Gayla Moncla practices in the areas of toxic tort and environmental litigation, premises liability, and commercial litigation. She has more than 25 years of experience in the chemical and petrochemical industries, defending workplace accidents, chemical exposure cases, products liability cases, as well as advising clients regarding workplace safety issues and OSHA regulations. Gayla also has experience in retail premises litigation having defended retail clients for over 25 years.
Representative Experience
- Defended large chemical and petrochemical companies in premises liability and strict liability actions resulting from alleged asbestos exposure; obtained dismissal of large chemical company in complete docket of asbestos exposure suits.
- Defended large chemical and petrochemical companies in product liability suits involving alleged asbestos, benzene, butadiene, and vinyl chloride exposure.
- Obtained favorable ruling in a case before the Louisiana Supreme Court having significant impact on abandonment for nonprosecution in multi-party actions.
- Obtained defense verdicts for national retailer in several premises liability trials in federal court.
- Obtained favorable ruling on res nova issue involving removal based on OCSLA jurisdiction.
Education
- LSU Law Center, J.D., 1989
- Member, Order of the Coif
- Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award (Torts and Advanced Litigation Clinic)
- LSU, B.S., 1973
Admissions
- Louisiana
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships
- Member, Baton Rouge Bar Association
- Member, Louisiana State Bar Association
- Member, Louisiana Law Institute (Code of Civil Procedure Committee)
- Member, Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
Articles, Publications and Presentations
- "Abandonment: An Evolving Concept of Liberative Prescription," Louisiana Law Review, v. 63, no. 2, Winter 2003
Community Service
- Adjunct Professor, LSU Law Center (Appellate Advocacy)
- Board of Directors, Capital Area Alliance For The Homeless
- Board of Directors, Capital Area Safety Council (Executive Committee)
- Chairman, Baton Rouge Bar Association (Lawyers in the Classroom Committee)
- Member and Contributing Author, Baton Rouge Bar Association (Publications Committee)