Founded in 1934, Stockwell Sievert is the largest law firm in Lake Charles, Louisiana recognized for its high professional standards and ethics in the Martindale-Hubbell Register of Preeminent Lawyers. The firm provides legal services to individuals and to businesses of every size, in most areas of litigation and in all kinds of personal and business law transactions, including those in industry, healthcare law, insurance law, construction law and real estate law. Several of our members are listed in The Best Lawyers in America, and the Louisiana Super Lawyers, both annual peer review listings of outstanding lawyers.
The firm’s motto is "Continuing a Tradition of Excellence". This statement refers to what characteristics set the firm apart from most law firms located in Southwest Louisiana, which include three things: (1) Our commitment to remaining a general, full-service law firm, with the experience to assist our clients with most any kinds of legal issues they may encounter, while acknowledging the occasional need for referral of certain matters to a specialist; (2) The long term stability of the firm, based on solid internal relationships combined with long term client relationships; and (3) The extent to which we value and retain the services of our senior attorneys, who continue to practice with the firm for an average of 40-50 years or more, allows our firm to provide sage advice to clients based on a remarkable level of actual experience. Although retired from the partnership and no longer practicing with the Firm, Counsel Emeritus continues to provide valuable advice and experience to our Attorneys to better serve our clients.
As the largest and one of the oldest firms based in Southwest Louisiana, the firm now includes 26 attorneys and more than 40 staff members, all of whom take pride in providing the best possible client service.
In 1934, Vance Plauche and Oliver Stockwell began their partnership that evolved into what is now the law firm Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. Plauche received his law degree from Loyola University in 1918. After serving overseas in World War I, Plauche was admitted to the State Bar Association and began his practice in Lake Charles. Before beginning the partnership, Plauche served as City Attorney from 1928-32, and became district counsel for the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation in 1933. Stockwell was valedictorian of the 1932 graduating class of LSU Law School, where he served on the Law Review. That year he moved to Lake Charles and began his practice. In 1933 he served as the founding President of the Young Men’s Business Club.
Litigation Partnering with National or Regional Co-Counsel
Many international, national or state-wide enterprises do business in Southwest Louisiana. While their executives and employees often have close ties to this area, the fear of the unknown in handling important litigation in state or federal court can still be quite daunting. During our firm’s +75 years in business in this area, we have frequently served as a guide to reducing that fear of the unknown. This role can be equally important regardless of whether the enterprise needing local co-counsel is a plaintiff or defendant in the litigation. The same is true whether the lawsuit will be decided by a jury or a locally elected trial judge or panel of appellate court judges. Knowing more about the local playing field is the best means of reducing that fear of the unknown, and learning more about the local elements is usually essential on the front end of the litigation, not after initial results that may be irreversible.
Doing the best job of serving in the local counsel role in litigation usually requires a blend of assertiveness, tact and humility. For our firm, it has become quite common for the business and personal relationships formed with clients through their corporate in house counsel and outside national and regional counsel to grow and expand over decades. There is nothing fortuitous about how those relationships have been cultivated - we recognize their value to our clients and to our firm, and we are diligent about doing everything we can to positively nurture them.
If a potential new client wishes to be provided specific references illustrating our experience and reputation in this role, we will be happy to furnish them.
