Education

Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA (J.D., cum laude, 1983)

Irving Oberman Award | Harvard Defenders, President| Board of Student Advisors, Legal Research and Writing Chairman|

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA (B.A., summa cum laude, 1980)

University Medal

Biography

Rick Stanley represents clients throughout Louisiana and the surrounding region in complex commercial litigation and in the representation of lawyers and law firms in connection with issues of ethics and professional liability.

Mr. Stanley handles cases in both state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels. His clients include two of Louisiana’s largest electric utilities (Entergy and Cleco), as well as numerous out-of-state clients with litigation in Louisiana. He has been recognized as Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America in multiple categories, including Bet-The-Company Litigation (2019), Real Estate Litigation (2020), Legal Malpractice Law – Defense (2014, 2016, 2018) and Antitrust (2012, 2015).  As an appellate lawyer, Mr. Stanley serves as Chair of the LSBA Appellate Section and as Chair of the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization’s Appellate Practice Advisory Commission.

Mr. Stanley graduated from Louisiana State University summa cum laude and received the University Medal for academic achievement. He graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he received the Oberman Award for legal writing. After graduation, he served as law clerk to the late Honorable Albert Tate, Jr. on the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Since 1985, Mr. Stanley has taught on a part-time basis on the adjunct faculty of Tulane Law School. As an adjunct Professor of Law, his courses have included Criminal Process and Practice, Trial Advocacy, Legal Ethics, and Professional Responsibility. He currently teaches an upper-class seminar on Professional Responsibility.

PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES

Professor of Law, Adjunct Faculty, Tulane Law School (1985 – present)

Special Master, In Re: Pool Products Antitrust Litigation, MDL 2328 (E.D. La.)

Chairman, Magistrate Merit Selection Panel, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (2018)

Chairman, LSBA Rules of Professional Conduct Committee (2004 – present)

Chairman, LSBA Committee on Codes of Lawyer and Judicial Conduct (2002 – 2004)

Member, Louisiana Appellate Practice Advisory Commission (2017 – present)

Member, LSBA Ethics 2000 Committee

Member, Louisiana Supreme Court Class Action Committee

Member, Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Rules Regarding Financial Assistance to Clients

Member, Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Advertising Rules

Chairman, Board of Directors, Metairie Bank & Trust Co.

Session, Metairie Ridge Presbyterian Church

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Age Restrictions in Housing; The Denial of the Family’s Right to Its Integrity, 19 HARV.C.R. – C.L. REV. 61 (1984).

Albert Tate, Jr.; Judge, Jurist and the Barber in Ville Platt, 47 LA. L. REV. 1011 (1987).

Antitrust Law: Fifth Circuit Symposium, 35 LOYOLA L. REV. 687 (1989).

Antitrust Law: Fifth Circuit Symposium, 36 LOYOLA L. REV. 665 (1990).

Constitutional Law: Fifth Circuit Symposium, 37 LOYOLA L. REV. 631 (1991).

Constitutional Law: Fifth Circuit Symposium, 42 LOYOLA L. REV. 491 (1996).

A Professional Model of Ethics, 47 LOYOLA L. REV. 773 (2001).

Representative Matters

Representative Appellate Matters

  • In re: Deepwater Horizon, No. 18-30243, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Pardee v. Connick, No. 2018-CA-718, Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal
  • Weyerhaeuser Company v. US Fish and Wildlife Service, No. 17-71, Supreme Court of the United States (Brief only in U.S. Supreme Court)
  • Argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, sub no. Markle Interest LLC, et al. v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, et al., 14-31008 c/w 14-31021
  • Montgomery v. St. Tammany Parish Government by and through St. Tammany Parish Council, No. 2017-C-1811, Louisiana Supreme Court
  • In re: Deepwater Horizon, No. 16-30717, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Edwards v. Continental Casualty Co., No. 15-30827, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Plaia v. Stewart Enterprises, Inc., No. 2014-0159, Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal
  • Cal Dive International, Inc., et al. v. Andrew Schmidt, et al., No. 15-30300, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Woodfox v. Cain, No. 15-30506, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Law Office of Paul C. Miniclier, PLC v. Louisiana State Bar Association, No. 2014-C-1162, Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal
  • In re: Deepwater Horizon, No. 14-31299, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Woodfox v. Cain, No. 13-30266, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • 13-30315 & 13-30329, In re: Deepwater Horizon, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Glaxo Smith Kline, LLC v. Caldwell, No. 12-CA-1790, Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal

 

