Scott D. Wilson grew up in the Baton Rouge area and earned his bachelor’s degree in Political science from Louisiana State University, where he won the Chancellor’s Freshman Honor Award and the Gertrude Bott Saucier Memorial Scholarship. He earned his law degree in 1989 from the University of California, Berkeley. Scott spent his second year of law school studying civil law courses at LSU’s Law Center, where he earned the American Jurisprudence Award for the highest grade in Civil Law Systems, was invited to participate on the Louisiana Law Review based on his writing ability, and invited to participate on the Moot Court Board based on his appellate advocacy skills. He returned to Berkeley, however, to finish his law school career. There, he won the Honors Award in the McBaine Moot Court Competition. While at Berkeley, Scott was a graduate instructor in creative writing and literature.

Following law school, Scott took a job at what was then the largest law firm in Louisiana, where he concentrated in general and commercial litigation. After three years, Scott left the large law firm and started his own firm, representing small businesses in contract and business matters and disputes, and individuals in employment matters, personal injury cases, insurance coverage disputes, and a variety of other matters. His practice grew as he received referrals from other lawyers, particularly employment cases in the federal court system, and he gained recognition as an effective appellate advocate. He developed a reputation as a smart, creative, and professional attorney. Scott has been involved as a lawyer in more than 150 cases in federal district courts, 25 appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, two petitions for writs to the Supreme Court of the United States and numerous appeals to Louisiana state appellate courts and the Louisiana Supreme Court. In a landmark ruling, Scott obtained a reversal from the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals of a summary judgment granted by the district court in the first Family and Medical Leave Act case heard by any federal appellate court. See Manuel v. Westlake Polymers Corp., 66 F.3d 758 (5th Cir. 1995). In another landmark decision, Scott obtained a reversal from the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, resulting in a definition of the relevant standards to be applied in analyzing Louisiana’s anti-SLAPP statute, La. C.C.P. art. 971. Lozovyy v. Kurtz, (5th Cir. 2015), 813 F.3d 576.

85% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:

Louisiana, 1989United States District Court Middle District of Louisiana, 1989 United States District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, 1989United States District Court Western District of Louisiana, 1989United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit, 1989Supreme Court of the United States, 1997

Education:

Legal Education:

Berkeley Law, University of California at Berkeley; Berkeley, California, Juris Doctorate, 1989

American Indian Fellowship McBaine Moot Court Competition– Honors AwardChairman, American Indian Law Students AssociationGraduate Instructor, Seminars in Creative Writing and Literature

Louisiana State University Law Center; Baton Rouge, LouisianaAttended, 1987-1988, to study civil law courses

Louisiana Law ReviewMoot Court BoardAmerican Jurisprudence Award, Civil Law System

Undergraduate Education:

Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Bachelor of Arts, 1985 Major: Political ScienceHonors: Chancellor’s Freshman Honor Award, Gertrude Bott Saucier Mem. Scholarship

Published Legal Works (excludes other published works):

"The ‘Clearly Better Qualified’ Standard for Discriminatory Denial of Promotion Appears Dead in the Fifth Circuit," https://thelawexpert.wordpress.com/blog/, September 17, 2018

“Notice of Right to Sue Is Not Jurisdictional,” https://thelawexpert.wordpress.com/blog, December 29, 2017.

“Good Faith in Lender Liability Cases,” https://thelawexpert.wordpress.com/blog/, September 15, 2017.

“Individual Liability Under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act,” https://thelawexpert.wordpress.com/blog , September 15, 2017.

“Burden of Proof in Fair Labor Standards Act Overtime Cases,” https://thelawexpert.wordpress.com/blog/, September 15, 2017.

“At Will” Employment and “Hostile Work Environment,” https://thelawexpert.wordpress.com/blog/, September 15, 2017.

“The Fifth Circuit May Overrule Pierre v. Connecticut General Life Ins. Co. and Give No Deference to Factual Determinations of Plan Administrators Unless Plan Contains Discretionary Clause,” https://thelawexpert.wordpress.com/blog/, September 11, 2017.

“What Is ‘Excusable Neglect’,” https://thelawexpert.wordpress.com/blog/, September 11, 2017.

"The View: Fact Finder on Site at Trial," Louisiana Advocates, 27:9, Sept. 2012, pp. 23-24, 2012.

"Maximize Recoverable General Damages Using Tort Claim for ‘Bad Faith’ Insurance Practices," Louisiana Advocates, 27:6 June 2012, pp. 18-21, 2012

"Tort Liability for Wrongful Discharge in Louisiana", Louisiana Bar Journal, 45:3 Oct. 1997 pp. 254-257, 1997

Co-Authored Materials in Connection with Seminars Presented:

Workplace Investigations in Louisiana, Lorman Education Services

Employee Handbooks in Louisiana: Drafting and Enforcing Sound Procedures and Policies, National Business Institute Counseling the Small Business Client in Louisiana, National Business Institute

Fundamental Issues in Human Resources Law, National Business Institute

Employee Privacy Rights in the Louisiana Workplace, National Business Institute

Basic Wage and Hour Law in Louisiana, National Business Institute Selecting and Terminating Employees in Louisiana, National Business Institute

Applying the Rules of Civil Procedure in Louisiana, National Business Institute

Human Resource Law: What You Need to Know Now, National Business Institute

Professional Associations and Memberships:

Louisiana State Bar Association, MemberLouisiana Association for Justice, MemberBaton Rouge Bar Association, Member

Past Employment Position:

Jones Walker, New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Associate, 1989 – 1992.