Ms. Jaye A. Calhoun
Kean Miller, LLP
Jaye Calhoun is a partner in the New Orleans office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 2017 and practices in the tax group. Jaye provides clients with full-service tax representation covering federal, state, and local tax challenges and business opportunities. She has more than 25 years of experience and assists her clients with tax compliance and planning, guidance on the use of tax and business incentives, and represents clients in tax audits and controversies. She regularly represents clients in audits and administrative and judicial appeals before the IRS, the State of Louisiana Department of Revenue, and numerous local taxing authorities. Jaye is board certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization in both Taxation and in Estate Planning.
Jaye has been listed for over a decade as one of the Best Lawyers in America (2007-2023), and in Louisiana Super Lawyers (2007-2022). She is AV-rated preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. Jaye is listed among the top tax lawyers in the State of Louisiana by Chambers USA 2022. She has been recognized by New Orleans City Business as a 2005 Woman of the Year and selected as a 2014 recipient of the Leadership in Law award. Jaye was recognized by New Orleans Magazine as a Top Lawyer in 2012, 2016 and 2020. She was also recognized as a Top Woman Attorney by Louisiana Super Lawyers. She was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel (ACTC) in 2017 and she was accepted into the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation (ABF) in 2019.
Jaye is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Tulane University Law School, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business in Boston (online program). She is also a guest lecturer at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington D.C.
Professor Elizabeth R. Carter
LSU Law Center
Professor Elizabeth R. Carter is the Saúl Litvinoff Distinguished Endowed Professor of Law and the Judge Anthony J. Graphia & Jo Ann Graphia Endowed Professor of Law at Louisiana State University Law Center. She is also the Director of the school's Graduate Certificate in Estate Planning and Taxation.
Professor Carter is an Academic Fellow in the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel (ACTEC) where she has held a number of leadership positions. Professor Carter regularly teaches and writes in the areas of estate planning and administration, taxation and Louisiana Civil Law. In addition to her teaching responsibilities at the Law Center, Professor Carter has taught courses for the Tax LL.M. programs at the University of Alabama and Boston University.
Professor Carter earned a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Memphis, magna cum laude. She earned her J.D. from Tulane University Law School, magna cum laude. She was elected Order of the Coif and awarded a Civil Law Certificate. While at Tulane, Professor Carter served as an articles editor of the Tulane Law Review, Volume 81, worked as a research assistant to Professor A.N. Yiannopoulos, and was a founding member of the Tulane Civil Law Society. Professor Carter was awarded the 2006 Dean Rufus C. Harris Award for the Best Writing on a Civil Law Subject by the Tulane Law Review. Upon graduation, Professor Carter was awarded the 2007 Louisiana Bar Association Civil Law Award for attaining the highest grade in civil law studies. Professor Carter earned her LL.M. in Tax from the University of Alabama in 2010.
Before joining the LSU faculty, Professor Carter worked at the New Orleans law firm of Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard where she practiced in the areas of estate planning and administration, business law, secured transactions, bankruptcy, and marine finance.
Mr. Edmund J. Giering IV
General Counsel
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
http://www.braf.org
Edmund J. Giering IV serves as general counsel to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, a community foundation in Baton Rouge, Louisiana which serves the needs and interests of South Louisiana by helping donors connect with nonprofit organizations to create a lasting legacy and fulfill their philanthropic goals and by leading and investing in civic leadership initiatives that build a more equitable community and address larger social outcomes.
Licensed to practice law in Louisiana and Texas, Mr. Giering is a member of the American Bar Association, the Louisiana State Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, the Baton Rouge Bar Association, and the Association of Corporate Counsel. His practice emphasizes corporate law & governance, corporate, real estate & complex gift transactions, risk management and nonprofit & exempt organizations. During his tenure with the Foundation, he has managed the development and execution of hundreds of grants totaling more than $100 million in the areas of disaster assistance, emergency relief, health and human services, wildlife, environment and conservation, and education. Mr. Giering also serves as president and a director of Community Foundation Realty, Inc., as secretary and a director of the Gulf Coast Restoration and Protection Foundation and as a director of the E.J. and Marjory B. Ourso Family Foundation and the Newton B. Thomas Support Foundation.
