Recent News

September 16, 2008 -Phylliss B. Hennessee will be keynote speaker at LSU symposium

LSU Health Science Center will host a Multidisciplinary Symposium, Blazing a Path to Knowledge, on September 25-26, 2008. Phylliss B. Hennessee, attorney at Cook Yancey, will be presenting on Medical Record documentation. She is a registered nurse with experience in critical care, teaching and nursing administration. Her legal practice specializes in medical malpractice cases representing both the plaintiff and the defense. The objective is for participants to increase their knowledge base related to the most current topics in evidence-based practices in healthcare today. This professional development course will be held at DiamondJacks Casino & Resort in Bossier City.

For more information or registration, call 318-675-6285.

September 11, 2008-Cook Yancey is a Pacesetter in the United Way of Northwest Louisiana

The theme was Working together we make a Winning Team. The week of activities paid off in both teambuilding and financial results. The amount raised by the firm was three times that of the prior year. The firm is proud to partner with the United Way effort to impact lives and invest in our community.

Candace Simmons and Gaye Garbarino were the campaign coordinators, and Emily Gillespie was the United Way staff representative.

(Photo-left to right; Candace, Emily and Gaye)

September 5, 2008-Cook Yancey Pink Bracelet Brigade

Additional Photos
All employees proudly wear the BE STRONG pink bracelet, an internationally recognized symbol of support for breast cancer research and as a show of encouragement to those people fighting the disease. Our Support Staff had 100% participation as they rallied to purchase the bracelets and wear them together as the Cook, Yancey Pink Bracelet Brigade in honor of fellow employee, Margaret Gould. Margaret has shown incredible strength and spirit in her own fight with this disease. It is our hope that this colorful and visible show of support will bring cheer to her and to other cancer patients. 

September 2, 2008-Ryan C. Williams joins Cook Yancey

The law firm of Cook, Yancey King and Galloway is pleased to announce that Ryan C. Williams has joined the firm as an associate.

"We are enthused about Ryan joining us, and working in the Oil and Gas practice group. He will be an asset, at this time of exciting growth," says Bill Fleming, a shareholder at Cook Yancey.

Mr. Williams received his B. A. from Louisiana State University in 2005 and his J. D. from Louisiana State University in 2008. He was Senior Editor of the Louisiana Law Review.

Cook Yancey is the largest law firm in Northwest Louisiana. In business since 1914, the firm has more than 35 lawyers working together to provide full-service representation across a broad range of client needs.

August 15, 2008-20th Annual Minority Job Fair

The Louisiana State Bar Association Minority Involvement Section's 20th Annual Diversity Job Fair, was held on Friday, August 15, 2008 at Tulane University Law School. Cook Yancey attorney, Kristi Gustavson and Recruiting Director, Candace Simmons interviewed candidates and attended the lunch and reception hosted by the Louisiana Bar.

Luis A. Leitzelar, Chair, Minority Job Fair Planning Committee, Kristina Gustavson, attorney at Cook Yancey, Candace Simmons, Marketing and Recruiting Director for Cook, Yancey, and Kelly McNeil Legier, Esq. Director of Member Outreach and Diversity for the Louisiana State Bar Association.

August 4, 2008 

Cook Yancey has been named a Go-To Law Firm for litigation by CNA Surety Corporation. As a result of this designation, Cook Yancey will appear in In-House Law Departments at the Leading Financial Services Companies, an annual reference guide to be distributed to over 10,000 General Counsel including all the General Counsel at Fortune 1000 companies. 

August 1, 2008 - Brian Homza and Bernard Johnson to speak at LSU seminar

Recent Developments in Legislation & Jurisprudence will be the topic for LSU Law Center's CLE seminar on September 25-26. Bernard S. Johnson, shareholder at Cook Yancey, will be presenting on Arbitration Law. The section on Insurance law will be given by Brian A. Homza, who is also a shareholder at Cook Yancey. This professional development course will be held at the Shreveport Convention Center.
This seminar will address significant issues and changes in Louisiana law practice in an informative way. This valuable seminar is open to online registration is at http://www.lsucle.org/.

