Kean Miller LLP

Kean Miller was a proud sponsor of the Federal Bar Association dinner on November 13. Many of our Houston attorneys enjoyed the keynote speech from U.S. 5th Circuit Judge Leslie Southwick, in conversation with Southern District of Texas Judge Charles Eskridge. All funds raised from the dinner support the Blask Fellowship Program, which provides grants to law students serving as legal interns with a federal court or agency within the Southern District of Texas. Learn more about the Federal Bar Association here: https://lnkd.in/gvdBBxPd

Kean Miller is a local, regional, and national partner of the Association of Corporate Counsel, and we were proud to co-host the CLE Lunch and Learn program for the ACC Louisiana Chapter last week. Erin Kilgore and Chelsea Gomez Caswell presented, “The Interaction of the ADA, FMLA, and PWFA; and a Few More Consonants and Vowels,” which explored how the laws are complementary, and how they diverge. Learn more about ACC-LA here: https://lnkd.in/gNu94z8g

Congratulations to Kelicia Davis Raya, Esq. and Sydney St. Pierre on being named to the Women's Energy Network South Louisiana Chapter’s 2025 Board of Directors. Kelicia will serve as the NOLA Program & Special Events Director, and Sydney will serve as Treasurer. The Women’s Energy Network is a global organization that aims to provide networking and leadership development opportunities for women working in energy industry. Learn more about the Women’s Energy Network here: https://lnkd.in/diwDUFC

Louisiana’s Senate Bill 1, introduced during the recent 2024 Third Extraordinary Legislative Session, aims to establish specialized business courts in Louisiana through a state constitutional amendment. The bill seeks to amend the constitution and give the legislature the authority to create “specialized” courts. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gyxKqfUd by Crystal Burkhalter & Patrick Betts

Our partner Ben Jumonville was recognized as one of the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2024 Forty under 40 on Thursday night! The Forty under 40 are young leaders in the community who strive to make Baton Rouge better. Read more about the Forty under 40 honorees here: https://lnkd.in/ggNXxqRj

Employers nationwide can breathe a collective sigh of relief. On Friday November 15, 2024, District Judge Sean D. Jordan of the federal district court for the Eastern District of Texas granted a motion for summary judgment finding that the Department of Labor’s 2024 Rule – that would have increased the minimum salary level required to qualify executive, administrative, and professional employees for overtime exempt status to $58,565 per year ($1,128 per week) effective January 1, 2025 – is legally invalid. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/ezxWU75Q by David Whitaker

Congratulations to Lafayette associates Ross Roubion and Ambrose Stearns for being sworn in as officers and board members of the Young Lawyers Section of the Lafayette Bar Association & Foundation. The Young Lawyers Section allows attorneys who are either under the age of 40 or who have been practicing law for five years or fewer to provide community service in Lafayette Parish through fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and pro-bono efforts. Learn more about the Lafayette Bar Association here: https://lnkd.in/gRRsEPA4

Kean Miller has a long history of support for the legal profession and leading bar associations in the communities where we live and work. We were proud to support the 2024 Houston Bar Association Harvest Party last week. Attendees engaged in great networking with members of the judiciary and other Houston attorneys at the River Oaks Country Club. The proceeds from the event benefit Houston Volunteer Lawyers, an important provider of pro bono legal assistance to eligible, low-income area residents of Harris County and surrounding areas. Learn more about the Houston Bar Association here: https://www.hba.org/

Kean Miller, the Interlaw Ltd. member firm in Louisiana for more than 15 years, was recently awarded official member status for the State of Texas. Interlaw is a long-established elite global network of pre-eminent independent law firms comprising 8,000+ lawyers based in over 150 cities around the world. Member firms must demonstrate leadership within their jurisdiction and a proven track record of success with domestic and international legal matters. Our Interlaw representatives in Houston are John Jakuback, Brian Albert, Carolyn Roch, and Derek Anchondo. Learn more about Interlaw here: https://lnkd.in/graG9jfh

Kean Miller construction law partner Trippe Hawthorne recently attended the American Arbitration Association (AAA) National Construction Dispute Resolution Committee meeting in Washington D.C. The meeting allowed the AAA Construction Team to connect with leaders representing construction lawyers, design professionals, real estate experts, and construction consultants to discuss projects and initiatives for the upcoming year. Trippe is on the Roster of Arbitrators for the American Arbitration Association. Learn more about the American Arbitration Association here: https://lnkd.in/gHUQAZjE