Construction Local Counsel in Louisiana

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Construction Local Counsel in South Louisiana

Construction disputes in Louisiana turn on statutes and recording rules that have no exact counterpart elsewhere. We work alongside out-of-state construction counsel representing owners, general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers on projects in Lafayette, Vermilion Parish, and Acadiana.

The Private Works Act (La. R.S. 9:4801 et seq.)

Louisiana's version of mechanics' lien law grants "privileges" on the immovable and claims against the owner. La. R.S. 9:4801 grants privileges to contractors, laborers, material suppliers, equipment lessors, and certain professionals; La. R.S. 9:4802 grants claims and privileges to subcontractors, suppliers, and others who did not contract directly with the owner.

Deadlines under La. R.S. 9:4822 depend on whether a notice of contract was properly and timely filed under La. R.S. 9:4811:

• No timely notice of contract: a statement of claim or privilege generally must be filed within 60 days after a notice of termination is filed, or after substantial completion or abandonment if no notice of termination is filed.
• Timely notice of contract: R.S. 9:4802 claimants generally have 30 days after a notice of termination, or six months after substantial completion or abandonment if none is filed, and must deliver a copy to the owner if the owner's address appears in the notice.
• General contractor with a preserved privilege: 60 days after a notice of termination, or seven months after substantial completion or abandonment.

Statements are filed in the mortgage records of the parish where the property is located. Missing a deadline can extinguish the privilege, so we help you confirm what has been recorded and when.

Other Louisiana Construction Issues

• Public Works Act claims on state and local public projects (La. R.S. 38:2241 et seq.) and payment bond requirements.
• Louisiana's limits on out-of-state forum and choice-of-law clauses in certain construction contracts (La. R.S. 9:2779, as amended in 2026, which now excludes certain oil, gas, chemical, and petrochemical facilities and infrastructure) and on certain indemnity provisions (La. R.S. 9:2780.1).
• Civil Code rules on contractor obligations, warranties, and redhibition for materials.
• Enforcement suits, bond substitution, and cancellation of privileges.

How We Help Your Team

Record searches in parish conveyance and mortgage records, preparing and filing statements of claim with your input, pro hac vice sponsorship in state court or the Western District, and appearance coverage for hearings and site-related depositions.

Sources: La. R.S. 9:4822; La. R.S. 9:4801, 9:4802, 9:4811.