June 26, 2008- Lake Hearne joins Cook Yancey

The law firm of Cook, Yancey King and Galloway is pleased to announce that W. Lake Hearne has joined the firm as Special Counsel. Lake brings more than 27 years of legal experience to the firm. His practice focuses on Oil & Gas, Real Estate, and Creditor's rights.

"Mr. Hearne will be a real asset to our Oil & Gas group. His expertise will be of great benefit to the clients we serve" says Herschel E. Richard, President of Cook Yancey.

Mr. Hearne received his B. A. from Louisiana State University in 1978, and his J.D. from Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, 1981, where he was a member of the Louisiana Law Review. He is licensed to practice law in Louisiana, and is admitted to the LA State Bar and the United States District Court for both the Western District of Louisiana and the United States Supreme Court.

"The opportunity to associate with a premier firm like Cook Yancey is very exciting, and I look forward to working with its Oil & Gas group, particularly in the current climate of that industry" Hearne said.

Cook Yancey is the largest law firm in Northwest Louisiana. In business since 1914, the firm has more than 37 lawyers working together to provide full-service representation across a broad range of client needs.

Cook Yancey King and Galloway is located at 333 Texas in the Regions Bank building. For more information call 221-6227 or visit http://www.cookyancey.com/.

June 25, 2008-  "An Overview of Patents, Trademarks & Copyrights"
Lunch & Learn from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Location: LSUS Technology Center 209
Sponsored by Louisiana Small Business Development Center at LSUS
Additional Info. & Registration

June 3, 2008- Brian R. Carnie joins Cook Yancey

The law firm of Cook, Yancey King and Galloway is pleased to announce that Brian R. Carnie has joined the firm as an associate. Brian brings more than 10 years of litigation experience to the firm. Prior to joining the firm, his experience focused on the full range of labor and employment - related legal and consulting services for clients operating in unionized as well as non-unionized environments.

"We are excited about the experience and expertise Brian will bring to the Labor and Employment practice group," says Price Barker, a shareholder at Cook Yancey.

Mr. Carnie received his B. S. from Northern Illinois University in 19­­92 and his J. D. from Case Western Reserve University in 1995. He is licensed to practice law in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.

"Cook, Yancey has one of the most sophisticated labor and employment practices in all of Louisiana and the Ark-La-Tex. I look forward to serving with this group of professionals to further grow the practice and its standout reputation," Carnie said.

Cook Yancey is the largest law firm in Northwest Louisiana. In business since 1914, the firm has more than 35 lawyers working together to provide full-service representation across a broad range of client needs.

Cook Yancey King and Galloway is located at 333 Texas in the Regions Bank building. For more information call 221-6277 or visit http://www.cookyancey.com/.

May 26, 2008- Robert B. Dunlap to speak at Shreveport

Robert B, Dunlap will be speaking to the South Shreveport Rotary Club on June 20. His presentation will be on matters related to the Haynesville Shale; including basic oil & gas; lease issues, and drilling issues. Robert joined Cook Yancey in 2003, and his practice focuses on oil & gas.

May 23, 2008- Cook Yancey Lawyers Actively Involved in Haynesville Shale Leasing

Cook Yancey is actively engaged in representing oil and gas exploration companies, producers, landowners, and others in activitites related to the Haynesville Shale play in Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Bienville, Red River, Desoto, Sabine, and Natchitoches Parishes, Louisiana.

Cook Yancey's long experience in all phases of the oil and gas industry in North Louisiana gives its local, regional, and national clients a competitive advantage in lease negotiations, the acquisition of mineral rights, and other strategies to take advantage of the opportunities that the current level of Haynesville Shale activity presents. Bill Fleming, chair of the firm's oil and gas section, stated, "We are pleased to bring our experience to what appears to be one of the largest natural gas plays in the continental United States, with significant economic upside to North Louisiana and the Shreveport/Bossier City region."

