Latham & Watkins LLP
Hurricane Katrina left thousands of homes damaged or demolished, causing billions of dollars in damage. Many homeowners had insurance policies, but were not fully aware of their rights or how to exercise those rights to obtain desperately needed insurance payments. In conjunction with the Mississippi Bar, the Mississippi Center for Justice, and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, Latham attorneys from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Francisco represent more than a dozen hurricane victims in Louisiana and Mississippi, evaluating and investigating insurance claims, and working to obtain fair payment from insurance carriers. Latham attorneys have also participated in several legal workshops in Mississippi to assist victims, and have taken on FEMA appeals and other matters. In addition, Latham is sponsoring through Equal Justice Works a legal fellow in the public benefits unit of New Orleans Legal Assistance, and a community development legal fellow working with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights focused on assisting communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina.