Kuchler Polk Weiner, LLC

Kuchler Polk Weiner LLC is a boutique litigation firm with offices in New Orleans, LA and Houston, TX, with expertise in toxic tort actions, products and premises liability litigation, environmental cases, employment litigation, and general business and commercial litigation. While much of the firm’s work is centered around the Gulf, especially Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, Kuchler Polk also regularly steps in as late-addition trial counsel for matters across the country. The firm describes itself as female/minority owned and is a member of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms.

Founding Females

Kuchler Polk opened its doors in 2009, when a small group of New Orleans attorneys decided to found a firm with three priorities, in specific order: clients first, then employees, and last, money. Opening with about a dozen attorneys, the firm has more than doubled since its founding, adding an office in Houston as well, and women—including three of the founding partners—continue to make up a large portion of the partnership.

Small Firm, Mega Cases

The firm excels in defending companies from a variety of industries from toxic tort personal injury claims, including competently handling class and mass actions. In addition to providing first-rate representation for personal injury and property damage matters, the firm advises energy clients on regulatory matters, handles maritime claims arising out of the Gulf of Mexico and inland waterways, helps clients navigate insurance coverage disputes, advises employers in drafting employment policies and agreements and represents them in EEOC complaints, and represents its clients in a range of other general commercial and civil disputes.

For such a small shop, Kuchler Polk’s client list reads like a who’s who of energy and automobile companies—clients include Chevron Corporation; ConocoPhillips Company; Daimler Trucks North America, LLC; Deere & Company; Exxon Mobil Corporation; Ford Motor Company; General Electric Company; General Motors Company; Phillips 66 Company; and Shell Oil Company. The firm describes itself as always trial-ready and has an impressive resume to boot.  Significant actions include representing a major chemical company in a qui tam false claims act case involving TSCA reporting provisions and defending the co-owner of the oil well involved in the Deepwater Horizon disaster (the BP oil spill).

Diversity in Action

The firm claims a strong focus on diversity, both in firm leadership and in championing diversity issues through both practice and community involvement, and it’s a claim that shows results—Kuchler Polk is ranked among the top 10 in Vault’s Best Midsize Law Firms for Diversity. The firm was one of the first to join the Louisiana ACLU at the outset of its Justice Lab program—designed to combat racial profiling and police misconduct—and is counsel of record on one of the first cases filed by the program. Additionally, the firm has been repeatedly recognized by New Orleans publications as a Top 50 Workplace for the city.