Practice areas: Civil Litigation, Business Litigation, Appellate; view more
Licensed in Louisiana since: 1984
Education: Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2022 - 2026 Attorney John P. Wolff, III, is a senior partner at Keogh Cox in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For over 35 years, Mr. Wolff has handled complex matters involving business, civil and environmental litigation, professional liability, mass torts and class action lawsuits. He has substantial litigation experience at the trial and appellate levels, serving clients throughout Louisiana.
Over his years in practice, Mr. Wolff has been involved in many significant cases, representing clients in a wide variety of industries. He provides strong and dedicated representation and is highly knowledgeable with all stages of the litigation process. He holds an AV Preeminent* peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is the recipient of various awards for his accomplishments.
Active in the Louisiana State Bar Association, Mr. Wolff participates in the Environmental Law Section, the Bench and Bar Section ad hoc judiciary committee and the Transition into Practice Mentoring Program. He is also a member of the East Baton Rouge Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel and the Defense Research Institute.
Serving his local community, Mr. Wolff sits on the board of the Baton Rouge Epicurean Society. Additionally, he was the human resources chairman of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge and a former board member of the organization.
Mr. Wolff graduated cum laude from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He received his law degree from the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center. He is licensed to practice law before the Louisiana and Texas state courts, several federal district courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Civil Litigation: Defense, Business Litigation, Appellate, Class Action/Mass Torts: Defense, Environmental LitigationFocus areas
Appeals, Asbestos, Class Actions, Non-Compete Agreements, Toxic Torts, Trade Secret
- 50% Civil Litigation: Defense
- 20% Business Litigation
- 10% Appellate
- 10% Class Action/Mass Torts: Defense
- 10% Environmental Litigation
First Admitted: 1984, Louisiana
Professional Webpage: https://keoghcox.com/our-team/john-p-wolff-iii/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Environmental Section, Member Bench and Bar Section's, Ad Hoc Judiciary Committee Transition into Practice Program (1st to complete program with Mentee)
- Participated with my partner in discrimination claim in federal court. The jury returned a verdict in favor of our client, the employer. , 2023
- Member, All State And Federal Courts In Louisiana
- Member, U. S. District Court, Fifth Circuit, Bar Association
- Member, Defense Research Institute
- Member, East Baton Rouge Bar Association
- Member, Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, East Baton Rouge Parish
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1984
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, 1986
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, 1985
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 1987
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 2013
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2013
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 2014
- Texas, 1995
- Louisiana, 1984
- McMahon Inns of Court Member (Master)
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Obtained favorable summary judgment ruling in significant national franchise litigation that allowed clients to proceed with fraud claims and attendant punitive damages. , 2024
- Served as co-counsel. Obtained a MSJ ruling in federal court involving 5th Amendment takings allegations against a state entity. , 2024
- Argued important question before the Louisiana Supreme Court regarding the scope of the intermediate Court of Appeal jurisdiction and review, 2024
- Jury Trial: Served as appeal counsel for the defense at trial involving significant injuries and a request in excess of $12M. Jury found no liability. , 2025
- Jury trial: Obtained a zero-verdict involving a rear-end collision with significant medicals and surgery. Jury found no causation, 2025
- Prevailed on MSJ finding that the claimant was unable to prove that client was responsible for alleged dangerous chemicals on property, 2025
- Prevailed on MSJ in federal court on a claim filed against our client, alleged product manufacturer of a grill brush. The claimant was unable to establish that our client was liable as a matter of law. , 2024
- Obtained a unanimous grant of writ application to the Louisiana Supreme Court presenting the issue of the proper means of appellate review when the intermediate court of appeal determines that the fact-finding process at the jury trial was interdicted by prejudicial error. See Latour v. Steamboats, LLC. , 2023
- Prevailed at Louisiana Supreme Court upholding dismissal of Sabine River Authority, State of Louisiana finding that all claims for taking or inverse condemnation were time barred, 2022
