Roy Cheatwood

Roy C. Cheatwood is a member of the Firm’s Strategic Planning Committee and is a former member of the Firm’s board of directors. Mr. Cheatwood is also the former managing shareholder of the Firm’s New Orleans and Mandeville offices.

He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, including construction, contract, banking, corporate and securities, anti-trust and unfair trade practices, trade secrets, oil and gas, energy and minerals, and legal malpractice. He has represented high profile individuals on various liability issues.

Mr. Cheatwood represents local, national and international concerns in complex commercial matters before trial and appellate courts and regulatory authorities. He also represents clients in various forms of alternative dispute resolution and has been selected to arbitrate disputes for other litigants.

EDUCATION:

• Tulane University, J.D., 1974, Moot Court Board
• University of South Florida, B.A., 1968

ADMISSIONS:

• Louisiana, 1974
• U.S. District Courts, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana
• U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal
• U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal

Representative Matters:

• Successfully defended client in an $18 million lawsuit filed in Federal Court alleging violations of federal securities laws, state law fraud and intentional misrepresentation concerning the client’s purchase of the plaintiffs’ interest in a company formed after the Deepwater Horizon explosion in 2010 to employ unique centrifuge technology to separate oil from water to assist oil spill remediation efforts in the Gulf.
• Lead trial counsel in a bellwether case in a multi-district litigation comprising tens of thousands of individual lawsuits alleging injuries due to formaldehyde exposure while living in FEMA trailers following the devastation from Hurricane Katrina. After two-week federal jury trial, won a unanimous verdict in favor of our client dismissing all claims and removing them from third bellwether case.
• Defended a major integrated health care system against dozens of claims seeking damages in excess of $300 million for the alleged breach of management and consulting contracts. The case involved every facet of health care delivery, including: health care system management, hospital operations, quality of care, academic interests, community service obligations, fiduciary duties, and operations of profit v. non-profit health care systems. Our efforts resulted in a favorable settlement for our client.
• Successfully defended an international disaster recovery and remediation company in an $85 million suit in the Middle District of Florida against civil claims asserted under the RICO Act, as well as for fraud, civil conspiracy, tortious interference and related business torts involving alleged conspiratorial misconduct with the plaintiffs’ insurers and adjusters, third-party construction managers and others related to property damage claims for nine beach front hotels stemming from hurricanes Charlie, Francis and Jeanne.

Professional Honors & Activities:

• Named as a top commercial litigator in Louisiana by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers since 2003
• Named “Commercial Litigation Attorney of the Year” in Louisiana by Corporate INTL Legal Awards (2015)
• Recognized as a “Top Lawyer” by New Orleans Magazine (2010 – 2017)
• Master Barrister – Tulane Inn of Court
• Member – Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation