Mr. Kern received his undergraduate
degree from Washington and Lee University in 1973,
and his Juris Doctor degree from Tulane Law School
in 1976. Prior to entering private practice in 1979,
Mr. Kern was a Staff Attorney, and subsequently an
Assistant Attorney General with the Louisiana Department
of Justice, where he served primarily in the Construction
Litigation Section of the Civil Division, representing
the State and other governmental entities as owner
on public works construction projects.
Mr. Kern practices primarily in the area of construction
industry and commercial litigation and arbitration,
including delay and interference claims, surety claims,
general contract litigation, and professional liability
litigation.
Mr. Kern is a member of the Louisiana State and American
Bar Association, the Tort and Insurance Practices,
Litigation and Public Contracts Sections of the American
Bar Association and serves in the Forum Committee and
the Construction Industry. He is a graduate if the
National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and serves on
the Construction Panel of Arbitrators of the American
Arbitration Association. He lectured for the Engineering
News Record Seminal in 1989 and 1992 on the topics
of “Proving Claims for Inefficiency” and “Presentation
of Proof of Damages” and for the Cambridge Institute
in 1992 on construction contracts and claims.
Mr. Kern served as President of the Sugar Bowl in
1993-94, Chairman of its Executive Committee 1995-96,
and served on its Executive Committee until 2004. He
is a past Chairman of the New Orleans Downtown Development
District and Past Chairman of the New Orleans Area
Council of the Chamber of Commerce and active in other
civic endeavors. In 2003, Mr. Kern was nominated to
membership in the Outstanding Lawyers of America.
