Phelps Dunbar Partners Recognized for Leadership in Law

March 30, 2010

Phelps Dunbar partners Neil C. Abramson, Kim M. Boyle and Christopher K. Ralston were recently recognized by New Orleans CityBusiness for their accomplishments as attorneys and contributions to the community at an awards ceremony at the New Orleans Museum of Art on March 16. Ms. Boyle, as a member of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Leadership in Law classes, was inducted into the Leadership in Law Hall of Fame. Mr. Abramson and Mr. Ralston were recipients of the 2010 Leadership in Law Award. Mr. Ralston is also a member of the 2009 Leadership in Law class. Fifty attorneys from the greater New Orleans area were selected for the 2010 class and two attorneys were inducted into the 2010 Hall of Fame.

Mr. Abramson is a partner in the tort litigation practice in the New Orleans office. He practices in the area of toxic tort exposure, class actions, products liability, tort and maritime personal injuries, property damage, and insurance coverage litigation. Mr. Abramson serves as the State Representative for 98th District of Louisiana (2008-2010). He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association, American Bar Association (vice-chair of Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee of the Trial Insurance Practice section), New Orleans Inn of Court, Louisiana State Law Institute, Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel and the Bar Association of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Abramson also serves on the board of directors of New Orleans Outreach, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of public education by linking volunteers with staff and students through programs that respond to the particular needs of each school, and is a past board member of Junior Achievement and the Contemporary Arts Center.

Ms. Boyle is a partner in the employment law group in the New Orleans office. She practices in the areas of labor and employment, civil rights, constitutional law, commercial litigation and general litigation. She is involved in and serves on the board of several professional organizations and committees both locally and nationally. Ms. Boyle currently serves as the Louisiana State Bar Association's 2009-2010 President; she is the first African-American woman to hold this position. She is also active in the New Orleans Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Magistrate Selection Committee for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and the Tulane University Board of Trustees. In addition, she has been honored with the Louisiana State Bar Association, President's Award (2000); New Orleans Bar Association, President's Award (2007); National Bar Association, Presidential Award (2006); Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, President's Award; Honoree, New Orleans CityBusiness Leadership in Law Award (2005, 2006 and 2007); Honoree, New Orleans CityBusiness Women of the Year (2005, 2008 and 2009); Dryades YMCA Certificate of Merit (1994); and Loyola University Black Law Students Association Louis Westerfield Award (1995).

Mr. Ralston is a partner in the commercial litigation regional practice group in the New Orleans office. He concentrates his practice in the areas of antitrust law, business torts, trial practice, securities litigation and arbitration, intellectual property, and appellate litigation. Mr. Ralston is a member of the New Orleans Bar Association (Member, Board of Directors; Chair, Public Service Committee; Past Chair, Young Lawyers Section); Fifth Federal Circuit Bar Association; Louisiana State Bar Association; Federal Bar Association; American Bar Association; and Former Federal Law Clerks Association. He currently serves on the Pro Bono Project's Board of Directors, the American Diabetes Association's New Orleans Community Leadership Board and the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services' Board of Directors. He has also been awarded with the Friend of Pro Bono Award by the Louisiana State Bar Association (2009); Pro Bono Publico Award by the Louisiana State Bar Association (2008); the Distinguished Service Award by the Pro Bono Project (2008, 2007, 2002); the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Louisiana Award by the Louisiana State Bar Association (2006); and the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award by the New Orleans Bar Association's Young Lawyers Section (2004).

Phelps Dunbar is a regional law firm of approximately 260 attorneys, with offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Tupelo, and Gulfport, Mississippi; Houston, Texas; Tampa, Florida; and London, England.

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