- Served as Lead Counsel first jury trial, bellwether commercial case, in USDC Hurricane Litigation--USDC Western District Louisiana, 2021
- Obtained significant Order awarding sanctions against defendants in national franchise litigation. Window World of Baton Rouge v. Window World Inc, et al. , 2022
- Obtained U.S. appellate court ruling, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court that found FERC preemption of state law claims for the hydropower industry. Simmons v. Sabine River Authority of Louisiana, 2012 WL 1458088 (W.D. La. 2012), 732 F.3d 469 (5th Cir.2013) cert. denied, 134 S.Ct. 1876, 188 L.Ed.2d 912 (U.S.2014); Secured a permanent injunction, upheld by the Louisiana Supreme Court, prohibiting CRNAs from expanding their scope of practice to include interventional pain procedures; Toni Spillman, et al. v. Dominos Pizza, LLC, et al., Case No. 10-349 (M.D. La.) - Co-Lead Counsel - putative class action for unsolicited advertisements under the TCPA; Hetherington v. Omaha Steaks--Co-Lead Counsel-putative class action for unsolicited advertisements under the TCPA (2016); Jury Verdict (defense) Guillory v. Outback Steakhouse 19th JDC (2014); Baine v. Walgreen Company, Case No. 10-4364 (E.D. La.) - class action - defended pharmacy against nationwide class action by customers for improper substitution of medical food products; Williams v. Hard Rock Constr. Co., et al., Case No. 04-17250, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans - class action and mass tort - successfully defended constructions companies and their insurer for damages alleged by residents for exposure to natural gas; Lucia, et al. v. Lard Oil Company, Case No. 102-131, 34th Judicial District Court, Parish of St. Bernard – class action and mass tort – defended oil company for personal injury and exposure damages from benzene fumes claimed by residents hear train/truck collision; Russell v Amneal Pharmaceuticals ED La Civ no 11-1275 (2012) secured dismissal of all design claim for generic drug manufacturer
Representative Clients
- Multiple lines of a number of Insurance Companies and other business entities: Chubb Group of Insurance Companies; ; Nautilus Insurance Co.; Nationwide/Scottsdale; Gray Insurance Co./ Albertsons; Amica Mutual Insurance Co; Window World of Baton Rouge; Circle K Stores, Inc.; MMR Contractors; Amazon Delivery Service Providers; and Taylors International Services., 2023
Pro bono / Community Service
- Former Board Member, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge
- Human Resource Chairman, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge
- Board of Directors/Executive Board--Baton Rouge Epicurian Society.
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, Guest Speaker
- Dean Henry George McMahon Inns of Court Panel Presentation: Tricks & Treats of the Trade: Professionalism in Depositions, Presenter, "Tricks & Treats of the Trade: Professionalism in Depositions.", 2023
- Dean Henry George McMahon Inn of Court Panel Presentation: "Attorneys at the Movies: Public Perception of the Legal Profession.", Presenter, "Attorneys at the Movies: Public Perception of the Legal Profession.", 2023
- The Duty to Defend Continues to Evolve in Louisiana
- The Louisiana Supreme Court rules that amount billed by healthcare providers beyond what has been paid by a Workers Compensation insurer is NOT a collateral source that is recoverable against tort defendants
- An Insurer’s Duty: To Defend or Not To Defend
- La. Supreme Court Rules 10-year Contract Prescription Applies to 1st Party Claims Against Insurer
- Louisiana Appeal Courts Prohibit Direct Negligence Claims Against Employer; US District Court Uses Rule to Limit Discovery
- Dean Henry George McMahon Inn of Court Panel Presentation: “Professionalism in Discovery – Responding to Discovery Abuse”, 2022
- Dean Henry George McMahon Inn of Court Panel Presentation: “What is ‘over the line’ and what is not in discovery and settlement negotiations.”, 2022
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Appointed by Judge James Cain, USDC Western District Court to serve on Laison Committee for Hurricanes Laura and Delta Litigation
Honors
- Peace Maker Award, Brown & Brown, 2007
- The Best Lawyers in America®️-Litigation - Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, The Best Lawyers in America®️, 2025
- Super Lawyers - Civil Litigation, Super Lawyers, 2024
- Lawyers of Distinction-Civil Litigation , Lawyers of Distinction, 2024
- Super Lawyers-Civil Litigation, Super Lawyers, 2023
- AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell, 2023
- American Lawyer Media, American Lawyer Media, 2013
- AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell, 2023
- America's Most Honored Lawyers , The American Registry, 2023
- AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell, 2023
- America's Top 100 High Stakes Litigators , America's Top 100, 2023
Industry Groups
- Architects
- Attorneys
- Construction
- Engineers
- Insurance
- Life Science
- Oil And Gas
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2022 - 2026