Cook Yancey also provides innovative tax and estate planning strategies for landowners who have recently received or are about to receive large lease bonuses and anticipate significant royalty payments. These dramatic increases in income often cause unexpected federal income, gift, or estate tax consequences. Cook Yancey is committed to designing tax planning strategies to reduce income and death taxes imposed on this new wealth.

The Haynesville Shale discovery was announced by Chesapeake Energy Corporation in late March. This large natural gas deposit is being described as one of the richest onshore fields of natural gas ever discovered in the United States. Chesapeake, which reports it has already leased 200,000 acres for development of the Haynesville Shale, estimates that the deposit may hold at least 7.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and maybe up to 20 trillion cubic feet. Other oil and gas production companies involved in the Haynesville Shale include Petrohawk Energy Corporation, Encana Oil & Gas (USA), Inc., Questar Exploration and Production Company, Camterra Resources, Inc., Fossil Operating, Inc. Shell Western E&P. Inc, Comstock Oil & Gas, El Paso, and Winchester Production Co. Potentially, the Haynesville Shale could mean millions of dollars for landowners, a boost in natural gas production business in the Northern Louisiana region, and a trickle-down effect for communities, schools and others.

The Haynesville Shale's boundaries are still being interpreted, but the most active areas appear to include all of DeSoto Parish, the mid to southern regions of Caddo and Bossier parishes, the southern tip of Webster Parish, the western end of Bienville Parish, most of Red River Parish, the upper parts of Sabine and Natchitoches Parishes and sections of East Texas.

"The economic impact will be absolutely monstrous if it's as big as it can be," said Don Briggs, president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association.

Cook Yancey King and Galloway is located at 333 Texas in the Regions Bank

building. For more information call 221-6277 or visit www.cookyancey.com.

May 22, 2008- Al Hand confirmed Treasurer of the Environmental Council

At the annual meeting of the Environmental Section of the Louisiana State Bar Association, Al Hand was confirmed as the Treasurer of the Environmental Council, which is the governing body of the Section. Mr. Hand has been with Cook Yancey for 29 years, and his practice focuses on Environmental, Products Liability and Toxic Tort litigation.

May 14, 2008- Cook, Yancey, King and Galloway Hosts CLE

On Thursday, June 5, 2008, From 9am-11am a CLE will be held. This upcoming CLE is be held in the Wheless Room in Regions Bank building. Early registration begins at 8:30am. Emily Eichenhorn with CNA will be the speaker, and the topic is Ethics. It is sponsored by Gilsbar/CAN. For more information, or to register contact Lori Cluney, lcluney@gilsbar.com or 985-898-1526

April 30, 2008- Gregg A. Wilkes is elected to the LADC board

President Drake Lee is pictured above second from left.

Gregg A. Wilkes, shareholder at Cook Yancey, has been chosen to serve on the board of directors of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel ("LADC"). F. Drake Lee, Jr. is the President-Elect for this year, and Brian A. Homza is a continuing board member. Lee and Homza are also shareholders at the firm of Cook Yancey.

This organization provides a vehicle for a sharing of ideas and an enhancement of the education and training of its members.

The LADC also functions as the voice of its members in public service, working with its members and with other organizations to improve the speedy administration of justice

in Louisiana courts. In 1998, the LADC was selected as the outstanding defense organization in the United States.

The LADC contributes to the public good by working for the adoption of laws which will provide the speedy and inexpensive resolution of civil disputes. The organization's efforts concentrate on legislation (proposing, supporting and opposing bills) and judicial decisions (filing amicus curiae briefs in cases of general statewide importance). The LADC also supports pro bono efforts and has contributed more than $200,000 to the enhancement of legal education in the state's law schools.

April 09, 2008- Small Business Lunch & Learn--Legal Structures

Choosing a Legal Structure
Small Business Lunch & Learn
April 30 11:30-1 pm

LSUS Business/Education Bldg. 103 $10 includes boxed lunch sponsored by the Louisiana SBDC at LSU in Shreveport Pre-registration required by calling 797-5144 by Tuesday (April 29) Click here to learn more about the Louisiana SBDC

Want to know more about sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, S corporations, C corporations and what's right for your business? Attorney Kyle McInnis of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway in Shreveport will give an overview on the various business legal entities and answer your questions during this informative session.

