
Biography
Born in Houston, Texas, on August 28, 1963, Darnell Bludworth is a Member of the firm. She obtained her B.A. degree from Loyola University and obtained her J.D. degree from Tulane University School of Law in May, 1988, graduating magna cum laude. Ms. Bludworth is a member of both the Order of the Coif and the Order of the Barristers. She was a member of the Moot Court Board at Tulane and was selected as the brief writer for the F. Lee Bailey Appellate Competition Team for the year 1987-1988.
Ms. Bludworth was admitted to the Louisiana State Bar in 1988 and the Texas State Bar in 1994. She is also admitted to practice before all federal district courts in Louisiana as well as the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Southern and Northern Districts of Texas and United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits. She was an Adjunct Professor of Law, Trial Advocacy, at Tulane University School of Law from 1999 to 2005. Ms. Bludworth is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, the New Orleans Bar Association, the Maritime Law Association of the United States and the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute. Ms. Bludworth litigates various commercial disputes including maritime matters, insurance issues, products liability matters and construction disputes. She also has an active appellate practice.
Representative Cases
- 910 E Main LLC v. Edwards, WL 4929256, 2020, W.D. La.
- 4 Aces Enterprises, LLC v. Edwards, F.Supp.3d , 2020, E.D. La.
- Spell v. Edwards, 962 F.3d 175 , 2020, La. App. 5th Cir.
- Couvillion Group, L.L.C. v. Plaquemines Parish Government, 286 So.3d 1129 , 2019, La. App. 5th Cir.
- McDonnel Group, LLC v. Starr Surplus Lines Insurance Company, WL 2482807 , 2019, E.D. La.
- McDonnel Group, LLC v. Starr Surplus Lines Ins. Co., WL 10797955 , 2018, E.D. La.
- Hanover Ins. Co. v. Plaquemines Parish Government, 2015 WL 3953145, E.D. La.
- Felder's Collision Parts, Inc. v. All Star Advertising Agency, Inc., WL 225426, 2015, E.D. La.
- Felder's Collision Parts, Inc. v. General Motors Co., WL 1652719, 2014, La.
- Rain CII Carbon LLC v. Phillips 66 Co., WL 5506144, 2013, E.D. La.
- Rain CII Carbon LLC v. ConocoPhillips Co., WL 3216089, 2013, E.D. La.
- Felder's Collision Parts, Inc. v. General Motors Co., WL 1681175, 2013, La.
- Rain CII Carbon LLC v. ConocoPhillips Co., WL 5269245, 2012, App. 4 Cir.
- Rain CII Carbon, LLC v. ConocoPhillips Co., 674 F.3d 469 , 2012, 5th Cir.
- Safeguard Storage Properties, L.L.C. v. Donahue Favret Contractors, Inc., 60 So.3d 110, 2011, La.App. 4 Cir.
- Richards v. Board of Com’rs of the Port of New Orleans, 57 So.3d 1135 , 2011, La.App. 4 Cir.
- Safeguard Storage Properties, L.L.C. v. Donahue Favret Contractors, Inc., 13 So.2d 244 , 2009, La.App. 4 Cir.
- Stall v. State Farm Fire and Cas. Co., 995 So.2d 670 , 2008, La.App. 4 Cir.
- Royal Cloud Nine, L.L.C. v Lafayette Ins. Co., 987 So.2d 355 , 2008, La.App. 4 Cir.
- Sher v Lafayette Ins. Co., 988 So.2d 186 , 2008, La. Sup. Ct.
- Historic Restoration, Inc. v. RSUI Indem. Co., 955 So.2d 200, 2007, La.App. 4 Cir.
- Cambridge Toxicology Group, Inc. v. Exnicios, 495 F.3d 169, 2007, 5th Cir.
- In re Katrina Canal Breaches Consolidated Litigation, 495 F.3d 191, 2007, 5th Cir.
- In re Katrina Canal Breaches Consolidated Litigation, 466 F.Supp.2d 729, 2006, E.D.La.
- Central Nat. Ins. Co. of Omaha v. Jacobs Constructors, Inc., 875 So.2d 131, 2004, La.App. 4 Cir.
- In re Clearsky Shipping Corp., 84 Fed.Appx. 370, 2003, 5th Cir.
