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  • Bio
  • Credentials

James E. Sudduth, III

Founding Member & Managing Partner

James E. Sudduth, III is the founder and driving force behind Sudduth and Associates, LLC. As a Lake Charles native, he witnessed the lack of growth and direction present in his beloved city and decided to become the force of change the city needed. James knew that to accomplish this goal he would have to temporarily relocate to Baton Rouge. After law school, James returned home to serve as an Assistant District Attorney in the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s office, and during his tenure he was promoted to Misdemeanor Section Chief.When offered a second promotion to the Felony Division, James declined stating that he was being called to serve the public in a different arena. “At the end of the day it isn’t about the amount of money you bring home or the prestige attached to your name; rather it is the satisfaction of a job well done and knowing that despite your limited resources you have accomplished the near impossible. It is about making a difference in people’s lives and having the desire to serve them when no one else will. This is what it means to be a true servant to the public.”

Representative Cases

1. Poe v. United Ass'n of Journeyman & Apprentices of the Plumbing & Pipefitting Indus. of the United States AFL-CIO Local 198 Health and Welfare Fund, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 188683, 2021 WL 4497480

2. Arlicia Gosby, Plaintiff—Appellant v. Apache Indus. Servs., 30 F.4th 523, 2022 U.S. App. LEXIS 9540

3. Bennett v. McDermott Int'l, Inc., 855 Fed. Appx. 932, 2021 U.S. App. LEXIS 10948, 2021 WL 1533646

4. Williams v. McDermott Internation Inc., 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77739, 2022 WL 1279992

5. Miller v. Lenard Enters., LLC, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 212258, 2019 WL 6711886

6. Marchand v. Performance Contractors, Inc., 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 54124

7. Guillory v. Jefferson Davis Parish, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 73465, 2019 WL 1966784

8. Lehman v. D'Albor, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150035

9. Lehman v. Guinn, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48744, 2021 WL 935887

10. Mason v. CB&I, LLC, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 204798, 2019 WL 6320374

11. Jones v. PNK (Baton Rouge) P'ship, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118486, 102 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) P46,089, 2018 WL 3430683

12. Desport v. Shamrock Energy Sols., LLC, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 238409, 2021 WL 5907701

13. Stone v. Kaefer LLC, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 139277, 2020 WL 4498889

14. Levier v. CB&I LLC, 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 107992

15. Allison v. Racing, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 261192, 2020 WL 12812061

16. Dickens v. C B & I LLC, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 106688, 2019 WL 2607495

Awards
  • America's Top 100 High Stake Litigators
  • Super Lawyers 2023
  • Rising Star 2023
Employment

Bar Admissions

  • State of Louisiana: 2013
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana: 2013
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana: 2013
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana: 2013
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit: 2013
  • State of Texas: 2014
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Texas: 2014

Honors & Awards

  • Invited and Elected to join the American Law Society (2016-Present)
  • Nationally Ranked Top 10 under 40 (2016)
  • For Excellence in the Field of Criminal Law: NACDA
  • Nationally Ranked Top 10 under 40 (2017)
  • For Excellence in the Field of Criminal Law: NACDA
  • Top 40 under 40: State of Louisiana (2017)
  • Criminal Defense: American Society of Legal Advocates (“ASLA”)

Professional Associations & Memberships

  • American Bar Association (2013-Present)
  • Louisiana State Bar Association (2013-Present)
  • Texas State Bar Association (2014-Present)
  • Southwest Louisiana Bar Association (2013-Present)
  • Dean Henry George McMahon Inn of Court (2013-2014)
  • Albert Tate Inn of Court (2014-Present)
  • St. Thomas More Society (2013-Present)
  • American Association for Justice (“AAJ”) (2016-Present)
  • National Employment Lawyers Association (“NELA”) (2016-Present)
  • American Law Society (“ALS”) (2016-Present)
  • National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys (“NACDA”) (2016-Present)
  • American Society of Legal Advocates (“ASLA”) (2017-Present)
Education

  • Juris Doctorate Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University - Graduate School
  • Bachelor of Science - Cum Laude Louisiana State University A&M - Undergraduate School