Carter Law Group, LLC - Relationship Driven and Results Oriented

PAMELA CARTER

Attorney Pamela W. Carter is the founder of Carter Law Group. A native of New Orleans, Pamela W. Carter had a career as a journalist and television news reporter with the ABC Affiliate KATC-3 Television. Despite her financial limitations Ms. Carter attended law school and went to work for New Orleans Civil District Court , City Court Judge in 1995. She went on to practice law for well-respected New Orleans Defense firms. She is a former partner of Baker Donaldson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz; Former Associate with New Orleans Law Firms: Phelps Dunbar and Deutsch Kerrigan and Stiles.

Ms. Carter’s practice focuses on personal injury litigation with an emphasis on trucking and transportation, premises liability, insurance defense and products liability. She specializes in the representation of clients in all aspects of general litigation including wrongful death, slip and falls, lead paint cases, wrongful death and food contamination matters. For more than 15 years, she has handled hundreds of claims involving exposures to toxic substances including asbestos, silica for major automotive companies and product manufacturers. Ms. Carter has litigated injury cases in state and federal courts throughout Louisiana.

Ms. Carter is also a lecturer and publisher of various legal industry and diversity articles. She has been an invited lecturer at national expert and lawyer seminars of the American Bar Association, Defense Research Institute and National Bar Association, as well as for the Louisiana Bar Association (LBA), and Seak Expert Association. She was appointed as a Member of the Board of Governors for the Louisiana State Bar Association, and was appointed Board Member for the ABA’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. She also serves as the Publications Editor of the Defense Research Institute’s Diversity Newsletter (2008-Present) and has served as the Editor for the American Bar Associations TIPS’ first Diversity Newsletter (2006-2008). She is admitted to practice law in Louisiana and Texas, as well as before the state and federal district courts of Louisiana.

Representative Matters

Transportation

Represents commercial motor carriers in personal injury, freight and commercial claims in Louisiana
Handled investigations of motor vehicle fatality accidents
Dismissal of wrongful death claim arising out of multi-vehicle collision
Dismissal of claims arising out of multi-vehicle head-on collision
Defense verdict in multi-vehicle accident between client's manufactured vehicle and passenger vehicles
Dismissal of wrongful death claims in Louisiana State court

Product Liability/Mass Tort

Represents various product manufacturers in product liability, mass tort and occupational exposure claims
Represents various food industry manufacturers in product liability and personal injury claims
Dismissal of claims brought against manufacturer of hair care products
Successfully obtained dismissal of asbestos exposure claims on behalf of product manufacture
Dismissal of wrongful death mesothelioma claims in Louisiana State court on behalf of automotive manufacturer
Dismissal of hair product defect claims in Louisiana State court on behalf of hair product manufacturer
Summary judgment of lead paint defect claim on behalf of paint manufacturer
Summary judgment of employer in intentional tort product defect claim

Insurance

Represents various commercial/general liability, and life, auto, and homeowner insurance carriers against fraud, bad faith, coverage and breach of contract claims
Interpret, advise and provide defense on policy coverage issues including claims arising from fires, thefts, looting, hurricanes and other natural disasters, water damage and mold
Dismissal of insurance coverage actions brought against carrier
Defense Counsel for insurers following catastrophic natural disasters (Hurricanes Katrina and Rita)
Obtained favorable settlements in disputes arising out of contracts and insurance policies
Successfully defended various companies involved in trucking and railroad accidents and wrongful termination

Leadership

In 2012, Ms. was appointed Vice Chair to DRI's Diversity Committee. Prior to that, she served for two years as Chair of DRI's Diversity Committee’s Publication Committee publishing the Diversity Newsletter, and was co-chair of the very first Defense Research Institute’s (DRI) Diversity For Success Seminar and Corporate Expo. Ms. Carter has continued to be involved in the seminar for the past seven years. She has been an active member of the American Bar Association and the Defense Research Institute for several years. Ms. Carter has played a lead role in organizing local and national diversity events dedicated to promoting greater diversity in the field of law.

Publications & Speaking Engagements

Publications

Author - "The Client Interview: A Conversation with Fred Keeton, Vice President for External Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer, Harrah's," DiversityInsider, the newsletter of the DRI Diversity Committee (November 2009)
Author - "Continuing the Journey to the Perfect Mosaic," For The Defense, In-House Defense Quarterly, a DRI publication, August 2009
Author - "The Taking of Property to Rebuild the Destroyed Regions: Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida" Eminent Domain, February 2006
Author - Diversity "Committee on Diversity in the Profession: Moving Ahead . . . but Slowly" American Bar Association, The Brief Journal, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Fall 2005, Vol. 35, No. 1
Author - Ruling the Unruly: A Discussion Of Current Toxic Tort And Environmental Case Law: Defense Research Institute, 2004 Toxic Tort CLE, New Orleans, Louisiana
Co-Author - A Historic Overview of Brown v. Board of Education, Louisiana State Bar Association, Bar Journal, May 2004
Author - Brown v. Board of Education: 50 Years Later, Louisiana State Bar Association, Bar Journal, June 2003
Author - Toxic Encephalopathy, Defense Research Institute, 2003 Toxic Tort CLE, San Diego, California
Author - Young Lawyer's Form Book, Defense Research Institute Publication, 2002
Co-Author - "Defending Against Product Recall Evidence At Trial," Defense Research Institute Publication, April 2002
Author - "Women in the Profession," American Bar Association, The Young Lawyer, November 2001
Co-Author - "Applying Negligent Advertising Theory," Defense Research Institute, July 2000
Co-Author - "Spoliation: The Case of the Missing Evidence," Louisiana State Bar Journal, Vol. 47, No. 3, October 1999
Author - "Only the Rainmakers Will Excel: Marketing Tidbits for New Associates" For the Defense, Defense Research Institute, The Young Lawyer Connection, Spring 1999

