Stephen Miles

About

Stephen has handled a wide range of insurance coverage and bad faith lawsuits, as well as commercial, environmental, and toxic tort cases. Described in Benchmark Litigation as a “lawyer’s lawyer,” his commercial and securities litigation experience includes representing law firms, investment management companies, accountants, businesses, and other professionals in significant disputes, including cases alleging securities fraud, accounting malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, trade secrets violations, and breach of contract.​

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Stephen graduated first in his class from Tulane Law School, where he was the recipient of the prestigious Faculty Medal and a member of the Tulane Law Review. Stephen served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Edith Brown Clement, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.​

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Stephen has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the state for insurance coverage, commercial litigation, and insurance litigation by Louisiana Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers of America.  Stephen also is a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, a nationwide invitation-only organization of trial lawyers chosen for their skill and experience trying cases.​

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He frequently presents on a variety of topics, including most recently at a DRI Conference concerning risk transfer in May 2019, and regarding Daubert motions before the New Orleans Bar Association and regarding Hurricane Laura and Ida insurance litigation  (June 2022.)

Practice Areas

• Appellate

• Commercial Litigation

• Construction Litigation

• Employment Law

• Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith

• Securities Litigation

• Products Liability, Casualty, and Toxic Tort

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Notable representations

• Advises underwriters on a variety of coverage issues and in suits with allegations of extra-contractual liability, including commercial property, homeowners, and business interruption claims. Recently obtained a complete defense verdict with co-counsel on a bad faith insurance claim following a week-long jury trial.

• Handles these cases from before the suit is filed through trial and appeal.

• Prevailed on behalf of an insurer in a declaratory judgment action that sought a ruling of no coverage. Stephen was the lead trial lawyer during the federal court bench trial, which resulted in a complete victory. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed. See Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Co. v. River Oaks Mgmt., Inc., 680 Fed. App’x 348 (5th Cir. 2017).

• Successfully represented a national insurer in a class action in Arkansas involving allegations of improper calculation of depreciation in the adjustment of homeowner’ claims.

• Quickly and successfully prosecuted on behalf of an insurer a multi-million dollar contractual indemnification claim against a claims processor arising out of alleged errors in claims adjusting.

• Represented an excess insurer in a first-party coverage action brought by a volunteer organization for coverage on sexual abuse claims. Stephen, along with Minor Pipes, successfully brought the case to resolution at mediation before trial.

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Education

• Tulane University School of Law, summa cum laude, J.D., 2006

• University of Alabama, magna cum laude, B.A., Economics, 2000

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Experience

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

• Law Clerk to The Honorable Edith Brown Clement, United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

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Honors and Achievements

• Best Lawyers in America, 2023

• Inside New Orleans Elite Lawyers, 2022

• Louisiana Super Lawyers, 2021-2023

• Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow

• Tulane Law School, Faculty Medal

• Benchmark Litigation, previously 40 & Under Hot List and Future Litigation Star

• Louisiana Super Lawyers, Leading Lawyer, Insurance Coverage

• Order of the Coif

• Tulane Law Review, Senior Articles Editor