Richard McConnell

• Commercial Litigation

• Energy & Environmental Litigation

• Environmental Contamination Claims Related to Oil & Gas and Petrochemical Operations

• Intellectual Property

• Patent Litigation

• Superfund

• Toxic Tort Litigation

• Wetlands, Land Loss & Erosion Claims

Rich McConnell is a proven litigator, trial counsel, and appellate advisor for companies faced with high-stakes state and federal court lawsuits. He designs custom advocacy strategies and trial and appellate tactics that combine years of legal acumen, procedural skills, and the goals of each client he serves. Throughout the region, he is appreciated for superior representation and highly persuasive oral and written advocacy.

Rich’s trial experience ranges from wrongful death to contract disputes to unfair trade practice to property contamination. Notably, Rich has obtained a successful verdict as trial counsel for national pipeline companies in a wetlands loss lawsuit involving canals that widened over time. Rich has also been retained on class action and mass tort lawsuits. He also served as lead counsel in obtaining the ruling that secured a $900 million dollar transaction. Rich routinely serves as appellate counsel for clients. His appellate experience includes overturning multi-million-dollar jury verdicts and securing defense verdicts.

Rich delivers effective and efficient litigation counsel that addresses his client’s current legal concerns and safeguards their future interests. He represents clients in all stages of dispute resolution and helps them make informed decisions throughout the matter. He invests the time to understand each client’s objectives for the dispute at hand and the unique set of circumstances and underlying pressure points inherent in the claim. Rich anticipates legal issues early on to best position his client for trial, appeal, and/or favorable settlement.

On many occasions, Rich has achieved significant success resolving such matters in the discovery stage while aggressively defending his clients throughout the process. If a dispute cannot be resolved, Rich has and will take the claim to trial and on appeal if it is in the best interest of his client.

• Member, Baton Rouge Bar Association

• Member, Louisiana State Bar Association

• Member, American Bar Association

• Member, Louisiana Oil and Gas Association

• Resolved disputes at trial and appellate courts for royalty underpayment and lost-leasing opportunities.

• Obtained a defense verdict after a 2-week jury trial involving a $120 million claim for soil and ground water impacts from historical oil and gas operations.

• Obtained a defense verdict after a 7-day bench trial involving a $35 million claim for wetlands loss.

• Obtained a defense verdict in a PI lawsuit after a 2-day jury trial.

• As appellate counsel, obtained the complete reversal of a $30 million verdict.

• As appellate counsel, secured a defense verdict in which the plaintiffs sought over $100 million in damages.

• Defended a regulatory permit to construct pipelines and equipment to support an LNG facility at the district and appellate court levels.

• Through evidentiary hearings, obtained the dismissal of cases ranging up to $30 million.

• By motion practice, secured a $990 million transaction for an energy company.

• As common counsel for a PRP Group, successfully delisted hazardous waste that led to a removal action resulting in a complete walkaway.

• Defended and defeated multiple unfair trade practice claims at the district court level through evidentiary hearings, that were upheld by appellate courts.

Elite New Orleans Energy Ranking

Legal 500

2026