Charles McCowan is a founding partner of Kean Miller.  He practices in the litigation, toxic tort and environmental groups.  Charles has more than 40 years of legal experience and represents local, regional, national and international petrochemical, industrial, and corporate clients in a wide variety of disputes.  His experience includes class action litigation, toxic tort defense, construction litigation, environmental litigation, and commercial litigation.  

Charles is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, the Louisiana Bar Foundation, and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and Master Emeritus Henry George McMahon American Inn of Court.  He is AV-rated, listed in Chambers USA and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward /White, Inc.) for over 10 years in mass tort litigation and personal injury defense.

He serves as general counsel to the Louisiana Chemical Association (LCA) and the Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA).  The LCA represents the Louisiana chemical industry at the Capitol and in connection with the activities of regulatory agencies and local government.  The LMA is composed of all Louisiana municipalities and advocates municipal issues at the Louisiana legislature and in amicus curiae before trial and appellate courts.

He also served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps as a prosecutor, defense counsel and military judge.

Representative Experience

• Lead counsel or liaison counsel in numerous toxic tort and commercial class action cases involving thousands of class members and multiple Fortune 100 defendants.
• Frequent lecturer on class action and complex litigation at the Louisiana Supreme Court's Judicial College and the Louisiana State Bar Association sponsored continuing legal education courses.
• Participated as Counsel or Amicus in over 80 reported decisions.
  
• Awarded two Army Commendation Medals and Judge Advocate General's Certificate of Achievement for serving as counsel or military judge in over 1000 criminal trials.

Education

Charles earned his B.S. from Louisiana State University in 1964.  He earned his J.D. from the LSU Law Center in 1967 where he was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Delta Phi, and the Order of the Coif. He served as a Staff Writer for the Louisiana Law Review from 1965 to 1967.  Charles was inducted into the LSU Law School Hall of Fame in 1987.

Admissions

• Admitted to bar, 1967, Louisiana
• Admitted, U.S. District Court for the Middle, Western and Eastern Districts of Louisiana
• Admitted, United States Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
  
• Admitted, U.S. Court of Military Appeals, 1968
• Admitted, U.S. Supreme Court, 1970
  

Past Community Service

• Board of Directors - Capital Area United Way, Istrouma Area Council and District Eagle Scout Review Committee, Boy Scouts of America, Association for Retarded Citizens, Baton Rouge, Inc., Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center, Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Louisiana State University Museum of Art.
• Member, Rotary Club of Baton Rouge.

Over 100 Decisions As Counsel of Record or Amicus Counsel, Including:

• Broussard Physical Therapy v. Family Dollar Stores, Inc., 5 So 3d 812, 2008 WL 5146651, 2008-1013 (La. 12/2/08), La., December 02, 2008 (No. 2008-CC-1013)
• Louisiana ex rel. Caldwell v. Allstate Ins. Co., 536 F.3d 418, 2008 WL 2779219, 2008-2 Trade Cases P 76,230, C.A.5 (La.), July 18, 2008 (No. 08-30465)
• 2005-2252 (La.App. 1 Cir. 9/15/06), La.App. 1 Cir., September 15, 2006 (No. 2005 CA 2252)
  
