Brett P. Furr is engaged primarily in a real estate and commercial litigation practice. In the last several years, his work has been related to commercial bank workout and litigation, including foreclosures, bankruptcies, defense of lender liability suits, forgery cases, wrongful seizure cases, and related matters.

Mr. Furr is the former chairman of the Banking Law Section of the National Lawyers Association. On behalf of the Louisiana Bankers Association, Mr. Furr was a principal drafter of a bill which was enacted as La. R.S. 6:1361, known as the ATM/Night Depository Customer Safety Act. Recently, he served on a Task Force to update the Local Court Rules for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Louisiana. Mr. Furr is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Baton Rouge Bar Association, and the Louisiana Association of Defense Council and is a frequent lecturer on bankruptcy, bank liability, and related matters.

Recent commercial cases:

• Creditors' Committee Counsel for Communication Corp. of America and White Knight Holdings, Chapter 11 consolidated proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport Division; Lead Case No.06-50410; Debtors own and operate several television stations in Louisiana, Texas and Indiana; Confirmed chapter 11 plan paid unsecured trade creditors in full;
• Lead Counsel to LNR Partners, Inc., the nation's largest special servicer of REMIC loans, in connection with property damage to numerous commercial properties throughout Lousiana and Mississippi resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and related foreclosures, workouts, bankruptcies and commercial litigation;
• Lead defense counsel in fourteen consolidated class action cases involving over 20,000 class members seeking recovery of punitive damages under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act;
• Lead counsel for JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA in defense of a lender liability suit filed in connection with multiple bond issuances financing manufacturing facilities in four states. The suit was dismissed with prejudice;
• Lead counsel for JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA in the Chapter 11 proceedings of Loma Company, L.L.C. The claim involved a letter of credit enhanced bond issuance in excess of $7,000,000;
• Lead counsel for Bank One, NA in the Chapter 11 proceedings of Southern Healthcare Systems, Inc.:
  • Bank One issued Letters of Credit to enhance tax exempt bonds in the approximate amount of $22,000,000;
  • Proposed and confirmed a creditor’s plan liquidating six nursing homes in three states with related debtor-in-possession financing.
• Lead counsel for Bank One, NA in the related chapter 11 proceedings of Schwegmann Westside Expressway, Inc. and its affiliate. Bank One, was the principal secured creditor with a claim in excess of $14,000,000;
• Lead counsel for Bank One, NA in the chapter 11 proceedings of Stonebridge Convalescent Center, L.L.C. and its affiliates consisting of six nursing homes in two states. Bank One was the principal secured creditor with a claim in excess of $12,000,000
• Lead counsel for Total Environmental Solutions in the chapter 11 proceedings of Johnson Properties, Inc.:
  • Total Environmental Solutions acquired the assets of Johnson properties pursuant to a negotiated chapter 11 plan proposed by the court-appointed Chapter 11 trustee;
  • The assets of Johnson Properties consisted of over 200 sewer treatment facilities located in six states;
  • Involvement included oversight of counsel to secure regulatory approval from three regions of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Offices of Environmental Quality in six states, and six state public service commissions;
  • Secured related acquisition financin

• Lead counsel for the debtor in Axiom Healthcare Services, Inc., an entity operating six nursing homes in Oklahoma;
• Lead counsel in the successful defense of Anne Guzzardo v. Central Progressive Bank, a leading case in the defense of lender liability in Louisiana;

Recent notable oil and gas cases:

• Lead counsel in Strubeck v. Amoco Production Company, a case resulting in the dismissal of a wrongful death claim arising out of a processing plant explosion and the related OSHA investigation;
• Lead counsel in Amoco Production Company v. Fina Oil and
  Gas, an unsuccessful claim for cash balancing following well depletion;
• Lead counsel in EDP Management, Incv. Jetta Petroleum, Inc, the successful prosecution of a claim for working interest ownership before the Mississippi Oil and Gas Board;
• Lead counsel in Delphi Oil, Inc v. Bosco Oil FieldServices, the successful prosecution of a negligenceclaim by the operator and working interest owners fornegligence against an engineering firm which resulted in the loss of a productive well bore;
• Associate counsel in Martin Exploration v.Amoco Production Company, the successful defense of a claim for approximately $50 million under the acreage contribution provisions of joint operating agreement;
• Associate counsel in Robicheaux v. Amoco Production Company, a case resulting in the favorable settlement of one death and four serious burn claims arising out of the blowout of a deep Tusculoosa well in Louisiana;
• Associate counsel in Monica Erickson v. Amoco Production Company, a case resulting in the favorable settlement of a claim alleging improper royalty payments;
• Lead counsel in Amoco Production Company v. Lexington Insurance Company, an unsuccessful suit seeking recovery against the insurer of a service company as an exception to the Oil Filed Anti-Indemnity Act.

Mr. Furr is actively involved in the Baton Rouge community. He is a past president of the University Laboratory School Foundation and is currently chairing a capital campaign which has raised over $6,000,000. He is an Elder in First Presbyterian Church where he chairs the Budget and Personnel Committees. Mr. Furr was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and Board of Trustees for the Rotary Foundation.  Mr. Furr recently served two terms on the Board of Governors of the City Club of Baton Rouge, serving on the Executive Committee and as Secretary. Mr. Furr serves on numerous other boards in our community. He was selected for inclusion in Louisiana Super Lawyers and Chambers USA.

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