- EOP New Orleans, L.L.C. v. Louisiana Tax Com'n, 831 So.2d 1005, 2002, La.App. 1 Cir.
- Hontex Enterprises, Inc. v. City of Westwego, 833 So.2d 1234, 2002, La.App. 5 Cir.
- Chattem Chemicals, Inc. v. Akzo Nobel Chemicals B.V., 229 F.Supp.2d 555, 2002, M.D.La.
- Johnson v. LaSalle Hotel Operating Partnership, L.P., 803 So.2d. 1100, 2001, La.App. 1 Cir.
- EOP New Orleans, L.L.C. v. Louisiana Tax Com'n, 809 So.2d 387, 2001, La.App. 1 Cir.
- In re M/V DANIELLE BOUCHARD, 164 F.Supp.2d 794, 2001, E.D.La.
- Temporary Employment Services v. Trinity Marine Group, Inc., 261 F.3d 456, 2001, 5th Cir.
- Equitable Equipment Co. v. Director, Office of Worker's Compensation Programs, 191 F.3d 630, 1999, 5th Cir.
- Casper Marine, Inc. v. Seatrans Shipping Corp., 969 F.Supp. 395, 1997, E.D. La., 1997150482
- Aetna Casualty and Surety Co. v. Director, OWCP, 97 F.3d 815, 1996, 5th Cir., 1996226832
- Complaint of Christiansen Marine, Inc., 1996 A.M.C. 2353, 1996, E.D.Va.
- Insurance Co. of North America v. West of England Shipowners Mut. Ins. Ass'n, 890 F.Supp. 1296, 1995, E.D. La., 1995151246
- Magnolia Marine Transport v. Frye, 875 F.Supp. 1216, 1994, E.D.La.
- Collins v. Coastline Construction, 820 F.Supp. 270, 1993, E.D. La., 1993095502
- Hebert v. Exxon Corp., 953 F.2d 936, 1992, 5th Cir.
- Hebert v. Exxon Corp., 770 F.Supp. 314, 1991, E.D.La.
- Robichaux v. Randolph, 563 So.2d 226, 1990, La., 1990088484
- Jourdan v. Equitable Equipment Co., 889 F.2d 637, 1989, 5th Cir.
Honors
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigator in America, 2022
- Best Lawyers in America since 2012 with special designations, during 2015 or a prior year, in Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2012 – 2022
- Recipient Moot Court Junior Writing Award
- Brief Writer and Oralist, F. Lee Bailey Appellate Competition (Recipient Best Brief Award)
- 2023 Best Lawyers Award
- Lawdragon’s Top 500 Litigators in America, 2024
Classes & Seminars
- Adjunct Trial Advocacy Faculty, Tulane Law School, 1999 to 2005
- Litigating Bad Faith Insurance Claims: The Plaintiff’s Side of the Table, National Business, 2010
- Trying the Bad Faith Insurance Case: A Requiem on Hurricane Losses, 2009 ABA Insurance Litigation Committee
Professional Associations
- Louisiana State Bar Association, Member, 1988 to Present
- New Orleans Bar Association, Member
- Maritime Law Association of the United States, Proctor, 1989 to Present
- Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, Member, 1990 to Present
- New Orleans Association for Women Attorneys, Member, 1989 to Present
- Women's International Shipping & Trading Association, Member, 1999 to Present
Published Works
- James M. Garner, Darnell Bludworth, Kevin M. McGlone & Melissa R. Harris, Chambers Global Practice Guide, eDiscovery & Disclosure – USA Law & Practice (2019)
- The Status and Evolution of First-Party Property Insurance Bad Faith Claims After Hurricane Katrina, 62, Loy. L. Rev. 25, 2016
- Product Liability Desk Reference: A Fifty State Compendium, Editor of the Louisiana Chapter, 2015-Present

Practice Areas
- Commercial Disputes
- Maritime Matters
- Insurance Issues
- Products Liability
Education
- Tulane Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana
- J.D. - 00/1988
- Honors: magna cum laude
- Honors: Order of the Coif
- Honors: Order of Barristers
- Honors: Moot Court Board, 1986-1988
- Loyola University, New Orleans, LA
- B.A. - 00/1985
- Major: Philosophy
Bar Admissions
- Louisiana, 1988
- Texas, 1994
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, 1988
- U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana, 1988
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana, 1988
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1993
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1995
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 1995
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1988
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1993