Since the early 1990s legislation authorizing Louisiana’s video poker, riverboat gaming, and the land-based casino was enacted, Jones Walker has been actively involved in counseling major casino companies, suppliers, and financial institutions on all matters relating to the development, financing, and operation of gaming facilities.
Our breadth of experience allows us to provide a full range of services to clients involved in the gaming industry.
Areas of Concentration
Licensing, Regulatory, Compliance & Enforcement
Jones Walker attorneys have extensive experience advising and assisting gaming clients on suitability applications in connection with licensing and permitting, compliance, and the interpretation of the Louisiana gaming statutes and regulations. We represent clients in proceedings before State Police Hearing Officers and the Gaming Control Board, and recently represented a major gaming company in the most significant revocation action brought to date in Louisiana. Our substantial experience in working with the State Police, Attorney General’s Office, and Gaming Control Board provides significant benefits to our clients.
Operations
Our attorneys routinely advise on operational issues, including negotiating and documenting a wide variety of commercial contracts, such as employment contracts, consulting contracts, non-competition agreement, confidentiality agreements, leases, and purchase agreements.
Financing
On behalf of gaming companies and financial institutions, our attorneys handle secured and unsecured loans, debt and bond offerings, and restructurings for both development and continuing operations of gaming projects.
Real Estate Construction, Development, Zoning & Land Use
Jones Walker provides construction, leasing, insurance, and zoning and land use regulation advices for the development of gaming facilities. Given the strict scrutiny of gaming projects, our attorneys provide counsel regarding approval, amendment, and waiver procedures for conditional use provisos.
Government Relations
Jones Walker attorneys regularly appear before legislative committees on behalf of gaming clients and work closely with the legislative and executive-branch staffs.
Tax & Employee Benefits
Our attorneys advise gaming companies on the tax implications of the formation and operation of partnerships, registered limited liability partnerships, limited liability companies and corporations and counsel clients on the design, preparation, and administration of employee benefit plans. Jones Walker represents clients in administrative proceedings and in litigation regarding state and local tax matters, including those relating to income, franchise, sales, use, ad valorem, occupational license, and severance taxes.
Labor
Jones Walker counsels employers on labor and employment law issues, including personnel policies and procedures; employee misconduct; harassment, wage, and hour questions; family and medical leave; drug and alcohol testing; employee discipline; affirmative action; union elections; collective bargaining; and labor arbitrations. We also defend employers against employment claims and litigation, including employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and wrongful discharge, and we handle a wide variety of administrative matters before federal and state agencies such as the EEOC, the NLRB, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, OSHA, and the U.S. and Louisiana Departments of Labor. We offer a full package of supervisor training programs.
Environmental
Jones Walker provides advice for the environmental aspects of gaming facilities development. This work has included negotiating site investigations and remedial programs for such facilities.
Litigation
In addition to representing gaming clients in administrative proceedings, our attorneys represent such clients in matters ranging from complex real estate disputes to Jones Act personal injury and workmen’s compensation claims arising out of gaming operations.
White Collar Crime
Attorneys in our White Collar Crime practice, including former Assistant United States Attorneys, provide comprehensive legal services to individuals and corporations in preventing, avoiding, and defending against criminal allegations and defending simultaneous criminal, civil, and administrative investigations in state and federal courts.
News
- Jones Walker Joins with Miller Hamilton
- Louisiana Now Requiring Extensive Disclosures By Those in Public Service
- Jones Walker Attorneys and Practices Ranked by “Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business”
- Duncan Recognized in Gaming & Licensing by Chambers USA
Publications
- July 3, 2008
