T Jay Seale III, Business Attorney in Hammond, Louisiana

T. Jay Seale, III was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1947 and has lived in Hammond, Louisiana for most of his adult life. He earned his Juris Doctor from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law School in 1973 and began practicing law in Hammond later that year. After practicing as a solo attorney for two years, he began developing what is now Seale & Ross, A Professional Law Corporation, with offices in Hammond, Baton Rouge, and Madisonville.

Mr. Seale’s practice includes Commercial Litigation and business-related legal matters. As a litigator, he has represented casualty insurers such as Travelers, State Farm, Insured Lloyds through Marinco, Tycor, and Phoenix Aviation Underwriters. He has served as lead or local associate counsel in medical, dental, and architectural errors and omissions litigation. His litigation experience also includes representing public entities, including state agencies, universities, parish governments, and municipal clients.

Mr. Seale is recognized by Super Lawyers® in Commercial Litigation and holds an AV/Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He is also listed by Best Lawyers as a member of Best Attorneys in Louisiana. These recognitions reflect peer and professional evaluations within the legal community.

In addition to litigation, Mr. Seale has extensive experience advising banks, commercial entities, developers, contractors, medical practices, and political subdivisions. His work has included serving as legal or executive counsel, managing legal matters for larger organizations, coordinating litigation in other jurisdictions, and working with insurance carriers on claims-handling procedures. He has also been involved in mergers and acquisitions and generational transitions of family-owned businesses.

Mr. Seale is a member of state and local bar associations and is a Past President of the Florida Parishes Inn of Court, an organization focused on professionalism, civility, and ethics in the practice of law. He is also a member of the Bank Counsel Section of the Louisiana Bankers Association.

Mr. Seale has served as Chairman of the Louisiana State Mineral Board, where he oversaw significant litigation involving Fortune 500 companies. His public service has included serving as legal counsel to the Tangipahoa Parish Council, Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 1, and Water Works District No. 1. He has also represented public bodies such as the Cities of Hammond, Amite, and Covington; Southeastern Louisiana University; and the State of Louisiana’s Division of Administration and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. He currently serves as general counsel and a Management Committee member for Sheriff Daniel Edwards, Sheriff of Tangipahoa Parish.

In January 2017, Governor John Bel Edwards appointed Mr. Seale to a six-year term on the Board of Regents of the State of Louisiana, the policy-making body responsible for oversight of the state’s public higher education institutions.

Mr. Seale has long been involved in economic development efforts in the Hammond and Northshore regions. He is a former Chair of the Northshore Business Council and currently serves as a Director of GNO, Inc., a regional economic development organization serving a ten-parish area. He is a member of its Executive Committee and Public Policy Committee. He also serves as legal counsel to the Hammond Area Economic and Industrial Development District (HAEIDD), where his work includes public finance matters related to business recruitment and development.

Mr. Seale has also been active in the banking industry, serving for twelve years as a Director of Parish National Bank and its holding company until its merger with Whitney National Bank in 2008. During his tenure, he served as Vice Chair of the Board, Chair of the Audit Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee.

Outside of his legal practice, Mr. Seale is a member of First Presbyterian Church in Hammond and leads a theological study group within the church and the broader community. He was married to the late Judy Milburn Seale and has a son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons who reside in Austin, Texas. His personal interests include aviation, scuba diving, and photography. He holds multi-engine, instrument, and seaplane pilot ratings, and his photography has been displayed in gallery showings in Louisiana and Maine. A collection of his work is displayed in the Hammond office of Seale & Ross.