Speaking Engagements

Panelist - "Maximizing Minority Lawyers in Majority-Owned Firms: Garnering Visibility for Your Firm's Diverse Attorneys," Minority Corporate Counsel Association's 8th Annual Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference, November 9, 2007, New York, NY
Presenter - "Male Trial Lawyers Are from Mars, Women Trial Lawyers Are from Venus," American Bar Association, June 6, 2007
Presenter - "New Ways to Daubert Challenge Experts," New Orleans Bar Association's 2005 Bench Bar Conference, Point Clear, AL, March 12, 2005
Presenter - "Making the Business Case: Corporate Directives to Law Firm Initiatives," U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, sponsored by Minority Corporate Counsel Association and Loyola University Law School
Moderator - "Class Action Litigation: Things That Make You Go Hmmm...," American Bar Association's Environmental, Product Liability & Mass Tort Committees Joint CLE Seminar, Beaver Creek Colorado, January 2005

Professional Honors & Activities

Pamela W. Carter is one of the 2012 honored recipients of the Diversity Leadership Award from the American Bar Association, Section of Litigation. The Section understands the importance and intrinsic value of increasing diversity and ensuring equal opportunity in the legal profession. It established the Diversity Leadership Award in 2008, sponsored by Navigant, the Litigation Advisory Services Sponsor of the ABA Section of Litigation. The Diversity Leadership Award recognizes those individuals or entities who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting full and equal participation in the legal profession through the encouragement and inclusion of women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and/or persons of differing sexual orientations and gender identities.

American Bar Association:

Chair, 2007 - Emerging Issues in Motion Vehicle Product Liability Litigation Program
Chair, 2007 - Women in Transportation Law Seminar
Chair, 2005-2006 - Automobile Law Committee - Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section
Co-Chair, 2004-2006 - Emerging Issues in Motor Vehicle Product Liability Litigation Program
Chair, 2004 - Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section Healthcare and the Law program
Editor-in-Chief, 2003-Present - American Bar Association - TIPS/Automobile Law Committee Newsletter
Chair-Elect Designee, 2004-2005 - Automobile Law Committee, American Bar Association
Member, 2003-2005 - National Trial Academy Committee, American Bar Association
Vice-Chair, 2003-2005 - Committee on Diversity in the Profession
Member, 2003-2004 - Law Practice Management Women Rainmaker's Group, American Bar Association

Louisiana State Bar Association/New Orleans Bar Association:

Member - Board of Governors - Louisiana State Bar Association, Term 2003-2006
Editorial Board Member - 1998-2003: Louisiana State Bar Journal
Member - New Orleans Bar Association's Inn of Court, Term 2004-2005
Member - Louisiana State Bar Association (Community Action Committee; Bar of Governance Committee; Multi- Jurisdictional Practice Committee)
Vice-Chair, 2002-2004: Minorities in the Profession Committee - New Orleans Bar Association

Other Affiliations:

Honoree - City Business’ Leadership in Law Class of 2012
Member - 2011-2012 Council on Litigation Management. CLM is an alliance of corporations, insurance companies and law firms committed to furthering the highest standards of litigation management. Membership is by invitation only.
Vice Chair - DRI Diversity Committee
Chair - Defense Research Institute Diversity for Success Seminar, June 2007
Co-Chair - Defense Research Institute Diversity for Success Seminar, June 2006
Vice-Chair - 2006 Diversity Steering Committee, Defense Research Institute
Member - Defense Research Institute, 1999-Present
Member - International Association of Defense Counsel
Board of Directors - New Orleans Pro Bono Project, 1998-2002
1998 Role Model Award - YWCA
Member - Baker Donelson Diversity Committee

Community Involvement:

Represents clients on a pro bono basis
Volunteers to speak to local high school students during career days
Mentors young lawyers in the profession
Brown v. Board of Education, A Lesson in Courage, Program Committee Louisiana State Bar Association, 2004
Program Organizer - Read a Book Campaign for Phelps Dunbar. Collected more than 200 new and used books and toys for local charity "Liberty House," a local facility affiliated with the National Council of Negro Women
Volunteer Lawyer for a Day - New Orleans Pro Bono Project, 2001-Present
Reader - St. Paul's Episcopal School - Pre-Kindergarten Class, 2002 and 2003
Presenter/Mentor - BET Youth Summit and Outreach Program, 2002
Volunteer Mentor - Booker T. Washington High School. Discussion topics: career choices, teen pregnancy & health issues
Lawyer Volunteer - Access to Federal Courts Program for High School Students. United States Eastern District Court, State of Louisiana, 2003
Reader - Oretha Caste Hailey Elementary Public School, 2002-Present
Reader - Children's Place Pre-School, 2002-Present
Neighborhood Subdivision Leader - National Night Out Against Crime, 2001

Admissions

Louisiana, 1996
Texas, 2009

Education

Southern University Law Center, J.D., 1995, cum laude
Law Review Executive Editor, Southern University Law Center Law Journal, 1994-1995
Moot Court Board Member, 1994-1995
Louisiana State University, B.A., 1988