Practice Focus

Bankruptcy and Restructuring, Class Actions/Mass Actions/MDLs, Environmental, Fraudulent Transfer and Specialized Bankruptcy Litigation, Insurance Coverage, Lender Liability, Ponzi/Banking Schemes, Real Estate Litigation

Brent Barriere is a partner in our Litigation Section. He has over 40 years of experience litigating commercial cases, both at Fishman Haygood and at Phelps Dunbar, his former firm. He represents both creditors and debtors in Chapter 7, Chapter 9, and Chapter 11 bankruptcy matters, prosecutes numerous fraudulent transaction and preference cases, and represents trustees and creditors in actions against directors and officers for breach of fiduciary duty.

Brent is an active member of the Louisiana State Bar Association – Bankruptcy Section; Committee on Business Bankruptcy; Subcommittee on Chapter 11 Reorganization Section; House of Delegates (1990-present); Budget Committee (2002 – present).

Brent has been named one of Louisiana’s Top 10 Litigators by The National Law Journal. He is among a select group of lawyers, recognized in Chambers USA, as well as being listed in The Best Lawyers in America® and in Super Lawyers. Brent is also a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Society of Barristers.

Chambers & Partners calls Brent “really top-notch” and “very creative” and says he is a “‘polished’ and ‘tenacious’ advocate with excellent instincts and an industrious work ethic.”

Brent frequently lectures on litigation techniques, fiduciary duty litigation, evidence and other litigation related topics.

Education

  • J.D., magna cum laude, from Tulane University School of Law, 1981
    • Articles Editor of the Tulane Law Review
    • Order of the Coif
  • B.A., with honors, from Hamilton College, 1977

Representative Matters

  • Chief Counsel to the Receiver in Securities and Exchange Commission v. Arthur Lamar Adams and Madison Timber Properties, LLC, No. 3:18-cv-00252 (S.D. Miss), in which the S.E.C. charged the defendants with operating a $100 million Ponzi scheme.
  • Represents Chapter 11 unsecured creditors’ committee in action to recover against New York senior living facility’s directors and officers for their mismanagement and breaches of fiduciary duty.
  • Represents Texas bankruptcy trustee in action to recover prepayment penalties assessed by lenders to insolvent corporation and in related action against corporation’s directors and officers for mismanagement and breaches of fiduciary duty.
  • Represents New York creditor trustee in action to recover against directors of global watch manufacturer for breaches of fiduciary duty.
  • Represents Chapter 11 debtor in action to recover against Louisiana debtor’s directors and officers for mismanagement and breach of fiduciary duty.
  • Represents Louisiana bankruptcy trustee in fraudulent transfer actions and an action to recover from directors and officers for their mismanagement and breaches of fiduciary duty.
  • Represents Mississippi bankruptcy trustee in action to recover from a Mississippi public hospital’s directors and officers damages for their mismanagement and breaches of fiduciary duties; obtained favorable rulings in the Mississippi Supreme Court and the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, see Lefoldt v. Rentfro, No. 2017-FC-00486-SCT, 2017 WL 6379448 (Miss. Dec. 14, 2017) and Lefoldt v. Rentfro, 709 Fed. App’x 291 (5th Cir. Jan. 16, 2018); continues to pursue claims against the public hospital’s auditor for professional malpractice.
  • Represented Alabama liquidating trustee in action to recover against directors and officers for breaches of fiduciary duty and in actions to recover fraudulent transfers and pierce the corporate veil of related entities.
  • Represented Chapter 7 trustee in action to recover against Alabama debtor’s directors and officers for breaches of fiduciary duty and in actions to recover fraudulent transfers.
  • Served as Special Litigation Counsel for purposes of prosecuting action against Louisiana debtor’s directors and officers.
  • Represented Chapter 7 trustee in actions, arising from an Alabama Ponzi scheme, against directors for breach of fiduciary duty and gross mismanagement and against suppliers and vendors to recover fraudulent transfers.
  • Represented Louisiana Chapter 11 trustee in action to recover oil and gas properties.
  • Represented Louisiana bankruptcy trustee in action against Ingalls Shipbuilding arising from destruction of debtor’s property.
  • Represented bankruptcy trustee in action against Mississippi debtor grocery chain’s directors and officers, legal counsel, lenders, and control persons.