April 4, 2008-Cook Yancey hosts Russian judges

Five judges from the Republic of Tatarstan visited Cook Yancey today in order to learn about law firm practices and organization in America. F. Drake Lee, Jr. of Cook Yancey, welcomed the guests and explained the firm's practice areas team organization. Lee and Sam W. Caverlee led the group on a tour of the firm, stopping for questions in the library and Information Technology areas. Andrey Alekseyevich Nikolayev of the Supreme Court of Kazan City asked about offsite storage and computer viruses.

During lunch, the visiting judges explained that in Russia, one must serve in the army prior to attending law school, and that Tatarstan has one law school that takes five years to complete.

Following lunch, attorney Jason Green gave a brief presentation concerning the firm's mentor program. John T. Kalmbach gave a presentation on natural gas pipeline construction and development law in the United States. Finally, Michael D. Lowe discussed issues pertaining to employment law in America.

Russian official Rinat Gallyamutdinovich Gayfutdinov, Chairman of Tukaevsky District Court, presented gifts from his country and a book on the Russian courts to Cook Yancey in appreciation for the learning opportunity and cultural exchange. Each guest was given a gift box of Louisiana food items to take home by the Cook Yancey attorneys.

This group is participating in the Open World program, sponsored by the United States Library of Congress. The jurists were accompanied by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks and United States Magistrate Mark L. Hornsby.

Photos

April 3, 2008 - Brian Homza lectures at IAAI; Investigating fire claims without getting burned
Brian A. Homza was an instructor at the 2008 Northern Training Seminar "Fire Investigation - Legally Speaking" held by the Louisiana Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators, speaking on Applying Daubert Standards to Fire Investigators. Homza's instruction provided the audience with knowledge of exactly what the court expects of an investigation. He stressed the importance of following the guidelines set by the court, in order to get the arsonists convicted and off the street.

Brian has also been a lecturer for the Louisiana State Bar Association on First Party Arson Defense Claims, a two time instructor for the Louisiana Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms Chapter on investigation of fire & explosions. 

April 1, 2008 - Herschel E. Richard to present at LSU Law Center
A course in the Fundamentals of Civil Litigation will be held at McKernan auditorium on April 10. Herschel E. Richard will be addressing the issues of Assessing the Case. In this seminar on evaluating the case, he will speak for the Defense. Mr. Richard is president of Cook Yancey King and Galloway. This seminar registration can be done online at http://www.lsucle.org/.

April 1, 2008 - William C. Kalmbach to speak at Elder Law seminar
A Case Study in Estate Planning will be presented by Bill Kalmbach at LSU Law Center's Elder Law seminar on April 4.

"About 70 million baby boomers are close to hitting their retirement years, a seismic demographic shift that will dramatically alter the way attorneys and courts do business in the coming decades", says The National Law Journal.

Elder law involves much more than the estate planning issues traditionally associated with legal representation of the elderly. This seminar will address significant issues involved in an elder law practice in an informative way. This valuable seminar is open to the public. Online registration is at www.lsucle.org.

March 28, 2008 Shreveport Times releases Reader's Choice awards announcing CYKG a winner of best local law firm

The Shreveport Times presented a certificate to Cook Yancey for being selected in a recent survey as a best local law firm.

The Times conducted this survey in over 170 categories, to establish their reader's preference regarding local businesses.Thousands of ballots were submitted, providing a great response to the very first Reader's Choice awards.

Cook Yancey has proudly served Shreveport and the Ark-La-Tex for over 93 years, and thanks the readers for this vote of confidence.

March 19, 2008 - Kristi Gustavson and Scott Zimmer will speak at the National Business Institute seminar on
“Bad Faith Insurance Claims in Louisiana”. This course is designed to help professionals involved in insurance disputes. It will be held in Shreveport on April 15, 2008. The electronic brochure link will provide more details. http://www.nbi-sems.com/Enbi/Brochurepdfs/42644.pdf

March 18, 2008 - Phylliss Hennessee joins Cook Yancey
The law firm of Cook, Yancey King and Galloway is pleased to announce that Phylliss Hennessee has joined the firm as Special Counsel. Phylliss brings more than 12 years of litigation experience to the firm. Prior to joining the firm, her practice focused on medical malpractice, nursing negligence, nursing home negligence, and personal injury. She served as a captain in the U. S. Army from 1972 until 1978.