In 2020, Mr. Giering was named the recipient of the Outstanding In-House Counsel Award for distinguished service by a nonprofit in-house counsel by the Nonprofit Organizations Committee of the American Bar Association, Business Law Section.
He actively serves on the boards of numerous professional, civic and charitable organizations, including: Research Park Corporation (Board of Directors; Past Chair), YMCA of the Capital Area (Board of Directors; Past Chair), Shaw Center for the Arts (Board of Directors), Manship Theatre (Board of Directors; Past Chair), LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council (Development Committee), University Laboratory School Foundation (Board of Directors; Past Chair), Louisiana Bar Foundation (Board of Directors; Secretary), Association of Corporate Counsel – LA (Board of Directors) and St. Joseph Cathedral (Finance Council).
Ms. Leslie E. Halle
Shareholder
Gold, Weems, Bruser, Sues & Rundell
Leslie is a shareholder at Gold, Weems, Bruser, Sues & Rundell in Alexandria, Louisiana. She received a B.S. from LSU, majoring in accounting, and her J.D. from the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center. She focuses her practice on estate planning, interdictions and successions. She has an "AV" Preeminent rating with Martindale and is a Board Certified Estate Planning & Administration Specialist. She is a past member of the Estate Planning and Administration Advisory Commission to the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization where she assisted with the writing and grading of the Estate Planning Administration Specialization Exam.
Mrs. Rebecca M Hinton
Special Counsel
Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips, LLP
http://www.taylorporter.com
Rebecca Hinton represents individuals and businesses in the areas of federal, state and local taxation; tax controversies; estate planning; business matters; successions; and trusts. Rebecca is ranked by her peers among Best Lawyers® in tax law. She is an adjunct professor at Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and frequently presents at CLE and other seminars on the topics of federal estate and gift taxation, estate planning, and federal taxation. Rebecca serves as secretary of the Estate & Business Planning Council of Baton Rouge. In the community, she is a board member of the nonprofit SportsBR, dedicated to uniting sports and the Baton Rouge community.
Ms. Riley F. Huntington
Koch St. Martin, LLC
Riley F. Huntington joined Koch St. Martin, LLC in 2020, where her practice specializes in estate planning, successions, wills, powers of attorney, living wills, trusts, and tax resolution. She earned her Bachelor of Business Management from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2017 and subsequently graduated in 2020 with a J.D. and a Diploma in Comparative Law from Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center. Riley is a founding member of the Red Stick Estate Planning and Finance Council, a group of young professionals contributing to the advancement of best practices in estate planning and financial management.
Mr. David G. Koch
Member
Koch St. Martin, LLC
David G. Koch has over 30 years experience providing counsel to individuals and businesses with regard to tax resolution and estate planning. David is a Board Certified Taxation Specialist and a Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist. He has been designated an "AV" preeminent lawyer on Martindale-Hubbell and by Super Lawyers Magazine – both significant rating accomplishments and a testament that his peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence.
David has served as the Secretary of the Louisiana State Bar Tax Law Advisory Commission. He has also served as the Chair of the Examination Committee for Board Certification in Taxation from 2006 to 2007. He is admitted to practice before the courts in Louisiana and the United States Tax Court. He has been a featured speaker on estate planning, Louisiana probate law, trusts, and federal taxation issues for Continuing Legal Education programs and professional organizations throughout Louisiana.
Mr. Justin T. Mannino
Partner
Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips, LLP
http://www.taylorporter.com
Justin Mannino is a partner at Taylor Porter whose practice focuses on federal, state, and local tax matters; estate planning; trusts and successions; business transactions; corporate governance; nonprofit organizations; and tax controversies. He advises individuals, families, fiduciaries, and closely held businesses on wealth transfer planning, trust and estate administration, business sales and acquisitions, tax-efficient ownership structures, and IRS/Louisiana Department of Revenue matters.
Justin received his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida, J.D./D.C.L. from LSU Law, and B.S. in Accounting from LSU. Justin's work has been recognized by his peers, having been elected as a Fellow in ACTEC and recognized in the Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers publications.
In 2025, Justin was selected as a "Forty Under 40" honoree by the Baton Rouge Business Report.
Justin's representative experience includes multimillion-dollar business transactions, nonprofit formation and compliance, tax controversy work, estate planning and administration, and business succession planning. Justin serves his community in various service roles with on the Boards of Baton Rouge Green, WRKF, Capital Area United Way, Catholic High School Alumni Association, and Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Baton Rouge.
