Brief Biography
James R. Nieset has practiced law at Plauché, Smith & Nieset, LLC since 1970, and has devoted his entire practice to litigation. His principal areas of practice include general insurance defense, construction litigation, professional liability litigation, products liability litigation, environmental litigation, maritime litigation, oil and gas litigation and particularly legacy litigation and general commercial litigation. His litigation experience includes jury and bench trials in state and federal court and appeals practice in state and federal court.
Education
Tulane University Bachelor of Science, major in Physics and minor in Mathematics, 1964
Tulane University Law School, JD degree, 1967
Admissions
All of the state district and appellate courts in Louisiana
United States District Courts for the Western, Middle and Eastern District of Louisiana
Eastern District of Texas – Beaumont Division
United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
United States Supreme Court
Professional Associations
Southwest Louisiana Bar Association
Louisiana State Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Maritime Law Association
Tulane Admiralty Law Institute
Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
Louisiana Bar Foundation
Community Involvement
Member and President – Southwest Louisiana Bar Association
Member and Treasurer – Louisiana State Bar Association Board of Governors
Member – Tulane University President’s Council
Member – Tulane University Law School Dean’s Advisory Board
Member – Tulane Athletic Foundation Board
Member – Immaculate Conception Cathedral School Board
Member and President – St. Louis Catholic High School Board
Member and President – St. Louis Catholic High School Foundation
Member – Lake Charles Symphony Board
CLE Presenter – Recent Developments, Products Liability, Technology and Professionalism
Representative Matters
- Defense of numerous insurance liability jury and non-jury cases in state and federal court
- Defense of numerous insurance cases related to hurricane liability and wind versus water claims in state and federal court
- Defense of numerous professional liability cases (medical, dental, nursing, healthcare practitioner, pharmacist, architect, attorney, CPA)
- Defense of numerous product liability cases involving automobiles, machinery parts, chemical plant complement parts, sporting equipment, electrical equipment and steel fabrication
- Obtained no liability verdicts in favor of nurse, pharmacist and dentist in jury trials
- Defense of numerous legacy litigation oil and gas lawsuits and several resulting indemnification lawsuits
- Obtained no liability verdicts in favor of television set manufacturer in fire case (jury), building complement manufacturer in housing construction case (bench) and valve manufacturer in chemical plant gas release litigation (jury) in federal court
- Successfully arbitrated defense of roofing manufacturer in commercial building construction case
- Successfully mediated numerous cases submitted to mediation
