Jones Walker Expands Lafayette Office With Five Attorneys From Onebane

The incoming team includes partners Tommy Smart and Steve Lanza, alongside special counsel David Fink, Mark Oliver, and Doug Truxillo. Their move follows decades of practice at Onebane, a firm that has maintained a consistent presence in South Louisiana since 1977. By integrating these attorneys, Jones Walker aims to reinforce its service capabilities across the Acadiana region, particularly within the energy and maritime sectors that remain central to the local economy.

Managing partner Bill Hines characterized the hiring as a strategic investment in the region, noting that the group’s established professional relationships align with the firm's existing strengths. Smart, who brings over four decades of experience in oil and gas law, highlighted the firm's geographic reach and comprehensive legal platform as primary drivers for the transition. The attorneys will be distributed across the firm's corporate, litigation, and maritime practice groups, focusing on complex transactional work and regulatory matters.