Ms. Linda S Melancon
Attorney
Legacy Estate and Elder Law of Louisiana, LLC
http://www.legacycenterla.com
Linda S. Melancon, founder of Legacy Estate & Elder Law of Louisiana, LLC, is an attorney practicing in the areas of Estate Planning, "Elder Law," Medicaid and VA Benefits Planning, "Special Needs Planning," and Estate Administration (Successions and Trust Administration). Linda is a Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. She is also accredited by the Veterans Administration to give advice regarding veterans’ benefits. Linda graduated magna cum laude from Mercer University with a double major in business administration and history and then attended Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center where she graduated with her law degree in 1997.
While in law school, Linda received the Order of the Coif award for graduating in the top 10% of her class and was a member of the Louisiana Law Review. She is a member of the Louisiana Elder Law Task Force, the Academy of Special Needs Planners, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Baton Rouge Aging Network.
Also active in the community, Linda has served as a board member for the Ascension Council on Aging and The ARC of East Ascension. Linda also regularly presents educational seminars for the public, as well as professional groups, on the importance of proper planning.
When not working, Linda enjoys outdoor activities - particularly hiking, biking, and kayaking. Linda has three children and seven grandchildren and very much enjoys spending time with them.
Ms. Ashley C. Meredith
Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips, LLP
Ashley Meredith is a Partner with Taylor Porter, where she practices in a wide array of areas including trusts and estates/estate planning; taxation; successions; tax-exempt organizations; commercial transactions; and commercial litigation. Ashley is admitted to practice before all Louisiana federal and state courts.
Ashley is ranked by her peers among the Best Lawyers® "Ones to Watch" and Louisiana Super Lawyers "Rising Star".
In her estate planning and administration practice, Ashley assists clients with the preparation of their personal estate planning documents, ranging from traditional wills and powers of attorney to large scale trusts and gifting plans to lessen Federal estate and gift tax exposure.
Ashley’s commercial litigation practice has involved representing closely-held corporations and limited liability companies in connection with general business disputes. Ashley's transactional work includes drafting business documents, corporate governance agreements, asset purchase agreements, loan and security documents, UCC documents, and master service agreements, among others.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ashley has co-authored several articles on the developments of the SBA loan programs and the CARES Act within the Taylor Porter Coronavirus - Legal News and Business Resources blog section.
Ashley graduated summa cum laude in 2022 from the University of Alabama School of Law LL.M. program. She graduated cum laude in 2014 from the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center, where she served as senior editor of the Louisiana Law Review and as copy editor and contributing news writer for The Civilian. Ashley graduated magna cum laude in 2011 from Louisiana State University, where she received her bachelor of arts in Mass Communication and minored in Political Science. She was also a member of the LSU Honors College.
In the community, Ashley is an active member of the Baton Rouge Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Ashley is a board member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - Louisiana Chapter; member of the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Gala Fundraiser Committee; and a volunteer in community fundraising drives through the Baton Rouge Bar Association, such as the Holiday Star Project.
Mr. R. Fritz Niswanger
Managing Attorney
Niswanger Law LLC
http://www.niswangerlaw.com
R. Fritz Niswanger is the managing attorney of Niswanger Law LLC in West Monroe, Louisiana. Fritz focuses his practice in the following areas: federal income and transfer tax planning; business entity formations and reorganizations; mergers and acquisitions; trust and estate planning; and asset protection. He is certified as a tax law specialist by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization, holds a JD and an MBA from Tulane University in New Orleans, and holds a BA from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
Ms. Rebecca S. Luster Radford
Associate
Wiener, Weiss & Madison, APC
Rebecca S. Luster Radford is a shareholder at the Shreveport, Louisiana law firm of Wiener, Weiss & Madison, a Professional Corporation, and a practitioner primarily in the areas of taxation, estate planning, successions, trusts, and business and commercial transactions. Ms. Radford is a Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist as Certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Administration, cum laude, from Rhodes College and a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Virginia. Ms. Radford earned a J.D. and a Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center, cum laude. Subsequent to her studies at LSU, Ms. Radford earned a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida. She is a frequent speaker on estate planning and taxation topics and is a co-author of Estate Planning in Louisiana, which is part of the Louisiana Practice Series since 2020.
