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PRACTICE AREAS:
Construction, Surety, Commercial Litigation
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EDUCATION:
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana
State University - JD, 1987
Louisiana State University - BA Journalism, 1983
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PROFILE:
Ms. Puente is a commercial
litigator practicing primarily in the areas of construction
and surety law. She has represented both contractors
and owners in negotiations and drafting of construction
contracts for a variety of projects, including condominiums,
hotels, apartment buildings, parking garages, industrial
facilities and mixed residential/use facilities. Ms.
Puente has also litigated numerous public bid dispute
cases. She has represented contractors before the Louisiana
Licensing Board of Contractors and appeared before
various other board and agencies throughout Louisiana
on behalf of the firm’s clients. Ms. Puente has
served on the construction arbitration panel of the
American Arbitration Association.
In addition to her practice in the area of construction
law, Ms. Puente has handled a wide variety of commercial
litigation representing both plaintiffs and defendants
in both state and federal courts, involving redhibition,
employment, copyright and trademark matters.
She is a frequent lecturer on construction and surety
related matters and has conducted numerous in-house
training seminars on Title VII employment related issues.
In 1997, she was presented the Sam Dalton Capital Defense
Award by the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense
Counsel. Ms. Puente is fluent in Spanish.
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BAR ADMISSIONS:
All state and federal courts in Louisiana
United
States Court of Appeal for the Fifth Circuit
United
States Court of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit
United
States Supreme Court
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PUBLICATIONS AND SPEECHES:
- Speaker, “Bonding and Surety Considerations”, Construction Law Seminar DRI, Scottsdale,
- Arizona, September 9, 2004.
- Author, “Appeal and Supersedeas Bonds” For The Defense Magazine (September 2004).
- Speaker, An Overview of Statutory Lien Laws Governing Public, Private and Federal Construction Projects, Construction Financial Management Association Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 17, 2004.
- Presenter, “Accounts Receivable Financing - Bank or Bond Company: Who Bears the Risk When the Deal Goes Bad?” American Bar Association, TIPS Fidelity & Surety Law Division, Mid-Winter Meeting, San Francisco, CA, January 2004.
- Speaker, “Louisiana Private Works Act”, Construction Lien Law in Louisiana Seminar, Lorman Education Services, Embassy Suites Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 20, 2002.
- Speaker, “Federal Government Projects”, Construction Lien Law in Louisiana Seminar, Lorman Education Services, Hotel Inter-Continental, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 20, 200l.
- Speaker, “Public Bid Law”, The Fundamentals of Louisiana Construction Law, Louisiana State Bar Association, Fidelity, Surety and Construction Law Section, New Orleans, La , November 10, 2000.
- Speaker, “Multiple Sureties and their Respective Liabilities”, Surety Claims Institute Annual Meeting, Hershey, Pennsylvania, July 2000.
- Program Chair, DRI Surety Round Table Meeting, “Pre-Default Avoidance Techniques”, Chicago, Illinois, June 2, 2000.
- Speaker, “Litigation Issues”, American Bar Association, TIPS Fidelity & Surety Law Division, Mid-Winter Meeting, San Francisco, California, January 28, 2000.
- Contributing Author - The Law of Performance Bonds (Tort Insurance Practice Section, American Bar Association, 1999).
- Speaker, “Lien Laws in Louisiana and Texas”, Louisiana Construction Financial Managers Association (CFMA) Meeting, October 1999.
- Speaker, “Sexual Harassment”, American Society of Plumbing Engineers, Louisiana Chapter, November 12, 1998.
- Speaker, “Legal Issues For Project Managers: An Overview of Construction Law, Delay Claims and the New A-20l Document”, Association of General Contractors 79th Annual National Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 14, 1998
- Contributing Author - The Law of Payment Bonds (Tort Insurance Practice Section, American Bar Association, 1998)
- Speaker, “Jurisdiction, Venue and Forum Selection Clauses under the Miller Act”, ABA, TIPS Fidelity & Surety Law Division, Mid-Winter Meeting, San Francisco, California, January 30, 1998
- Speaker, “Sexual Harassment Claims - Not Just a Problem for The President”, Louisiana Association of General Contractors, Summer Conference, Sandestin Beach Hilton, Destin, Florida, July 1997
- Author, Recent Developments in Fidelity, Surety and Construction Law, Louisiana Bar Journal, February 1996, June 1996, June 1997, April 1998
- Contributing Author - Louisiana Construction Law Manual (Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, 1991, 2000)
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PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
Construction Arbitration Panel of the American Arbitration Association
- Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board
Hearing Committee Member,
- Chairman, Committee No. 12 (1999 to Present)
- Member, Louisiana State Bar Association
- Fidelity, Surety & Construction Section
- Member, American Bar Association
- Forum Committee on the Construction Industry
- Tort and Insurance Practice Section ("TIPS")
- Fidelity and Surety Committee of TIPS
- Vice-Chair Intellectual Property Section of
TIPS (1996-99)
- Member, Defense Research Institute
- Fidelity and Surety Steering Committee (1999-present)
- Member, Federal Bar Association
- Louisiana Bar Foundation, Board of Directors,
2004
- Capital Post-Conviction Project of Louisiana
, Board of Directors
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