Kristin L. Beckman

About

Kristin’s insurance practice is rooted in decades of hands-on litigation arising from major loss events, such as catastrophic flood/wind events and other large-scale disasters. She regularly litigates first- and third-party coverage disputes, life insurance claims, uninsured and underinsured motorist matters, UM waiver validity, and allegations of improper claims handling involving property, bodily injury, and commercial losses. Her experience includes overseeing and resolving large volumes of claims through motion practice, mediation, and trial.
 
In addition to insurance litigation, Kristin maintains a robust commercial litigation practice involving breach of contract, unfair trade practices, products liability, toxic tort, and pharmaceutical matters. She has defended corporate clients in multi-district litigation and consolidated state proceedings, including representing manufacturers through multiple jury trials resulting in defense verdicts. Her work also includes successfully vacating substantial default judgments and defending manufacturers and distributors in complex, high-risk cases. She also acts as corporate counsel for Louisiana-based companies, advising them on a range of general commercial questions, employment issues, property and real estate issues, and trade disputes.
 
Kristin served as the Substance and Citation Editor of the Loyola Law Review and is routinely recognized for her litigation skills by Benchmark Litigation, Best Lawyers in America, and Louisiana Super Lawyers.  She was also named among New Orleans Magazine’s Top Women in Law (2025). She is a frequent speaker and published author on insurance law, civil procedure, and mass tort litigation, and regularly presents to attorneys and industry professionals on evolving litigation and claims handling.

Committed to professional leadership and service, Kristin is a Fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation and a Board Member of The Pro Bono Project, supporting access to justice and community advancement across Louisiana.

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Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation

• Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith

• Products Liability and Toxic Tort

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Notable representations

• Successful defense of commercial insurer vacating $1.4 million default verdict.

• Defense of hundreds of lawsuits brought by plaintiffs for wind and flood damage arising out of Hurricane Katrina.

• Successful defense of numerous uninsured and underinsured motorist and homeowner claims involving alleged violations of duty of good faith and fair dealing.

• Defense of brand and generic drug manufacturers in consolidated state court proceeding regarding drug pricing claims brought by State of Louisiana.

• Successful defense of consortium of welding manufacturers in multi-district litigation and state court proceedings resulting in complete defense verdicts in five jury trials, including a four-plaintiff jury trial in Civil District Court for Orleans Parish and four jury trials in federal court in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio.

• Defense of claims in generic pharmaceutical failure to warn claims.

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Education

• Loyola University New Orleans School of Law, J.D., 2005

  • Loyola Law Review, Member and Editor

• Boston College, B.A., 2002

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Experience

• Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, LLC, 2005-2019

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Honors and Achievements

• New Orleans Magazine Top Women in Law, 2025

• Best Lawyers in America, since 2023

  • Commercial Litigation​

  • Insurance Law

  • Litigation - Insurance

• Inside New Orleans Elite Lawyers, 2023

• Louisiana Super Lawyers: 2021-2024

• Louisiana Super Lawyers: Rising Star, 2014, 2015

• New Orleans Magazine, Top Lawyers, 2020

  • 2022, Appellate Law

  • 2023, Insurance Law

• Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star, 2024

• Benchmark Litigation, 40 & Under Hot List, 2016-2019

• Benchmark Litigation, Future Star, 2019, 2021

• New Orleans CityBusiness, Leadership in Law, 2016

• LSBA Leadership Class, 2012-2013

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Publications & Speaking Engagements

​Publications

• Kristin has written several articles and serves as a regular contributor to the ABA Section of Litigation Mass Torts Committee’s Notes and Decisions and Sound Advice Pieces. Her published work includes:

• "Katrina's Impact on Litigation of Insurance Claims Under Louisiana Law"  Loyola Law Review (Spring 2016)

• Depositions "What Do You Want From Me?"  American Bar Association (January 2016)

• “Hybrid Witnesses and Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26,” ABA Mass Torts Journal (Fall 2012) (co-author with Andrea Mahady Price)

• “Exhibit Management in Mass Tort Cases,” ABA Mass Torts Journal (Fall 2010)

• “Securing Testimony of Nonparty Witnesses at Trial,” 55 Louisiana Bar Journal 404 (2008)

• “Difficulty in Performing Contractual Obligations as a Result of Hurricane Katrina,” ABA Commercial and Business Litigation Journal (Spring 2007)

• “Banned from the Bar: Classification of the Temporary Alien in Louisiana,” 51 Loyola Law Review 139 (2005)

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Presentations

Kristin also has spoken at numerous seminars on a variety of litigation issues. Her presentations include:

• "First and Third-Party Auto Claims," Insurance Law in Louisiana Conference (April 2024)

• "First Party Insurance Adjustment Issues," New Orleans Bar Association (November 2022)

• “Insurance Bad Faith and Coverage,” New Orleans Bar Association (December 2019)

• “Trial Practice Seminar: Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Litigation,” LSBA (December 2019)

• Auto Injury Litigation: The Ultimate Guide, National Business Institute (December 2018)

• Insurance Coverage Litigation Boot Camp, NBI (October 2018)

• Insurance Bad Faith “Set-Up” in Louisiana, Proper Investigation and Documentation & Ethics, NBI (October 2016)

• LSBA  Seminar "Insurance Broker and Beyond"  (September 2016)

• “Advanced Coverage Analysis,” National Business Institute’s Seminar on Advanced Issues in Personal Injury Litigation (June 2015)

• “Answering or Responding to a Petition,” National Business Institute’s Seminar on Applying the Rules of Civil Procedures in Louisiana (April 2015)

• “Discovery: Scheduling, Conducting and Paying,” National Business Institute’s Seminar on Applying the Rules of Civil Procedures in Louisiana (April 2015)

• “Gain a New Perspective of Pre-Trial Practice,” LSBA Annual Meeting (January 2015)

• “How Will the Changes to Insurance Impact Personal Injury Cases?,” National Business Institute, Affordable Care Act: Impact on Injury Settlements (December 2014)

• “What is This Thing and How Do I Turn It On? – The Young Lawyers Section Explains the Use of Technology in Litigation,” Combined LSBA Annual Meeting and LSBA/LJC Summer School (June 2013)

• “Gain a New Perspective of Pre-Trial Practice,” National Business Institute’s Seminar on Bad Faith Insurance Claims in Louisiana (April 2013)

• “Successful Courtroom Strategies,” National Business Institute’s Seminar on Bad Faith Insurance Claims in Louisiana (April 2013)

• “Subpoena Super Power: Navigating the Process,” New Orleans Paralegal Association Annual Education Seminar (September 2010)

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Admissions

• Louisiana

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Memberships & Affiliations

• Louisiana Bar Foundation

• Claims and Management Litigation Alliance (CLM)