About David J.
David J. Halpern earned his law degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 1979. He entered the legal profession at a time when the Gulf Coast economy and its regulatory frameworks were changing rapidly. That background informs a long career spent largely in Louisiana courts and before federal tribunals.
His early years in private practice led to a partnership in 1983 at Hapern and Martin. He later joined McGlinchey Stafford as a partner in 2008. In 2015 he moved to Kean Miller LLP, where he remains a partner. The path shows steady movement through established Louisiana firms and a sustained presence in commercial and regulatory practice.
Halpern is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and in Louisiana. He is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana. That access to both state and federal forums has shaped the kinds of matters he handles and the clients he serves.
Outside the courtroom, Halpern maintains a range of professional affiliations. He holds membership in the New Orleans Bar Association and the Louisiana State Bar Association. He is involved with groups that intersect with regulated industries: the Louisiana Restaurant Association, the Louisiana Airport Managers and Associates, and the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators. He is also a fellow of the Loyola University Institute of Politics. Those memberships reflect an interest in policy and regulation as much as in litigation.
Colleagues describe Halpern as steady and pragmatic. He tends to approach disputes by mapping the legal options and the procedural routes available in both state and federal court. Over the years he has handled matters that require coordination across different regulatory regimes. That experience has been particularly relevant for clients in sectors subject to state licensing and federal oversight.
He has spent most of his recent career at Kean Miller LLP, working on cases that test both statutory rules and administrative decisions. His background in Louisiana courts and federal district courts gives him experience with trial practice and appellate procedure. He also brings familiarity with the regulatory landscapes that affect restaurants, airports and liquor control.
Halpern currently practices at Kean Miller LLP. His work includes litigation and regulatory matters arising from the hospitality and transportation sectors.
