William H.L. Kaufman
Mr. Kaufman focuses his practice on resolving commercial disputes, including energy, environmental, and business matters. His practice involves drafting and negotiating operating agreements and commercial leases, negotiating commercial loan workouts, and litigating controversies arising out of mineral leases, indemnity provisions, commercial loans, and contracts of sale and lease.
Mr. Kaufman also has substantial experience in advising operators, landowners, financial institutions, trustees, guarantors, executors, and other lawyers in a wide range of matters. He has represented clients in litigation, administrative proceedings, and other controversies arising out of the Louisiana Code of Ethics, Campaign Finance Disclosure Act and Code of Professional Responsibility for lawyers.
He joined Ottinger Hebert, L.L.C. in 2011. Before moving back to Acadiana, he was a partner at the Baton Rouge law firm of Taylor Porter where he concentrated his practice in commercial, business, tort, and insurance litigation.
He received his Juris Doctorate and Bachelor of Civil Law from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 2005. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Kaufman graduated with a degree in International Trade and Finance from the E. J. Ourso College of Business at LSU.
Mr. Kaufman is licensed to practice in all trial and appellate courts in the State of Louisiana as well as the United States District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Western, Middle and Eastern Districts of Louisiana and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
He is a member of the Lafayette and Louisiana State Bar Associations, the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, the Defense Research Institute and the Louisiana Banker’s Association – Bank Counsel Section. He presented on trust and estate litigation at the LSU Law Center’s 41st Annual Estate Planning Seminar. Mr. Kaufman has been rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale Hubbell and recognized as one of Louisiana’s Rising Stars by Super Lawyers (Business Litigation), and a Top Lawyer in Commercial Litigation by Acadiana Profile magazine.
Reported Decisions
Wells Fargo Equip. Fin., Inc. v. Louisiana Crane & Constr., LLC, CV 16-0583 (W.D. La. Aug. 7, 2017), 2017 WL 3908163
Jones v. Jones, 16-536 (La.App. 5 Cir. 4/26/17), 220 So.3d 855
Gladney v. Anglo-Dutch Energy, L.L.C., 2016-468 (La.App. 3 Cir. 12/21/16), 210 So.3d 903
State ex rel. Plaquemines Parish School Bd. v. Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources, 2011-1734 (La.App. 4 Cir. 9/5/12); 99 So.3d 1028
Alvin Fairburn & Associates, LLC v. Grimmer, 2011-1896 (La. App. 1 Cir. 5/2/12); 2012 WL 1550588
Louisiana Ass’n of Self-Insured Employers v. Louisiana Workforce Comm’n, 2011-1892 (La.App. 1 Cir. 3/28/12), 92 So.3d 397
Louisiana Ass’n of Self-Insured Employers v. Louisiana Workforce Com’n,2011-1892 (La.App. 1 Cir. 3/28/12); 92 So.3d 397
Performance Contractors, Inc. v. Schwab, 2010 WL 1227738 (M.D. La. March 29, 2010)
Spooner v. East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Dept., 2010-0672 (La.App. 1 Cir. 2/11/11); 2011 WL 497479
Johnson v. Lee, 10-439 (La.App. 5 Cir. 11/23/10); 54 So.3d 704
Cunningham v. Bd. of Supervisors of Louisiana State Univ. & Agric. & Mech. Coll., CIV.A.06-602-C (M.D. La. Sept. 17, 2008), 2008 WL 4346422
Chaney v. Litchfield, CV 07-10-DLD (M.D. La. July 1, 2008), 2008 WL 11417763