Heather S. Lonian

Heather Lonian practices primarily in the areas of complex litigation, class action and mass litigation, and insurance.  As Chief Diversity Officer and Chair of the Stone Pigman Diversity Committee, Heather leads Stone Pigman's diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and assists clients with diversity and inclusion initiatives.  

Her most notable cases include defending a public housing agency in class actions asserting fair housing, racial discrimination, and mold claims; representing a national insurance company in multiple class action lawsuits challenging policy provisions and claims handling procedures; representing a national computer equipment manufacturer in a complex dispute involving allegations of breach of contract and unfair trade practices (for which the plaintiff sought in excess of $1 billion punitive and compensatory damages); and defending an international construction firm in class and mass actions arising from levee breaches.

• Defended insurance companies in an array of class actions involving coverage disputes and allegations bad faith claims handling.
• Defended a public housing agency in class actions alleging fair housing and racial discrimination claims.
• Represented international construction and environmental remediation firm in defense of class actions and individual actions alleging liability for flooding of major areas of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish resulting from breaches of levees and floodwalls during the passage of Hurricane Katrina.
• Represented a national manufacturer of computer equipment in a complex dispute involving allegations of breach of contract and unfair trade practices for which plaintiff sought in excess of $1 billion punitive and compensatory damages.

• American Bar Association's Class Actions & Derivative Suits Committee member.
• Louisiana State Bar Association member.
• Federal Bar Association member.
• National Bar Association member.
• The Bar Association of The Fifth Federal Circuit member.
• Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow 2022.
• Member of the Vestry at Trinity Episcopal Church.
• New Orleans Legal Diversity Collaborative, Founding Member.

• Best Lawyers in America 2021 - 2024.
• Louisiana Super Lawyers 2022 and 2023.
  • Rising Star 2012.
• New Orleans Magazine "Top Lawyer" 2021 - 2023.
• New Orleans CityBusiness 2021 Leadership in Law honoree.  

"Removal and Remand Bootcamp," NOBA, May 2020.

"Removal and Remand Updates," NOBA, May 2019.

"Minority in a Majority Firm: Combating the Status Quo," Louisiana State Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion Managers Summit, August 2018.

"Navigating the 2017 Job Market," National Black Law Student Association Southwest Region 2017 Conference, January 2017.

"Standing Issues in Light of Spokeo," New Orleans Bar Association CLE Program, September 2016.

• "Guest Column:  Why Ketanji Brown Jackson's Journey Resonates," The Advocate, May 4, 2022.
• "States Look to Combat Discrimination on the Basis of Hairstyle," Stone Pigman E-Alert, August 2019.
• "CFPB Bans Class Action Waivers in Arbitration Agreements for Financial Services and Contracts," New Orleans Bar Association Committee News blog, August 2017.