Joseph E. LeBlanc, Jr.
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Phone: 713.627.7103
Fax: 713.627.7148
1717 St James Place
Suite 360
Houston, Texas 77056
Joe is a member in the law firm LeBlanc Bland P.L.L.C. in Houston, Texas where he is engaged in the practice of all aspects of environmental law and toxic tort litigation, oil and gas disputes and commercial litigation. He was a partner in the firm of Milling, Benson, Woodward, Hillyer, Pierson & Miller in New Orleans, Louisiana until December 1, 1987, when he became a name partner in King, LeBlanc & Bland, L.L.P., formerly Nesser, King & LeBlanc. On February 1, 2008, he and David S. Bland joined in the formation of LeBlanc Bland P.L.L.C.
Joe has had broad experience in counseling and representing clients on all phases of environmental law and toxic tort litigation, including the defense of enforcement actions, the handling of permit applications, administrative proceedings before federal and state agencies, environmental audits, due diligence reviews, as well as contractual allocation of environmental risks and liabilities in transactions. He also has experience with respect to the defense of toxic tort and chemical exposure proceedings, participation in clean up actions, the submission of comments in rulemaking proceedings, the preparation and presentation of testimony before the Louisiana Legislature and the United States Congress on environmental matters, and representation of interests at the London Convention 1972, the global treaty dealing with pollution at sea.
In the handling of environmental matters, Joe has represented landowners, oil and gas companies, chemical companies, ports, trade associations, and industrial and commercial concerns.
Representative Experience
- Represented oil and gas company, chemical company and national trade association in obtaining dismissal on preliminary motion of class action claims for alleged estuary-wide environmental contamination.
- Represented oil and gas company in obtaining defense judgment against mass tort claims for alleged residential asbestos soil contamination.
- Represented chemical company in lengthy administrative proceedings to obtain permits for deep well injection disposal of hazardous waste and in defeating subsequent judicial challenges to the permit.
- Represented commercial lender holding title to wetlands property in obtaining favorable regulatory decision and defeating subsequent judicial challenge to the ruling.
- Represented oil and gas company in obtaining favorable arbitration decision rejecting AMI-based claims of well participation.
- Represented professional football franchise in obtaining favorable settlement of damage claims relating to sale of the team.
- Represented international port client in its participation in the London Convention 1972, the global treaty dealing with pollution of marine waters.
- Represented oil and gas companies in obtaining summary judgment dismissal of toxic tort claims for benzene exposure.
- Represented oil pipeline company in conducting regulatory due diligence in connection with state-wide pipeline acquisition.
- Represented oil and gas companies in negotiating settlements in NORM property damage and toxic tort claims.
- Represented numerous oil and gas companies in the defense of landowner claims for alleged contamination from past oil and gas operations.
- Represented land company in the settlement and trial of numerous eminent domain proceedings from highway widening.
- Represented interstate gas transmission company in obtaining dismissal by preliminary motion of class action claims for alleged coastal erosion contributing to hurricane damage.
Jurisdictions Licensed to Practice
Texas
Louisiana
Court Admissions
U.S. Southern, Eastern, and Western District Courts for the State of Texas
U.S. Eastern, Middle, and Western District Courts for the State of Louisiana
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
U.S. Claims Court
U.S. Supreme Court
Education
Juris Doctorate, Louisiana State University Law School, 1971
- Member of the Louisiana Law Review from 1969 to 1971 Graduated as a member of the Order of Coif – 4/24/1971
Bachelor of Arts, Louisiana State University, 1970
Professional & Bar Association Memberships
Texas Bar Association
Member Since: 2001
Louisiana Bar Association
Member Since: 1971
Fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation
New Orleans Bar Association
Houston Bar Association
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
Federal Energy Bar Association
Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association
Texas Oil & Gas Association
Articles
"No Growth Implications of Wetlands Regulation in Louisiana" Executive Corporate Real Estate, June 1989
"The Clean Water Act and Coastal Zone Considerations in Permitting Oil and Gas Activities in Louisiana " 31 Institute on Mineral Law 110 (Louisiana State University, 1984)
"A Primer on Environmental Damage Insurance Coverage Under Comprehensive General Liability Policy " Louisiana Bar Journal, Volume 38, No. 23, August 1990 )
Louisiana Environmental Handbook
Mr. LeBlanc also serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the “Louisiana Environmental Handbook,” a publication which encompasses all phases of environmental law in Louisiana, and is the author of Chapter Five of the handbook dealing with “Reporting and Notification Requirements.”