Ashley E. Philen

Ashley E. Philen began her academic journey by earning a B.S. degree from Louisiana State University in 2001. She furthered her education at the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, where she graduated magna cum laude in 2007. During law school, Ashley was a distinguished member of the Law Review and held leadership roles in the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International Tureaud Chapter, serving as both Marshal and Justice (President).

In 2007, Ashley was admitted to the Louisiana Bar and embarked on her legal career by working on the landmark case, Robinson v. U.S. This pivotal lawsuit involved New Orleans citizens suing the United States Army Corps of Engineers over damages from the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet during Hurricane Katrina. By 2009, Ashley had carved out a niche in environmental law, passionately advocating for the protection of Louisiana's environment and its people.

In 2010, she joined forces with Simien & Simien, LLC, and became Of Counsel at Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson in Lake Charles. In this capacity, Ashley represented landowners in state and federal courts, focusing on cases where oil, gas, and pipeline operations negatively impacted property owners.

By 2012, Ashley was involved in another significant case, Southeastern Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East v. Tennessee Gas Pipeline, et al. This federal lawsuit targets over 90 defendants for their role in compromising Louisiana’s coastal lands, pointing to the increased risk of storm surge and flooding due to wetland loss from numerous wells and pipelines.

Ashley is licensed in Louisiana, with admissions to practice in state and federal courts. Her federal court admissions include the Eastern District, Western District, Middle District, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal in Louisiana.