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James C. Gulotta, Jr.
Areas of Emphasis:
• Class Actions and Complex Litigation
• Commercial Litigation
• Products Liability
• Toxic Tort
Mr. Gulotta joined Stone Pigman in 1976 and is a member of the firm. He is the chair of the Litigation Section and the Toxic Torts/Products Liability practice group. His practice includes commercial litigation, products liability, toxic torts and class actions. He handles cases involving pharmaceuticals, chemical exposure, insurance, oil and gas, securities, antitrust, property damage, business interruption and construction cases. He is admitted to practice before the United State Supreme Court, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and all state and federal courts in Louisiana.
Representative Matters
Defended an international manufacturer of telecommunications equipment in a product defect and fraud action in which the claimant sought $2 billion in damages, including punitive damages.
Defended an independent oil and gas producing company against claims made by royalty interest owners for penalties and consequential damages arising from a concursus proceeding.
Represented ExxonMobil in a class action that alleged damage to coastal marshes and related environmental claims arising out of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Represented ChevronPhillips in an action for recovery of property damage and business interruption losses against responsible parties for causing a fire at a chemical plant in Louisiana.
Represented ConocoPhillips in mass actions and class actions alleging injuries resulting from chemical exposure and airborne release of chemicals.
Represented a national insurance company in antitrust actions alleging violations of the Louisiana Monopolies Act relating to policyholders' claims in connection with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Represented a manufacturer of asbestos-containing fireproof products in property damage action brought by the State of Louisiana for abatement costs in all state buildings containing the products.
Obtained dismissals of over 150 claims filed against a major pharmaceutical company in national consolidated multidistrict litigation involving PPA (phenylpropanolamine).
Represented EnCana Corporation and a former subsidiary in a property title dispute over storage rights in a large, underground natural gas storage facility in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.
Represented a producer in a major gas contract termination dispute involving prolific long-term oil and gas production from platforms located in outer-continental shelf waters in the Gulf of Mexico.
Qualified and testified in Louisiana district court as an expert witness in a legal malpractice action arising out of previously-dismissed class actions.
Represented a major metals refiner and producer in an action to recover property damage and business interruption losses arising from explosion and fire at its plant in Louisiana.
Represented a government contractor in action against the United States in the United States Court of Claims for compensation for breach of a terminal transport services contract.
Represented an oil and gas production company in an action brought by the Louisiana Department of Revenue for allegedly underpaid state corporate income taxes.
Represented an insurance agency in a NASD arbitration proceeding involving claims for injunctive relief and damages resulting from an alleged violation of a non-competition agreement and unauthorized disclosure of trade secrets.
Represented Tulane University in defense of an action to enjoin the university from developing a dormitory and student center for alleged violation of city zoning restrictions.
Education
Mr. Gulotta earned his law degree from Tulane University School of Law in 1976, where he was Associate Editor of the Tulane Law Review, 1975-76, and was named to the Order of the Coif. Mr. Gulotta received a bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, from Louisiana State University in 1973, where he was admitted to Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. Professional and Civic Activities
Mr. Gulotta is active in the American Bar Association as a member of the leadership of the Litigation Section Products Liability Committee for which he has presented several programs and served as website editor (2003-2008) and subcommittee co-chair. He is a fellow and member of the board of the Louisiana Bar Foundation. He is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, the Louisiana State Bar Association House of Delegates, DRI (formerly known as the Defense Research Institute), the New Orleans Bar Association and the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. Mr. Gulotta currently is a member of the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Bar Association (2007-present).
He has presented or participated in the presentation of numerous CLE programs sponsored by the American Bar Association, the Louisiana State Bar Association, the New Orleans Bar Association, Tulane University School of Law and the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center on topics relating to trial practice, class actions, pharmaceutical litigation, ethics and professionalism.
Mr. Gulotta is currently a member of the board of the New Orleans Opera Association and the Louisiana Bar Foundation. He has been named to The Best Lawyers in America and Louisiana Super Lawyers for his work in the field of business litigation.
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