(Baton Rouge, Louisiana / February 4, 2015) Baker Donelson has named Phyllis G. Cancienne managing shareholder of the Firm's Baton Rouge office.
Ms. Cancienne will be the Firm's first solely dedicated managing shareholder for the Baton Rouge office. Roy Cheatwood, who is based in New Orleans and has served as managing shareholder for all of Baker Donelson's Louisiana offices, noted that there was a need for the location to have its own managing shareholder because of the growth the office has experienced.
"Since establishing our Baton Rouge presence in 2005, the office has grown from three attorneys and two staff members to 21 attorneys and 18 staff members today," said Mr. Cheatwood. "Phyllis was one of the first members of our Baton Rouge office and has played a vital role in our firm's growth and success in Baton Rouge. I'm confident she will lead our Baton Rouge office to further success in the future."
Ms. Cancienne added, "I'm proud to have the opportunity to build on the solid foundation we've established here. Baker Donelson is committed to being a leading law firm in the city, and I look forward to continuing to strengthen our Baton Rouge presence."
While serving as managing shareholder, Ms. Cancienne will maintain her active law practice, which is concentrated in the areas of labor and employment and related class and collective action litigation. She represents employers in all aspects of employment litigation before state and federal courts throughout the country, as well as before governmental agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor. Her experience also includes representation of hospitals and other health care providers in False Claims Act litigation, medical staff governance issues, physician contracts and peer review and credentialing matters.
Ms. Cancienne has been recognized for many years by The Best Lawyers in America® as a leading attorney in the practice area of employment law and by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business as a leading labor and employment lawyer. She has also been honored by Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of labor and employment and was recognized by the publication as among the top 25 female attorneys in the state in 2015. She is a founding member of the Employment Law Alliance, an international network of employment lawyers. A graduate of the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University, Ms. Cancienne is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Baton Rouge Bar Association and is a fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation and the Litigation Counsel of America.