• Gunderson v. F.A. Richard & Associates, Inc., 937 So. 2d 916, 2005-917 (La. App. 3 Cir. 8/23/06) (La.App. 3 Cir. Aug 23, 2006) (NO. CW05-917)
• Steering Committee v. Exxon Mobil Corp., 461 F.3d 598 (5th Cir.(La.) Aug 18, 2006) (NO.05-30781)
• Johnson v. Orleans Parish School Bd.,929 So. 2d 761, 2005-0796 (La. App. 4 Cir. 3/22/06) (La.App. 4 Cir. Mar 22, 2006) (NO. 2005-CA-0796)
• Thomas v. Mobil Oil Corp., 901 So. 2d 1182, 2005-0002 (La.App. 4 Cir. 4/13/05) (La.App. 4 Cir. Apr 13, 2005) (NO. 2005-C-0002)
• Louisiana Municipal Association v. State 893 So.2d 809, 2004-0227 (La. 1/19/05) (La. Jan 19, 2005) (NO. 2004-CA-0227)
• Johnson v. Orleans Parish School Bd., 890 So.2d 579, 2003-0828 (La.App. 4 Cir. 11/3/04) (La.App. 4 Cir. Nov 03, 2004) (NO. 203-CA-0828, 2003-CA-1573)
• Ernest v. Petroleum Service Corp., 868 So.2d 96, 2002-2482 (La.App. 1 Cir 11/19/03) (La.App. 1 Cir. Nov 19, 2003) (NO. 2002 CA 2482)
• Trigg v. Pennington Oil Co., Inc., 835 So.2d 845, 2001-2822 (La.App. 1 Cir. 11/8/02) (La.App. 1 Cir. Nov 08, 2002) (NO. 2001 CA 2822)
• Exxon Corp. v. Foster Wheeler Corp., 805 So.2d 432, Prod.Liab.Rep. (CCH) P 16, 253, 2000-2093 (La.App. 1 Cir. 12/28/01) (La.App. 1 Cir. Dec 28, 2001) ( NO. 2000 CA 2093)
• Crooks v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 785 So.2d 810, Prod.Liab.Rep. (CCH) P 16, 098, 2001-0466 (La. 5/25/01) (La. May 25, 2001) ( NO. 2001-CA-0466)
• In re Exxon Coker Fire, 108 F.Supp.2d 628 (M.D.La. Aug 04, 2000) (NO. 93-MS-2-B-2)
• Ford v. Murphy Oil U.S.A., Inc., 96-2913 (La. 9/9/97), 703 So.2d 542 (La., Sep 09, 1997) (NO. 96-C-2913, 96-C-2917, 96-C-2929)
• Mitchell v. Exxon Corp., 907 F.Supp. 198 (M.D. La. Dec 13, 1995) (NO. CIV.A. 97-406-A)
• Pasqua v. St. Landry Parish Police Jury, 94-01196 (La.App. 3 Cir. 3/l/95), 651 So.2d 430 (La.App. 3 Cir., Mar 01, 1995) (NO. 94-01196)
• Atkins v. Harcross Chemicals, Inc., 93-1904 (La.App. 4 Cir. 5/17/94), 638 So.2d 302 (La.App. 4 Cir., May 17, 1994) (NO. 93-CA-1904, 93-CA-1905, 93-CA-1906, 93-CA-1907, 93-CA-1908, 93-CA-1909, 93-CA-1910, 93-CA-1911)
• Atlantic Mut. V. IT Corp., 842 F. Supp. 910 (M.D.La. Jan 14, 1994) (NO.CIV.A.93-690-A)
• Louisiana Chemical Ass'n v. Department of Environmental Quality, 577 So.2d 230 (La.App. 1 Cir., Mar 05, 1991) (NO. 90 CW 1022)
• Department of Transp. and Development v. Standard Const. Co. of Georgia, 550 So.2d 1327 (La.App.1 Cir., Oct 11, 1989) (NO. CA 88 1100)
• Louisiana Ass'n of Educators v. Edwards, 521 So.2d 390, 45 Ed. Law Rep. 905 (La., Feb 29, 1988) (NO. 87-CA-2247)
• IT Corp. v. Commission on Ethics for Public Employees, 464 So.2d 284 (La., Feb 25, 1985) (NO. 84-C-1227,84-C-1233)
• Save Ourselves, Inc. v. Louisiana Environmental Control Com'n, 452 So.2d 1152, 20 ERC 2214, 14 Envtl. L. Rep. 20,790 (La., May 14, 1984) (NO. 83-C-1480)
• City of Port Allen, Louisiana v. Louisiana Mun. Risk Management Agency, Inc., 439 So.2d 399 (La., Oct 17, 1983) (NO. 82-CA-2964)
• Logan v. Hollier, 711 F.2d 690 (5th Cir.(La.) Aug 11, 1983) (NO. 82-3172)
• Save Our Selves, Inc. v. Louisiana Environmental Control Com'n, 430 So.2d 1114 (La.App. 1 Cir., Apr 05, 1983) (NO. 82-CA-0207)
• Logan v. Hollier, 699 F.2d 758 (5th Cir.(La.) Mar 07, 1983) (NO. 82-3288)
• City of Port Allen v. Louisiana Mun. Risk Management Agency, 423 So.2d 107 (La.App. 1 Cir., Nov 16, 1982) (NO. 82 CA 0620)
• George v. Town of Lutcher, 422 So.2d 537 (La.App. 5 Cir., Nov 10, 1982) (NO. 5-205)
• Tirante v. Gulf States Utilities Co., 412 So.2d 128 (La.App. 1 Cir., Mar 02, 1982) (NO. 14595)
• Louisiana Nat. Leasing Corp. v. ADF Service, Inc., 377 So.2d 92 (La., Nov 12, 1979) (NO. 64734)
• Carruth Mortg. Corp. v. F and B Builders, Inc., 369 So.2d 1159 (La.App. 1 Cir., Mar 05, 1979) (NO. 12478-12480, 12481-12492, 12493-12502)
• State ex rel. Guste v. Pickering, 365 So.2d 943 (La.App. 4 Cir., Dec 27, 1978) (NO. 10059)
• Norton v. Lay, 360 So.2d 239 (La.App. 1 Cir., Jun 12, 1978) (NO. 12050)
• Georgia Pac. Corp. v. Ardenwood-Melrose, Inc., 348 So.2d 748 (La.App. 1 Cir., Jul 11, 1977) (NO. 11463)
• Telerent Leasing Corp. v. R and P Motels, Inc., 343 So.2d 267 (La.App. 1 Cir., Feb 14, 1977) (NO. 11146)
• Louisiana Nat. Leasing Corp. v. Family Pools, Inc., 338 So.2d 1156 (La.App. 4 Cir., May 18, 1976) (NO. 7416 TO 7420)
• Nichols Const. Corp. v. Spell, 315 So.2d 801 (La.App. 1 Cir., Jun 30, 1975) (NO. 10363)
• Palone v. Jefferson Parish School Bd., 306 So.2d 679 (La., Jan 20, 1975) (NO. 55105)
• Reeves Brick Co., Inc. v. Forrest, 297 So.2d 712 (La.App. 1 Cir., Jun 28, 1974) (NO. 9886)
• Bazzell v. Bazzell, 289 So.2d 202 (La.App. 1 Cir., Dec 17, 1973) (NO. 9549)
• City of Plaquemine v. Louisiana Public Service Commission, I P.U.R.4th 191, 282 So.2d 440 (La., Aug 20, 1973) (NO. 52926)

