H. Minor Pipes, III

About

Since being admitted to the Bar, Minor has tried numerous cases to decision, in both state and federal courts.  Minor has been involved as liaison counsel and/or lead negotiator in multiple large cases throughout the State, including Chinese Drywall, the Bob Dean Nursing Home class action, the Nitrous Oxide class action and the Lake Charles Housing Authority cases.

 

Minor has been recognized among the top 50 lawyers in the State of Louisiana, by Louisiana Super Lawyers. He also has been recognized as a top lawyer by New Orleans Magazine, a leading lawyer in the city by Best Lawyers and New Orleans CityBusiness, and a “Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation.

 

Minor is a Past President of the Louisiana State Bar Association, a Past President of the Louisiana Bar Foundation, Past President of the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program, and a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers and of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Minor was selected as a member of the inaugural class of Leadership LSBA, working with leadership of the Louisiana State Bar Association on numerous projects to improve the legal profession. Minor currently serves as Co-Chair of the Louisiana State Bar Association Summer School Committee. His community involvement includes working with Hogs for the Cause and numerous non-profits in the area.

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Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation

• Construction Litigation

• Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith

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Notable representations

• Lead counsel for Bob Dean in multiple class action lawsuits involving owner of 7 nursing homes that evacuated to warehouses during Hurricane Ida. 

• Lead negotiator for over 800 defendants in the national class action and global settlement of the Chinese Drywall Litigation.

• Successful defense of insurer, and recovery of millions of dollars of payments on its behalf, in coverage litigation trial involving claims in excess of $12 million arising from a FEMA trailer explosion.

• Lead counsel for major insurers in hundreds of bad faith and compliance cases, and hundreds of coverage cases throughout Louisiana.

• Lead counsel for a major brick mason in numerous water intrusion cases involving multi-million dollar claims.

• Successful defense of pharmaceutical wholesaler in $12 million unfair trade practices case, resulting in a defense verdict and full recovery on counter-claims.

• Successful representation of oil and gas drilling contractor in $600,000 FLSA claim, resulting in complete defense verdict.

• The firm obtained a favorable decision in an insurance coverage case involving a direct-action claim for mesothelioma allegedly contracted because of workplace exposure during the employment of Liberty Mutual’s insured during the 1960’s.

• The firm represented an insurance company in a fraud case following Hurricane Laura involving both the insurance claim and the insurance application.  The Court granted the Motion for Summary Judgment and dismissed plaintiff’s claim and counterclaim to recover the amounts paid out based on the fraud.

• PMB represented a contractor in a multi-million-dollar public works commercial building project with a municipality.  The firm prevailed in forcing the municipality to make final payment and is waiting on rulings for the dismissal of damages and the recovery of attorney fees, costs, and interest.

• PMB represented a construction company in obtaining a summary judgment finding the law firm liable for legal malpractice.  This case is significant because it underscores an attorney’s professional obligation to transfer a client’s risk to other parties when possible and emphasizes that the limitations period for a legal malpractice action.

• Minor Pipes of Pipes Miles Beckman was appointed Defense Liaison Counsel by the Court and is leading the team of defendant insurers in the defense of a complex, high stakes case arising out of Hurricanes Laura and Delta relating to over $50 million still owed in damages to repair housing units.

• The firm represented the owner of a parking lot that was leased to a local developer building a condominium complex.  During construction, the parking lot was damaged and the client refused to repair it.  The firm’s client won the case and was awarded the full amount requested against the developer, plus attorneys’ fees and costs.

• The firm represented a pharmacy in an administrative appeal challenging the award of a therapeutic marijuana pharmacy license to another applicant and failed to recognize unserved parishes, which regulations required.  The firm was successful on appeal and the case settled favorably.

 

Education

• Louisiana State University School of Law, J.D., 1996

• Pennsylvania State University, B.A., 1991

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Experience

• Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, L.L.C.

• Stone Pigman Walther Wittman, L.L.C.

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Honors and Achievements

• Chambers & Partners USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2023-2025

• Best Lawyers in America, 2025

• Inside New Orleans Elite Lawyers, 2023

• Louisiana Super Lawyers, 2021-2025

• Louisiana Super Lawyers, Top 50 in the State of Louisiana

• International Society of Barristers, Fellow

• Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star

• New Orleans CityBusiness Leadership in Law, 2012

• New Orleans Magazine, Top Lawyers

• Louisiana State Bar Association, President’s Award

• Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review, rated AV® Preeminent™

• Order of the Coif

• Louisiana Law Review, Member

• International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2023

• American Bar Association, State Delegate 

• American Bar Foundation for Louisiana, Co-Chair

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Publications/Speaking engagements

• Presenter, Louisiana State Bar Association Annual Meeting & LJC / LSBA Joint Summer School, 2023

• Presenter, a CLE as part of the New Orleans Bar Association Business Litigation Committee

• Presenter, Louisiana State Bar Association’s “New York, New York - a Multi-Topic CLE Seminar” on the topic “Hurricane Ida Coverage and Litigation Issues,” New York (November 2022)