Alanson T. (Skipper) Chenault is a partner in the firm’s New Orleans office. He has extensive experience in all aspects of maritime law, with particular emphasis on collision, fire, and other significant shipping and pollution casualties, limitation of liability, maritime products liability, cargo and chartering disputes, and environmental problems.

He is the co-leader of the firm’s on-scene casualty/pollution response team. His practice centers on marine casualties, collision, cargo claims, pollution, personal injury and death, toxic tort, environmental, products liability, insurance, commercial and business matters, and appellate work.

He has represented clients in federal and state courts, and during U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations. He has argued cases before the United States Fourth and Fifth Circuits, and the Louisiana Courts of Appeal. Mr. Chenault’s legal practice is firmly grounded upon many years of practical maritime experience and training. He has an in-depth knowledge of navigation, marine engineering, propulsion systems, and ship design, after obtaining a Naval Architecture degree from the Naval Academy, completing the Navy’s rigorous nuclear propulsion training program, teaching engineering at the Naval Academy, and serving at sea in nuclear submarines, both as a deck and an engineering officer.

He is also very experienced with offshore sail training and racing vessels. After eleven years on active duty, Mr. Chenault attended Tulane Law School, and was a managing editor of the Tulane Maritime Law Journal. He entered private practice after law school. He is currently a member of the U.S. Maritime Law Association, several bar, trade, and maritime associations, and is an associate member of the society of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Mr. Chenault is admitted to practice before all Louisiana state and federal courts, the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Fourth, Fifth, and Eleventh circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

He retired from the Naval Reserve at the rank of captain.