Michael Balascio

Michael A. Balascio is an experienced litigator representing clients in securities litigation and arbitration, high-stakes insurance coverage and bad faith cases, and complex commercial litigation. He has first-chair trial experience and has successfully litigated matters in federal and state appellate courts. In his securities practice, Michael counsels investment management companies and brokers in litigated matters and FINRA proceedings in a variety of significant disputes involving securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, non-solicitation and trade secret restrictive covenants, and breach of contract. In insurance matters, Michael represents insurance carriers in coverage and bad faith matters involving a broad array of policies, including commercial general liability, professional liability, director and officer liability, excess, and umbrella coverage. He has extensive experience with Louisiana’s ”direct action“ statute, bad faith insurance practice statutes, Gasquet settlements, and other complex insurance issues. Michael has also represented clients in a wide range of complex commercial litigation matters, including cases involving commercial contracts, defamation, products liability, bankruptcy, and education law issues. Michael received his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was a senior editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Michael served as a law clerk to the Honorable Lance M. Africk of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Prior to joining the Firm, Michael was an associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York. He was previously a teacher with Teach For America, a national public service program. Michael has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and by Louisiana Super Lawyers. Michael was presented with the New Orleans CityBusiness ”Leadership in Law Award“ for 2017.