Lori D. Barker, General Attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana
Over 18 years of legal practice · focused on General, Insurance, and Personal Injury
Managing PartneratWood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP
New Orleans, LA
Practicing general in New Orleans since 2008.
- 18+
- Years practicing
- 1
- Bar admission
Practices in
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Quick answer
Lori D. Barker is a managing partner based in New Orleans, LA. The practice focuses on General, Insurance, and Personal Injury. Lori has over 18 years of legal experience. Currently practicing at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP.
- Based in
- New Orleans, LA
- Experience
- over 18 years
- Known for
- General · Insurance · Personal Injury
- Handles General, Insurance, and Personal Injury matters from New Orleans, LA.
- Over 18 years of practice as a licensed attorney.
About Lori D. Barker: Lori D. Barker is a managing partner based in New Orleans, LA. The practice focuses on General, Insurance, and Personal Injury. Lori has over 18 years of legal experience. Currently practicing at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP.
Areas of practice
Legal matters Lori takes on
Lori concentrates on general, insurance, personal injury, and product liability. Each area below outlines the kind of case Lori handles, typical outcomes to expect, and how the intake process starts.
General
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Insurance
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Personal Injury
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Product Liability
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General cases in New Orleans, Louisiana
Lori takes general matters in New Orleans, Louisiana. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Lori agrees to represent you.
Insurance cases in New Orleans, Louisiana
Lori takes insurance matters in New Orleans, Louisiana. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Lori agrees to represent you.
Personal Injury cases in New Orleans, Louisiana
Lori takes personal injury matters in New Orleans, Louisiana. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Lori agrees to represent you.
Product Liability cases in New Orleans, Louisiana
Lori takes product liability matters in New Orleans, Louisiana. Typical engagements include intake calls to scope the issue, review of any records or filings you already have, and a written strategy memo before Lori agrees to represent you.
Biography
Meet Lori D. Barker — general lawyer in New Orleans
Lori D. Barker is a managing partner based in New Orleans, LA. The practice focuses on General, Insurance, and Personal Injury. Lori has over 18 years of legal experience. Currently practicing at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP.
Lori Barker is the managing partner of WSHB’s New Orleans office and a partner in the firm's Texas locations. Lori has extensive experience representing insurers in Louisiana and Texas in a variety of first- and third-party disputes. She regularly evaluates coverage and advises carriers facing first-party and bad faith claims. Lori often works side by side with her clients to develop early catastrophe responses. She worked with an international insurer to coordinate its evaluation of claims made following the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Leaning into her knowledge as a New Orleans native, Lori helps her clients navigate the intertwining statutes, directives and emergency orders entered on a state, parish, and city level in the aftermath of storms.
Following the historically active 2020 and 2021 hurricane seasons, Lori advised international and domestic insurers. She was able to deploy creative solutions to resolve disputes fairly and promptly prior to litigation. Lori and her team defended carriers in hundreds of suits pending in state courts, federal courts and in arbitration proceedings following those storms, including successful defense to decision in an arbitration where the Insured sought over twenty million dollars in damages. Lori is actively involved in appellate proceedings regarding the enforceability of arbitration clauses in insurance policies under the Federal Arbitration Act and the New York Convention. WSHB has been at the tip of the spear in arguing that surplus lines carriers may enforce arbitration provisions in their policies and remains knowledgeable about the current law in this quickly evolving area.
Lori has filed amicus curiae briefs in the Louisiana Supreme Court, United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and United States 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of various insurance trade organizations, providing those courts important insight into the impact of cases on the insurance industry. Lori is an adjunct professor at the Tulane School of Professional Advancement, served on the board of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel (LADC) and served and the founding chair of the LADC Insurance Practice Group.
Lori’s third-party practice experience includes construction, premises liability, transportation, and products liability. Lori’s family owned and operated residential apartments for three generations. As a result, Lori has a first-hand understanding the concerns of Insureds involved in litigation. This allows her to quickly develop relationships and gain trust. Lori has handled complex cases involving multiple parties and catastrophic injuries. She also has multidistrict litigation experience gained while representing trailer manufacturers in the In Re: FEMA Trailer Formaldehyde Products Liability Litigation.