"Ms. Hennessee is an excellent fit for us, and our client's will benefit from her depth of experience" says Kenneth Mascagni, shareholder at Cook Yancey.

Ms. Hennessee received her B. S. N. from Murray State University in 1972, her M S. N. from Northwestern State University in 1993 and her J. D. from Southern University in 1995. She is licensed to practice law in Louisiana, and is admitted to the LA State Bar and the United States District Court for both the Western and Middle Districts of Louisiana

"Based on the excellent reputation of Cook Yancey in the community, I am pleased to be associated with the firm. I look forward to working with the firm to produce the best representation for our clients" Hennessee said.

Cook Yancey is the largest law firm in Northwest Louisiana. In business since 1914, the firm has more than 35 lawyers working together to provide full-service representation across a broad range of client needs.

Cook Yancey King and Galloway is located at 333 Texas in the Regions Bank building. For more information call 221-6277 or visit www.cookyancey.com.

March 11, 2008 - Cook Yancey congratulates Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP, on the commencement of services on its East Texas to Mississippi Expansion Project
Cook Yancey congratulates its client Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP, a subsidiary of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, on the commencement of services on its East Texas to Mississippi Expansion Project. This new, 42 inch diameter natural gas pipeline runs from Keatchie, DeSoto Parish, Louisiana to interconnects with other natural gas pipelines near Bosco and Delhi, Louisiana. When fully completed, the pipeline will be capable of transporting 1.7 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas per days. See http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/
080103/20080103005997.html?.v=1. Cook Yancey was proud to assist Gulf South in its acquisition of the property rights necessary to build this substantial capital investment in North Louisiana. Herschel E. Richard, Jr., Samuel W. Caverlee, and John T. Kalmbach practice in the areas of federal and state eminent domain.

March 8, 2008 - Kristi Gustavson attends Bankruptcy seminar
An intensive course in the Fundamentals of Bankruptcy Law was hosted by the American Law Institute/American Bar Association. It covered all the basic areas of bankruptcy liquidation and rehabilitation. Kristi completed this training which included all aspects of bankruptcy proceedings, including Chapter 7, 13 and 11 proceedings.

February 22, 2008 - Cook Yancey has announced the addition of Candace R. Simmons as Marketing and Recruiting director for the firm
"We are thrilled to have Candace join us," said Herschel R. Richard, President of the firm. "We expect that her involvement will help us serve our clients better and more efficiently, and continue to attract and retain top notch attorneys."

A Shreveport native, Simmons brings with her more than 20 years of marketing experience in Texas, including legal marketing for Jones Walker, and Winstead. Her skills were also strengthened by working for Mobil Oil, Edward Fox, and Foleys. She holds a Master of Arts in Marketing from Louisiana Tech University.

Simmons will guide recruiting and marketing efforts, and also be involved with client relations, business development and events.

"I am pleased to be associated with Cook Yancey," Simmons said. "They have a long tradition of excellence with ethics. I look forward to strengthening our business exposure and service in the community."

February 1, 2008 - Five Cook Yancey lawyers named to The Best Lawyers in America ® 2008
The law firm of Cook Yancey King and Galloway is pleased to announce that five attorneys were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America ® 2008. (Copyright 2007 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S. C.). Herschel E. Richard, Jr., Samuel W. Caverlee, F. Drake Lee, Jr., Ken Mascagni, and William C. Kalmbach have been chosen for this distinction. Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.” Mr. Richard’s practice is concentrated in the areas of business litigation, toxic tort, products liability, and legal and medical malpractice. Mr. Caverlee’s practice is concentrated in the areas of medical malpractice, railroad law, federal and state eminent domain, and commercial litigation. Mr. Lee’s practice is concentrated in the areas of construction law, commercial litigation, and appellate advocacy. Mr. Mascagni’s practice includes law enforcement and municipal litigation, franchise litigation, products liability, and construction litigation. Mr. Kalmbach’s practice is concentrated in business, estate planning, and taxation. Cook Yancey congratulates its shareholders on this distinction.

