional, Litigation Management Institute
• New Orleans Magazine Top Lawyers
• AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell rating

AFFILIATIONS

• Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
• New Orleans Association of Defense Counsel
• Defense Research Institute, Medicare Secondary Payer Task Force
• Claims & Litigation Management Alliance
• Federal Bar Association
• Louisiana State Bar Association
• Texas Bar Association
• New Orleans Bar Association
• Jefferson Parish Bar Association
• Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
• Louisiana Pest Control Association

EDUCATION

• J.D., Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center (1994)
• B.A., Louisiana State University (1990)

ADMISSIONS

• Louisiana and Texas state courts
• United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana

Military Service

• Louisiana Army National Guard, 1986-1992

Community

• Habitat For Humanity
• Trustee, Estate of Thomy Lafon
• Knights of Columbus

Publications and Presentations

• Airing Asbestos Litigation’s Dirty Laundry
  DRI For the Defense April 2016
• Medicare and Other Lien Resolution in Complex Litigation
  New Orleans Bar Association CLE March 23, 2016
• Medicare Secondary Payer: Case Law Update
  DRI Webcast February 26, 2016
• What Are… Medicare and Medicaid Secondary Payer Laws?
  ABA Book Publishing 2016
• Health Insurance Liens in Liability Actions and Complex Litigation
  New Orleans Bar Association Procrastinator's Program December 29, 2015
• Contributor: Defense Practitioner’s Guide to Medicare Secondary Payer Issues
  Defense Research Institute 2015
• Reimbursement Rights of Medicare Advantage Organizations
  DRI For the Defense May 2014
• The Ethical Use of Social Media and ESI Evidence in Litigation Defense
  Pfizer PLACE Presentation May 13, 2014
• The Collateral Source Rule and Gratuitous Payments or Services
  David M. Melancon & Kelly E. Brilleaux, DRI For the Defense, November 2012
• Medicare Advantage Plans and Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Recoveries, Rx for the Defense
  DRI Drug and Medical Device Committee July 2012
• Practical Considerations: Mediating a Case Involving a Medicare Beneficiary
  DRI For the Defense June 2012
• Pre-Service Removal Exception to the Forum Defendant Rule Post Amendment of the Federal Jurisdiction
  IADC Trial Techniques and Tactics Committee March 2012
• The Basics of Termite Contractor Liability
  Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry AES Inspector Training, Grant Walker 4-H Education Center, Pollack, LA February 29, 2012
• Best Practices for Compliance with the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Statute
  Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act (MMSEA), CLE Presented by the New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, Louisiana May 14, 2010
• Claims Handling Presentations (multiple)
  Louisiana Pest Control Association