Thomas Cortazzo

Thomas J. Cortazzo is a partner in the New Orleans office of Lewis Brisbois and is a member of the Complex Business & Commercial Litigation Practice. Mr. Cortazzo, a native of New Orleans, earned his Bachelor of Public Administration Degree, summa cum laude, from Loyola University College of Business, where he attended on academic scholarship.

He received his Juris Doctorfrom Loyola University School of Law in 1987, where he was a member and Comment/Casenote Editor of the Loyola Law Review and a moot court teaching assistant. Tom has been practicing law for more than 28 years. His practice consists of litigation in courts and administrative tribunals, and his experience ranges from various forms of commercial litigation to insurance matters.

Tom’s practice also consists of other forms of dispute resolution such as arbitration and mediation; he is a certified mediator through the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Tom is a member of various professional organizations, including the New Orleans, Louisiana, American and Federal Bar Associations.

He has lectured on legal topics to lawyers, business groups and schools, as well as authored legal publications. Tom has been recognized by Super Lawyers (Business Litigation), Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation), and by New Orleans Magazine as one of their “Top Lawyers of New Orleans” (Alternative Dispute Resolution, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Insurance Law and Gaming Law).

Tom stays active in the community, serving as a member and past-president of the Loyola University School of Law Alumni Association Board. He was also a member of the Athlos Academy of Jefferson Parish School Board, and is very involved with the Rotary Club of Carrollton (in New Orleans), where he led the Carrollton Rally, a fundraiser and project that placed computer labs in public elementary schools and encouraged their use. He also led in the formation of the Carrollton Rotary Children’s Foundation, a non-profit endowment supporting local children’s charitable causes.

Education :

• Loyola University of New Orleans College of Law, Juris Doctor, 1987
• Loyola University College of Business, Bachelor of Science in Public Administration, summa cum laude, 1984

Admissions :

• State Bar Admissions, Louisiana
• United States Courts of Appeals & Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States District Courts
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana

Associations :

• Westbank Business & Industry Association, Board Member, Co-chair, Environmental and Governmental Affairs Committee
• Loyola University School of Law Alumni Association Board, Past-president
• Athlos Academy of Jefferson Parish School Board, Member
• Carrollton Rotary Children’s Foundation, Member