Representative Trial Court Matters

  • The City of New Orleans v. Apache Louisiana Minerals, LLC, et al., No. 19-cv-8290, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
  • United States of America, et al. v. William LaCorte & Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc., et al., No. 6-cv-11724, United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
  • Payton v. Entergy Corp., No. 2012-8368, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans
  • Kevin Govan Work v. Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, No. 2015-8321, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans
  • Casey Billieson, et al. v. City of New Orleans, Housing Authority of New Orleans, et al., No. 1994-19231, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans
  • Delta Fence, Inc. v. Echelon Construction Services LLC, No. 2009-10498, 22nd Judicial District Court of Louisiana
  • Kennair v. Entergy New Orleans, No. 2008-10079, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans
  • New Orleans Scottish Rite Foundation, Inc. v. University of New Orleans Foundation (Arbitration)
  • Balmoral Cinema, Inc. v. Allied Artists Pictures Corp., United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
  • Denkmann Associations v. IP Timberlands Operating Co., LTD., 354-869, 19th Judicial District Court

Experience

Stanley, Reuter, Ross, Thornton & Alford, L.L.C. (1997 – present)

Stone, Pigman, Walther, Wittmann & Hutchinson (1984 – 1997)

Law Clerk, Honorable Albert Tate, Jr., U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (1983-1984)

MDL Experience

MDL 417 Marine Construction Antitrust Litigation (plaintiff)

MDL 863 Taxable Municipal Bond Securities Litigation (defense)

MDL 1098 Masonite Corp. Hardboard Siding Products Liability Litigation (defense)

MDL 1657 Vioxx Products Liability Litigation (defense)

MDL 2047 Chinese Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation (defense)

MDL 2179 Oil Spill by the Oil Rig “Deepwater Horizon” (counsel for the Economic Settlement Claims Administrator)

MDL 2328 Pool Products Antitrust Litigation (Special Master)

Instruction

Tulane Law School, Professor of Law, Adjunct Faculty (1985 – present)

  • Courses including Legal Ethics, Professional Responsibility Seminar, and Criminal Process and Practice

BARBRI, Instructor

  • Constitutional Law

Seminar Speaker on Ethics and Professionalism topics for the:

  • Louisiana State Bar Association
  • New Orleans Bar Association
  • Tulane Law School
  • LSU Law School
  • Loyola Law School
  • Defense Research Institute

BAR ADMISSIONS

Admitted to practice in all Louisiana state courts and federal courts

Admitted to practice in the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court

Member, New Orleans Bar Association

Member, Louisiana State Bar Association

Member, American Bar Association

RECOGNITION

Best Lawyers in America 2021 for:

  • Bet-the-Company Litigation (14 years);
  • Commercial Litigation (14 years);
  • Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants (10 years);
  • Litigation – Antitrust (10 years);
  • Litigation – First Amendment (10 years);
  • Litigation – Real Estate (10 years); and
  • Litigation – Securities (10 years).

Best Lawyers’ Lawyer of the Year Recognition (New Orleans) for:

  • Bet The Company Litigation (2019)
  • Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants (2014, 2016, 2018)
  • Litigation – Antitrust (2012, 2015)
  • Real Estate Litigation (2020)

Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers (2020 – 2021)

New Orleans Bar Association, Arceneaux Professionalism Award (2018)

LSBA President’s Award (2005, 2010)

LSBA Distinguished Service to the Profession Award (2009)

New Orleans Magazine’s 2020 Top Lawyers

Harvard Law School Irving Oberman Award (1983)

Harvard Defenders

  • President (1981-1982)
  • Appeals Officer (1980-1981)

Board of Student Advisors; Chairman of Harvard’s Legal Research Training Program (1981-1982)

 

In the News

Stanley Reuter Attorneys Named as 2024 Best Lawyers

Raley Alford, Tom Owen, Alison Palermo, Bryan Reuter, Rick Stanley and Jennifer Thornton have been named as Best Lawyers for 2024. Rick Stanley received "Lawyer… READ MORE

New Orleans Magazine’s 2022 Top Lawyers

Congratulations to Kathryn Munson, Tom Owen, Bryan Reuter, Rick Stanley, and Jennifer Thornton for being recognized as New Orleans Magazine's 2022 Top Lawyers! READ MORE

Firm Successfully Defends Constitutionality of Louisiana State Bar Association

On August 8, 2022, the Honorable Lance M. Africk of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana issued a ruling dismissing the… READ MORE

Rick Stanley Recognized by Who’s Who Legal

Rick Stanley has been recognized by Who's Who Legal in the WWL: Product Liability Defence 2021 Edition in the area of Product Liability. Rick is 1 of… READ MORE

11 Attorneys Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2022 Edition; 4 Attorneys Named “Lawyer of the Year”

W. RALEY ALFORD, III Best Lawyers 2022 Administrative/Regulatory Law "Lawyer of the Year" in New Orleans Administrative/Regulatory Law Commercial Litigation Consumer Law Energy Law Energy Regulatory… READ MORE