It’s remarkable to look back 25 years and recall the events of 1997. Google was first registered as a trademark, Netflix was launched (on discs!), and the first Harry Potter novel was published. South Park premiered on television and Titanic was in movie theaters. Paul McCartney was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. Bill Clinton was in the White House. The world lost Mother Teresa and Princess Di.

In New Orleans, André J. Mouledoux, Wilton E. Bland, III, Georges M. Legrand and Alan G. Brackett, who had already worked together for over a decade, joined to form a law firm that would handle maritime, workers’ compensation and insurance defense work. They invited five attorneys from their prior firm to join them, and all of them did. With the mission to create a great place to work that values team members as well as clients, the new firm was anchored by trust in each other and the ability to provide aggressive, professional and ethical litigation defense.

MBLB has seen strong and steady growth through its first twenty-five years. Three of our original associates are equity members of the firm. Our practice has grown to include trucking and transportation defense, municipal law, and a broad array of corporate services. Our federal workers’ compensation practice extends nationwide; our state workers’ compensation practice is statewide.

“Seventy percent of law firms don’t survive their founding members. We were determined to grow our firm so it wouldn’t be one of those firms,” says Alan Brackett. “We’re proud of the firm we’ve created. We wanted to be our clients’ trusted partner for litigation defense and that continues to be our mission every day.”

“What a ride it has been!” says Georges Legrand. “I truly believe that one of the hallmarks of our firm is the fact that the founding partners have practiced together for almost 38 years. That is not always the case in any business, much less the practice of law. However, we started with mutual respect and trust in each other, including the knowledge that we were excellent attorneys and would all continue to work hard and do a great job, so that the firm would succeed and prosper. Those attributes are still present today.”