Newsroom
News
•New Defined Equity Partners Celebrated at WSHB as 2023 Begins
Firm News, 1.9.23
•Partner Lori Barker Selected to Head Insurance Practice Group of Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
Firm News, 9.28.21
•Louisiana Legislative Update: Breaking Down a Busy Session
Newsroom, 8.26.21
•WSHB Expands to New Orleans
Newsroom, 6.15.21
Publications
•WSHB Leads the Charge to Protect Insurance Stability in Louisiana
Case Updates, 9.29.25
•Louisiana's SB 355: Enhancing Transparency in Third Party Litigation Funding
Case Updates, 8.23.24
•The Louisiana Supreme Court Overturns Finding that COVID-19 is a Physical Loss Triggering Insurance Coverage
Case Updates, 4.10.23
•Co-Author, " Defining the Limits: State Supreme Court Affirms No Duty of Architect to Subtractor's Employee, " Construction Claims Magazine, Winter 2024
Community Activities
•We the People State Competition Judge
•Tulane School of Professional Advancement Adjunct Professor, 2018- present
In the News
•WSHB Leads the Charge to Protect Insurance Stability in Louisiana
•Louisiana's SB 355: Enhancing Transparency in Third Party Litigation Funding
•The Louisiana Supreme Court Overturns Finding that COVID-19 is a Physical Loss Triggering Insurance Coverage
•New Defined Equity Partners Celebrated at WSHB as 2023 Begins
Honors & Recognitions
•Selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America for Product Liability - Defendants in New Orleans, LA (2025 - 2026)
How Lori handles general matters
Lori Barker is the managing partner of WSHB’s New Orleans office and a partner in the firm's Texas locations. Lori has extensive experience representing insurers in Louisiana and Texas in a variety of first- and third-party disputes. She regularly evaluates coverage and advises carriers facing first-party and bad faith claims. Lori often works side by side with her clients to develop early…
The kind of cases Lori takes
Lori reviews new inquiries case-by-case for general, insurance, and personal injury matters in New Orleans and the surrounding Louisiana area.
Credentials
Education, bar admissions, and languages
University of Georgia School of Law
J.D. · 2008
Loyola University New Orleans
B.S. · 2005
Jurisdictions
Lori's state bar admissions
Louisiana U.S. Court
2008 · ACTIVE
Lori studied at J.D. in University of Georgia School of Law and B.S. in Loyola University New Orleans.
Law school and academic background
Lori completed J.D. in University of Georgia School of Law and B.S. in Loyola University New Orleans. Formal legal training is one signal of substantive knowledge — the day-to-day practice Lori runs in Louisiana is where that training gets applied to real client questions.
Affiliations
Lori's professional memberships and bar associations
Memberships •Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel •Board of Directors •Chair of the Insurance Practice Group •Law Institute •Summary Judgment Subcommittee •Louisiana Bar Association
membership
Locations
Lori D. Barker's office in New Orleans
Lori's primary office is at 1100 Poydras Street, Suite 2900, New Orleans, LA, 70163. In-person meetings are by appointment; a phone intake usually comes first.
Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP
1100 Poydras Street, Suite 2900
New Orleans, LA 70163
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Schedule your consultationHiring guide
How to hire Lori D. Barker — what to expect in your first consultation
Working with a new general attorney should feel structured. Here's how the first two conversations with Lori usually go, from the moment you request a consult to the day representation begins.
Consultation formats and pricing
Lori charges for the initial consult. That fee is credited toward representation if you retain Lori's office.
What to bring to your first meeting
Bring any documents you already have — police reports, medical records, filed pleadings, correspondence from an insurer, a copy of the contract at issue. If you're not sure, err on the side of bringing everything; Lori will tell you what matters and what doesn't.
Questions to ask a general attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana
A short list to run through before you commit: How many general matters have you handled in the last year? What's your fee structure? Who else in the office will work on this? What's your realistic estimate of timeline and range of outcomes? How do I reach you between meetings?
Fees & payment
Fees, payment methods, and consultation options for Lori
Lori discusses fees during intake so the arrangement fits the matter. Contingency, hourly, and flat-fee options are all common in general practice — ask which fits.
Hourly rates, contingency fees, and flat-fee options
Every general matter is priced differently. Simple document review might be a flat fee. Injury litigation is often contingency. Complex commercial disputes usually run hourly with a retainer. Lori confirms the model in the engagement letter before any work starts.
Payment methods and payment plans
Lori's office accepts standard payment methods. Ask about payment plans if the retainer is a stretch — many general practices work with clients on structured schedules.
Frequently asked
Frequently asked questions about Lori D. Barker
How much does it cost to hire Lori for a general case?
Cost depends on the type of matter, the fee model (contingency, flat, hourly), and how contested the case becomes. Lori walks through the likely range during the consult so there are no surprises.
Does Lori offer a free consultation?
Lori charges for the initial consult; that fee is credited toward representation if you retain Lori's office. Some general attorneys offer free consults — check Lori's current terms during booking.
How long do general cases in Louisiana typically take?
Simple general matters can wrap in a few weeks; disputed cases can run 6–18 months from intake to resolution, longer if the matter goes to trial. Lori gives a realistic estimate for your facts at the consult — vague answers here are a red flag.
Can Lori take my case if I'm outside New Orleans?
Lori is licensed in Louisiana. Matters governed by Louisiana law are the natural fit. Out-of-state matters are handled case-by-case, sometimes with local co-counsel. Ask during intake — Lori will tell you if the case is a fit or refer you to someone closer to your court.
What should I bring to my first meeting with Lori?
Bring every document that touches the dispute: contracts, correspondence, police or medical reports, filed pleadings, invoices, photographs, insurance letters. Also bring a written timeline of what happened, in your own words. Lori will filter what matters — over-preparing at intake is always cheaper than needing a second meeting.
Is Lori accepting new general clients right now?
Lori's intake status shifts week to week. Submit the form; the office will confirm availability or refer the matter out.
Areas served
General attorneys serving New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Metairie in Louisiana
Lori handles general matters throughout Louisiana. Each city below is a direct link into the search page for verified general attorneys in that community.
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