John Y. Pearce

A partner of Montgomery Barnett, John Pearce is engaged in general civil practice concentrating in energy (oil and gas) and environmental law for a variety of clients both corporate (international, national, regional and local) and individual. With broad experience in civil litigation and corporate, partnership, environmental, banking, securities and contract law including interpretation, negotiation and preparation of a wide variety of contracts, Mr. Pearce has handled or participated in a broad range of litigation matters before both state and federal courts and regulatory and administrative agencies as well as matters concluded through alternative dispute resolution. He also has an extensive real estate practice primarily involving abstract title examination for both major and independent oil companies and rendition of title opinions on numerous oil and gas properties.

A member of the American Bar Association (House of Delegates 1998-2002), Louisiana State Bar Association (Council of Mineral Law Section, 1988-92; Chairman, 1993-1994, House of Delegates 1999-2001), the New Orleans Bar Association (Executive Committee, 1984-86 and 1993-1999; President, 1997-98; President of the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Bar Foundation, 2009-), and the Defense Research Institute, Mr. Pearce was President of the New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation from 1999-2002 and was the first President of the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Corporation (2002-2004). He is a prior member of the board of the New Orleans Pro Bono Project. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Louisiana and all Louisiana state courts, the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits, the U.S. Court of Claims and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Pearce has also been admitted as a visiting attorney in the Southern District of New York.

Co-author of the Louisiana Geothermal Energy Resources Act (LA. R.S. 30:800 et seq.), Mr. Pearce authored, among other articles, the Recent Developments Column for Mineral Law in the Louisiana Bar Journal from 1991 to 2006, and has chaired or lectured at various oil and gas or environmental law related seminars.

A New Orleans native, Mr. Pearce was born in 1948 and graduated from Louisiana State University in 1973. He clerked at the Louisiana State Mineral Board from 1973-76 and received a Juris Doctor from Louisiana State University Law School in 1976. He joined the law firm of Doyle, Smith & Doyle in 1977 and was made a partner in 1979. Doyle, Smith & Doyle merged into Montgomery, Barnett in 1984.