Whether you need a contract drafted or reviewed or representation through a business sale or restructure, we have the experience and resources to assist. 

• Business formation, structure, and governance

• Business finance and loans

• Contracts

• Business acquisitions, sales, and restructuring

• Governmental compliance

• Employment issues

• Real estate

• Insurance and risk management

• Franchise matters

Real estate is one of the best investments you can make, personally and commercially.  Real estate can present complex legal issues that need to be avoided if possible and efficiently resolved if they arise. 

• Buy and sell negotiations, document preparation

• Commercial leases-negotiation, drafting

• Landlord-tenant disputes

• Servitude and boundary agreements and disputes

• Ownership and possession disputes, title matters

• Property partitions

• Trespass and Property damage claims

• Advice on real estate financing and encumbrances

• Property tax assessments, protests, and refund claims

• Condominium association formation, management, disputes

• Zoning and land use

• Telecommunications tower, billboard leases, and agreements

State and local taxes can present a variety of complex issues for businesses and individuals including sales tax, property tax, franchise tax, state income tax, and excise tax. Kolb & Blankenship provide our clients advice on state and local tax compliance, voluntary disclosure agreements, audits, protests, refund claims, tax incentives, and legislation. Our firm has represented clients in tax dispute litigation before the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals, Louisiana Tax Commission, state district courts, and the Louisiana Supreme Court. We have assisted clients with the successful negotiation of settlements of  disputed tax amounts between state and local taxing authorities and taxpayers.

• State and local sales and use tax

• State income and franchise tax

• Property tax

• Severance tax

• Occupancy tax

• Gross proceeds tax

• Exemption and exclusion applicability

• Refund claims

• Tax credit and incentive programs

You have worked hard to build a business and buy a home. You have prudently protected your biggest and most valuable assets with insurance. Hopefully, you will never need your insurance coverage, but when you do, your claim should be paid correctly and promptly. Our firm is here to assist you in navigating the insurance claims process when it doesn’t happen like it is supposed to. We provide the following services related to insurance coverages and disputes:

• Insurance overage assessment and advisory services, pre and post-loss

• Claims process and coverage assistance on homeowners, commercial property, business income, business personal property, homeowners, executive liability, commercial general liability, and other types of policies

• Insurance claim dispute resolution including demands, negotiations, appraisal process, mediations, arbitrations, and litigation

• Bad faith claims

Going to court isn’t always the right solution to a problem. However, sometimes litigation can be a tool that helps you reach a solution. Other times you may get dragged into a lawsuit by someone else and have to respond. Whether you are on offense or defense in court, your litigation matter should be properly managed to provide the most efficient and effective path to a resolution for a dispute. With forty years of combined litigation experience, we can provide the services and guidance needed to effectively utilize the tool of litigation.

• Business and contract disputes

• Employment litigation

• Insurance claim litigation

• Real estate litigation

• Property damage claims

• State and local tax litigation

• Construction disputes

• Arbitration and mediation

• Administrative proceedings

Help with the planning process, including but not limited to:

• Wills and trusts

• Power of Attorney (Medical, Financial, or otherwise)

Help with the legal hurdles and issues in the aftermath of a death, including bot not limited to

• Opening a succession, asset management/debt resolution, and closing the succession

• Protecting inheritance rights

  • Enforcing your rights (by Will, Trust, or law)

  • Challenging the appointment of the estate administrator (or challenging the acts done by same)

  • Challenging the validity of a Will

Handle both residential and commercial construction cases, including structural defects, delay claims, withheld payments, defective work/design, contract dispute, and insurance disputes.

Help draft contracts (and sub contracts), review  and advise on existing contracts, review and advise on existing insurance policies.

Andrew Kolb serves as a mediator on Perry Dampf’s mediator panel assisting parties resolve state and local tax, real estate, business, contract, and insurance disputes. Andrew’s extensive previous experience in litigation, state and local tax, and business matters gives him the background to help parties minimize organizational cost with efficient resolution through mediation.

Learn more about Andrew’s mediation services.