Articles, Publications and Presentations

Rules of The Road In Air Emission Cases
The Louisiana Class Action
The Environmental Justice Movement
A Practical Digest of Louisiana Class Action Decisions - 2007
Louisiana Supreme Court Adopts Important Rule Regarding Participation By Out-of-State Lawyers in Louisiana Litigation

Lecturer

• 1998-2007 Review of the Louisiana Class Action, Louisiana Judicial College, and Annual Summer Schools for Lawyers, Louisiana State Bar Association and Annual Class Action Mass Tort Symposiums.
• Recent Developments in Tort Law, LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1998.
• Recent Legislation Regarding Class Actions, Louisiana State Bar Association, Cancun, Mexico, 1998.
• Louisiana Class Actions, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, Jackson, Wyoming, 1997 and New Orleans, Louisiana, 1997.

Authorships

• Louisiana Complex Litigation, McCowan and Fayard, 80 Tulane Law Review 1905 (June 2006).
• Complex Louisiana Litigation, co-author for 2005 Louisiana Judical College
  
• The Discoverability of the Accident Investigating Committee's Report, ACMIE Mid-Year Meeting, 1995 and 31 Gonzaga Law Review 115 (1996).
• The 'Environmental Justice' Movement, 40th Annual International Educational Seminar, International Right-of-Way Association, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1994 and New York City Chapter, American Corporate Counsel Association, 1994.
• Environmental/Tort Liability Issues, Environmental Concerns Seminar, The American Society of Environmental Sciences, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1993.
• Mechanics of Environmental/Toxic Tort Litigation, Louisiana State Bar Association Seminar, 1992.
• Contesting and Appealing State Environmental Actions in the 1990's, Environmental Law Litigation Seminar, LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1990.
• Defending Against State Regulatory and Enforcement Actions by Commercial Interests, LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center Environmental Law Symposium, 1987.
• Pollution-Generated Torts, Southern University Law Center Symposium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1987.
• Environmental Considerations in Permitting, Drilling, and Operating Wells, Louisiana Mineral Law Institute, 1985.
• Civil Procedure—The Louisiana Class Action, 58 Louisiana Law Review 953 (1998).
• Joint Defense Counsel: Retention and Responsibility, The Defense Research Institute, 36 For the Defense 20 (1994).
• The Evolution of Environmental Law in Louisiana, 52 Louisiana Law Review 907.
• A Standard for Expert Testimony in Louisiana, 37 Louisiana Bar Journal 76.
• Defending State Environmental Enforcement Actions, 36 Louisiana Bar Journal 20.
• Update on Louisiana Environmental Law and Regulations, 31 Louisiana Bar Journal 168.
• Louisiana Environmental Law and Regulations, 29 Louisiana Bar Journal 171.
• Environmental Considerations in Louisiana Oil and Gas Drilling, Louisiana Mineral Law Institute Proceedings, 1985.
• Coauthor: Environmental Racism, 4 Corporate Legal Times 26.