Jeffrey J. Gelpi

"As a litigator, I believe in absolute creativity and in thinking outside of the box when devising veritable defenses grounded in sound legal theory that are persuasive, fact-based, and highly effective in and out of court, at trial, and on appeal."

Jeff Gelpi is dedicated to resolving state and federal court environmental and commercial litigation claims. He defends Fortune 500 and other major oil and gas companies – working with business executives, in-house counsel, and out-of-state counsel alike – to resolve even the most difficult and complex disputes.

Jeff’s experience includes litigating high-stakes lawsuits with exposure into the hundreds of millions (and even billions) of dollars at stake. He aggressively defends claims involving environmental contamination allegedly caused by historical exploration and production activities. He is skilled in advising on protracted and large-scale legacy litigation claims and land loss and coastal pipeline disputes. Jeff also represents firm clients in a variety of other commercial disputes before the courts and in alternative dispute resolution proceedings, including mediation and arbitration.

Notably, Jeff is among the firm’s strongest brief writers. He is involved in devising overarching case strategy from the onset of the claim, supporting trial counsel before judges and juries alike, safeguarding appellate issues, and drafting effective appellate briefs. His experience spans all aspects of the civil litigation process, including managing discovery, drafting dispositive motions, trial preparation and support, and drafting post-trial motions. He is skilled in all phases of case development, ranging from motion practice and discovery to hearings, trials, and appeals.

Jeff views dispute resolution and litigation as a tool to carefully and effectively advance each client’s business goals. He knows the difference between just being forceful versus devising considerate, well-conceived, and effective advocacy tactics that impact adversaries and the courts and result in satisfactory resolution rather than needless conflict and client expense. Jeff strongly believes in obtaining the best possible result for those he serves. He remains ever mindful of the efficient and cost-conscious use of resources and in designing the most compelling narrative imaginable.

Jeff served as a law clerk to the Honorable Carl J. Barbier of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana before joining the firm, and he later served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edith Brown Clement of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He brings this insider perspective and insight from working with federal judges at both the trial and appellate levels to his litigation practice today.

During law school, Jeff served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Sarah S. Vance of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He also worked as a research assistant to Professor A. N. Yiannopoulos, editing his fifth and final edition of the Civil Law Property volume of the Louisiana Civil Law Treatise, and to Professor Ronald J. Scalise Jr., focusing his research on Louisiana civil law topics.