Richard J. Arsenault

Richard J. Arsenault has earned significant recognition in the legal community, with The Wall Street Journal noting his "national notoriety," BusinessWeek calling him "a Dean of the Louisiana Tort Bar," and The New York Times labeling him as one of the "big players." His expertise in complex litigation is reflected in his involvement in more than 25 Multidistrict Litigation proceedings, frequently in leadership roles.

Arsenault served as Lead Counsel in the Actos MDL, where a jury awarded a $9 billion verdict. He also played a key role on the negotiating team that achieved a $2.4 billion settlement, marking the largest mass tort settlement for a drug still on the market. His contributions extend to the Pinnacle MDL Executive Committee, where he was part of a trial team that secured verdicts of $502 million, $1 billion, and $247 million in three Bellwether trials.

His professional accolades include listings in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America, alongside an AV Martindale-Hubbell rating. He has been named among America’s 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers by Trial Lawyer magazine, nominated for the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award by the Public Justice Foundation, and recognized by the National Law Journal as one of America’s Elite Trial Lawyers.

Arsenault is a founding Board Director of the National Board of Complex Litigation Lawyers, under the National Board of Trial Advocacy. With the American Bar Association's recent approval of National Board Certification in Complex Litigation, he will be among the first in the nation to achieve this certification. Additionally, the Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice appointed him to the Rules of Professional Conduct Class Action Committee, Bench Book Committee, and State MDL Exploratory Committee.

Arsenault's dedication to education is evident through his lectures at prestigious law schools including Baylor, Duke, Emory, University of Texas, Tulane, George Washington, and LSU, where he contributed to the Trial Advocacy faculty.