Andrew Wilson
Partner
Andrew Wilson helps clients navigate challenging, high-stakes disputes where legal strategy and technical understanding intersect. As a partner in Chaffe McCall’s New Orleans office, he represents clients primarily in litigation matters involving complex legal and technical issues. He works closely with businesses, insurers, and governmental entities to develop clear litigation strategies, manage risk, and guide matters from initial investigation through trial and appeal. He also advises on permitting and other environmental issues.
Andy has served as both lead trial counsel and appellate counsel in all stages of federal and state civil litigation as well as in administrative proceedings before state and federal agencies.
His experience spans complex civil disputes involving:
Maritime Matters
- Maritime personal injury and wrongful death claims
- Vessel collisions, groundings, sinkings, and yacht losses
- Charter party disputes
- General average claims
- Oyster lease disputes and natural resource damage claims
Insurance Coverage
- Marine insurance coverage and defense matters
- Commercial general liability (CGL), excess, and umbrella/bumbershoot coverage disputes
- Additional insured status and contractual indemnity claims
Energy and Oil & Gas
- Pipeline ruptures, failures, and explosions
- Oil and gas well blowouts and related incidents
- Water bottom ownership disputes
- Environmental and Natural Resources
- Legacy environmental site claims
- Oilfield contamination and environmental remediation disputes
- Major environmental and coastal restoration matters
Property and Constitutional Claims
- Eminent domain matters, including expropriation, inverse condemnation (“takings”), and consequential damages
His involvement frequently begins at the original incident or initial field investigation stage and continues through dispositive motion practice, trial, and, when necessary, appellate review.
Andy has also served as a consultant to the State on coastal restoration issues, and has been involved with permitting, drafting legislation and regulations, and has testified on several occasions before Louisiana Legislative Committees on a variety of issues, including ownership of water bottoms, oyster leasing, and constitutional rights.
RECENT PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTS
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
- LSU Mineral Law Institute Journal, “Avenal and Related Oyster Cases,” 2005
- “Riparian Servitudes for Coastal Restoration,” Coastal Law in Louisiana, The Seminar Group CLE (April 18, 2026)
- “The USDOJ’s McKittrick Policy v. the Endangered Species Act,” 30th Annual Tulane Env. Law & Policy Summit: Legal and Policy Strategies for Endangered Species Conservation (March 29, 2025)
- “It looks like déjà vu all over again!” River Diversions Presentation for Mississippi River Delta Restoration Coalition Staff (February 20, 2025)
- The Jackson, Mississippi, “One Lake Project: Threats to the Pearl Piver’s Ecology and Economy in Mississippi and Louisiana,” 29th Annual Tulane Env. Law & Policy Summit- (February 24, 2024)
- “The 20th Anniversary of Avenal v. State: Louisiana Oyster Leasing – Where are we now?,” Coastal Law in Louisiana, The Seminar Group CLE (April 18, 2024)
- “Understanding Louisiana Surface Water Rights,” Louisiana Water Laws and Regulations, The Seminar Group CLE New Orleans March 28, 2023)
- “Oyster Leasing and Alternative Oyster Culture,” Coastal Law in Louisiana,” The Seminar Group CLE, New Orleans (April 22, 2022)
- “Oyster management in a Changing Climate: Legal Issues,” 25th Annual Tulane Environmental Law & Policy Summit (March 6, 2020)
- “The Future Fontainebleau State Park: Natural Area or Tourist Resort,” 25th Annual Tulane Environmental Law & Policy Summit (March 7, 2020)
HONORS AND AWARDS
- AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating in Martindale‐Hubbell rated
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America ® for Admiralty and Maritime Law and Litigation – Environmental
- LA Bar Association Board Certified in Appellate Practice
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Association of Average Adjusters of the United States & Canada
- External Advisory Board Member for the LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio
- Chancellor to All Saints Episcopal Church of River Ridge, LA
- Active member of Fleet 7 of the National Rhodes 19 Class Association sailboat racing organization
- Loyola University Center for Environmental Communications (Fellow 2001)
- Mariners Club of the Port of New Orleans
- National Rhodes 19 (One-Design Sailboat) Class Association
- Orleans Audubon Society Chapter, Orleans Audubon Society Chapter, Member-Board of Directors, Conservation Chair (2014-present)
- The Coastal Society- Member -Board of Directors 2021-2024
- US Lacrosse Association/Mid-South Lacrosse Officials’ Association: Official for Louisiana High Schools, Middle Schools and Charter Schools
- Defense of the State of Louisiana, resulting in the dismissal of a class action and related suits seeking billions of dollars in alleged damages to oyster leases arising from coastal restoration projects
- Obtained reversal of a $1.6 million personal injury jury verdict before the Louisiana Supreme Court in Imalta v. Herbert S. Hiller Corp.