February 1, 2008 - Four Cook Yancey attorneys named Louisiana “Super Lawyers” by Super Lawyers.com.
Herschel E. Richard, Jr., Samuel W. Caverlee, F. Drake Lee, Jr., and Bernard S. Johnson, have been named Louisiana “Super Lawyers” by Super Lawyers.com. According to the publication, only five percent of the state’s lawyers were selected as “Super Lawyers” after a rigorous process of peer evaluation and attorney polling. Mr. Richard’s practice is concentrated in the areas of business litigation, toxic tort, products liability, and legal and medical malpractice. Mr. Caverlee’s practice is concentrated in the areas of medical malpractice, railroad law, federal and state eminent domain, and commercial litigation. Mr. Lee’s practice is concentrated in the areas of construction law, commercial litigation, and appellate advocacy. Mr. Johnson’s practice is concentrated in the areas of contract issues, commercial litigation and commercial transactions. Cook Yancey congratulates its shareholders on this distinction.

December 14 , 2007 - Cook Yancey teams up with LSU-Shreveport to bring gifts to children for the holidays
This holiday season kicked off Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway's first annual "Secret Santa" project. In partnership with the College of Education and Human Development of Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Cook Yancey identified a local school, Midway Elementary Professional Development School, with many children in need this holiday season.  Attorneys and staff at Cook Yancey along with faculty, staff, and students of LSUS, provided gifts and holiday cheer for 58 Midway students. Cook Yancey and LSUS' College of Education and Human Development plan to make the "Secret Santa" project an annual event.

December 3, 2007 - Cook Yancey Supports Cyberspace Symposium 
From November 27th through November 29th, 2007, approximately 2,000 attendees, representing 35 different states and multiple countries, participated in the "Fly and Fight in Cyberspace" Symposium, which was held at the new Shreveport Convention Center.  The event was Shreveport-Bossier City's most recent response to the provisional placement of the new Air Force Cyber Command at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City.  Cook Yancey demonstrated its support of this important initiative with a booth exhibit and attendance by more than 20 of the firm's attorneys.

September 10, 2007 - Cook Yancey Welcomes New Associate: Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, APLC is pleased to welcome Melanie A. Wise as the newest member of the firm.

Ms. Wise received her law degree in 2006 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, graduating with honors, and was an active member of the Moot Court Board. She received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Arts degree from Louisiana Tech University in 1999 and 2002, respectively.

From August 2006 through August 2007, Ms. Wise served as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Donald E. Walter, United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana.

Before becoming an attorney, Ms. Wise served as a Congressional Caseworker for the Honorable Jim McCrery, United States Representative for the Fourth Congressional District of Louisiana. During her four year tenure with Congressman McCrery, she specialized in assisting his constituents with issues pertaining to the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Department of State.

Ms. Wise will practice primarily in the areas of labor and employment law and immigration law.

August 3, 2007 - Cook Yancey Launches New Website:  Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, APLC, announces the launch of its newly-designed website.  The new website is now accessible at both http://www.cookyancey.com and at www.cookyancey.com.

July 31, 2007 - New Board of Directors Elected: The shareholders of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, APLC, have elected a new board of directors. Newly elected board members include S. Price Barker, Albert M. Hand, Jr., Bernard S. Johnson, John T. Kalmbach, Robert Kennedy, and F. Drake Lee., Jr. The newly elected board will serve staggered two-year terms.

July 24, 2007 - Herschel E. Richard, Jr., Elected Firm President: The shareholders of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, APLC, have elected Herschel E. Richard, Jr., as president of the law firm. Mr. Richard has been a member of the firm for over thirty-five years. Mr. Richard is a Fellow in the American Collage of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the Louisiana Bar Foundation. He is also the past president of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel and the Shreveport Bar Association.