- Secured reversal of a $6 million jury verdict involving oyster lease damage claims, including exclusion of plaintiffs’ expert testimony and damages model in Melerine v. Tom’s Marine & Salvage, LLC
- Obtained reversal of a district court dismissal of a products liability claim against an outboard engine manufacturer in a maritime fatality before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, In re: Complaint of C. F. Bean, LLC
- Achieved summary dismissal of all contractual indemnity and property damage claims arising from the sinking of a self-propelled lift boat offshore, In re White Tail Oilfield Service, LLC
- Obtained summary dismissal of economic loss claims arising from a pipeline explosion in Big Bucks Preserve, LLC v. Colonial Gulf Transmission Co.
- Secured summary dismissal of contractual warranty claims involving alleged oyster lease damages tied to freshwater diversion projects, Slavich v. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
- Obtained a temporary restraining order on behalf of yacht insurers preventing a levee board from imposing excessive salvage fees following Hurricane Katrina
- Successfully defended the State of Louisiana and obtained a reversal of a $1.3 billion judgment involving oyster lease damage claims associated with a freshwater diversion structure in Avenal v. State
- Achieved reversal of a $1 billion judgment involving oyster lease damage claims tied to a freshwater diversion structure in Alonzo v. State
- Secured a $6 million subrogation recovery for television tower damage and business interruption losses despite coverage defenses in Boston Old Colony Insurance Co. v. Tiner Associates
- Obtained $10.3 million recovery for offshore pipeline damage without trial
Key Matters
- Defense of the State of Louisiana, resulting in the dismissal of a class action and related suits seeking billions of dollars in alleged damages to oyster leases arising from coastal restoration projects
- Obtained reversal of a $1.6 million personal injury jury verdict before the Louisiana Supreme Court in Imalta v. Herbert S. Hiller Corp.
- Secured reversal of a $6 million jury verdict involving oyster lease damage claims, including exclusion of plaintiffs’ expert testimony and damages model in Melerine v. Tom’s Marine & Salvage, LLC
- Obtained reversal of a district court dismissal of a products liability claim against an outboard engine manufacturer in a maritime fatality before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, In re: Complaint of C. F. Bean, LLC
- Achieved summary dismissal of all contractual indemnity and property damage claims arising from the sinking of a self-propelled lift boat offshore, In re White Tail Oilfield Service, LLC
- Obtained summary dismissal of economic loss claims arising from a pipeline explosion in Big Bucks Preserve, LLC v. Colonial Gulf Transmission Co.
- Secured summary dismissal of contractual warranty claims involving alleged oyster lease damages tied to freshwater diversion projects, Slavich v. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
- Obtained a temporary restraining order on behalf of yacht insurers preventing a levee board from imposing excessive salvage fees following Hurricane Katrina
- Successfully defended the State of Louisiana and obtained a reversal of a $1.3 billion judgment involving oyster lease damage claims associated with a freshwater diversion structure in Avenal v. State
- Achieved reversal of a $1 billion judgment involving oyster lease damage claims tied to a freshwater diversion structure in Alonzo v. State
- Secured a $6 million subrogation recovery for television tower damage and business interruption losses despite coverage defenses in Boston Old Colony Insurance Co. v. Tiner Associates
- Obtained $10.3 million recovery for offshore pipeline damage without trial