Attorney Profiles

Patrick C. Morrow, Senior Partner

324 W. Landry Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
Phone: 337-948-4483
Fax: 337-942-5234
Email: PatM@mmrblaw.com

PATRICK C. MORROW was born in Plaquemine, Louisiana, on January 15, 1948. Patrick attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and in 1969 obtained a B.A. in government. Following college, Patrick attended the Louisiana State University Law School and obtained his J. D. in 1972. In 1971, while at LSU Law School, he served as Chief Judge of the University Court.

Subsequent to admittance to the bar, specifically from 1972 through 1973, Patrick served as a law clerk at the 27th Judicial District Court.

Patrick Morrow is also admitted to practice before the U. S. Supreme Court; U. S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits; U. S. District Courts; Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of Louisiana; and Southern District of Texas.

As well as having served as a member of the Louisiana State (Medical/Legal Interprofessional Committee, Appellate Liaison Committee) and American Bar Association, Patrick is a member of the St. Landry Parish Bar Association (Secretary-Treasurer, 1974), the Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit, the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association/Board of Governors/Council of Directors (1987 - 2007), the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Louisiana City Attorneys Association, the Louisiana Bar Foundation, the American Bar Foundation, as well as the John M. Duhe, Jr., American Inn of Court. Patrick also served as Judge, Pro Tempore, 27th Judicial District Court in 1995, having been appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court. Also, in 2003 he was appointed to the Louisiana State Bar Association Intermediate Appellate Court Committee. Patrick has been appointed as a Member of the Board of Trustees of the LSU Law Center.

He was appointed by the Governor of the State of Louisiana as an interim member of the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission in February of 2005, and a six year appointment in December of 2005. Both appointments were confirmed by the State Senate.

Patrick was also inducted in 2006 as a Fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

In 2008, Patrick C. Morrow was named Louisiana Super Lawyer by Law & Politics, as published in Louisiana Life and St. Charles Avenue Magazines.

Patrick C. Morrow is the Senior Partner of the law firm of Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett, established in1975, with its main office located in Opelousas, Louisiana. He is experienced in the field of toxic tort, personal injury, negligence, product liability, environmental law litigation, and in particular, class action litigation, mass torts, aviation law, trials, personal injury, workers' compensation, probate, wrongful death actions, as well as general civil practice in all State and Federal Courts, as evidenced below.

The firm served as class counsel in the case of "In Re: September 25, 1996 Chemical Exposure in Plaquemine, Louisiana", bearing docket number 48,054, in the 18th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Iberville, Louisiana.

The firm also served on the Plaintiff's Committee in the case of "In Re: 1993 Exxon Coker Fire Litigation", bearing Master Docket Number 93-MS-2-A-M-2, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.

Patrick and his law partners have served as counsel for plaintiffs in the chemical exposure matter under the consolidated captions of "Joe Don Touchet, et al vs Baker Hughes, Inc., et al", bearing docket numbers 94-64948; 94-64951; 94-65623; 95-65624; 95-65625; 95-65626; 95-65627; 95-65628; 95-65629; 95-65630; 95-65631; 95-65654; 95-65655; 95-65656; 95-65690; 95-65691; 95-65715; 95-65716; 95-65717; 95-65718; 95-65719; 95-65720; 95-65721; 95-65856; 95-65857; 95-65782; 95-65783; 95-65895; 95-65897; 95-66399; 95-66450; 95-66451; 95-66452, 15th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Vermilion, Louisiana.

Patrick and his partners have also served as counsel for several plaintiffs in the class action matter against Teletronics.

Patrick served on the Plaintiff's Committee in a multi-district litigation filed in that matter entitled "Madeline Dohmann v PHI", in the Western District of Louisiana.

Mr. Morrow served as Lead Class Counsel in that matter entitled "Craig West, et al vs G&H Seed Company, et al," bearing docket number 99-4984-A, in the 27th Judicial District Court of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. This case resulted in a settlement of $45,000,000.00.

Mr. Morrow served as Co-Lead Class Counsel in that matter entitled "Eric Vizena et al vs Union Pacific Railroad Co., et al," bearing docket number 00-1267, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. This case resulted in a settlement of $65,000,000.00.

Mr. Morrow has been appointed Liaison Counsel in that class action entitled "In Re: Stone Energy Corporation Securities Litigation" bearing docket number 05-2088, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

The firm is serving as Counsel in the (Risperdal) class action entitled "State of Louisiana, ex rel Charles C. Foti, Jr., Attorney General vs Eli Lily, et al", bearing docket number 04,3967, consolidated with the (Zyprexa) class action entitled "State of Louisiana, ex rel Charles C. Foti, Jr., Attorney General vs Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc., et al", bearing docket number 04,3977, in the 27th Judicial District Court for the Parish of St. Landry, Louisiana.

The firm is serving as Lead Counsel in the pharmaceutical suit entitled "State of Louisiana, ex rel Charles C. Foti, Jr., Attorney General Vs: Eli Lily, et al", bearing docket number 04-3965 concerning the drug Zyprexa, and as Lead Counsel in the pharmaceutical suit entitled "State of Louisiana, ex rel Charles C. Foti, Jr., Attorney General Vs: Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc., et al", concerning the drug Risperdal, bearing docket number 04-3967,  in the 27th Judicial District Court for the Parish of St. Landry, Louisiana.

The firm is serving as Counsel in the mass tort matter entitled "John Touchet, et al vs. Dr. Mehmood Patel, Lafayette General Medical Center and Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center", bearing docket No. 2004-5842, in the 15th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Lafayette, Louisiana.

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James P. Ryan, Senior Partner

324 W. Landry Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
Phone: 337-948-4483
Fax: 337-942-5234
Email: JamesR@mmrblaw.com

JAMES P. RYAN was born in Detroit, Michigan, on December 29, 1952. He attended Louisiana State University and obtained his B.S. in 1976 and J.D. in 1980. He was admitted to the Louisiana State Bar in 1980.

He is a member of the St. Landry Parish Bar Association, the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit.

He devotes 100% of his practice to litigation. His areas of practice include admiralty and maritime law, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, nursing home, patents, personal injury, products liability law, toxic torts and workers' compensation.

He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Louisiana and the United States Supreme Court and U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 2008, James P. Ryan was named Louisiana Super Lawyer by Law & Politics, as published in Louisiana Life and St. Charles Avenue Magazines.

He has three children: Katie, Jack and Will.

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Jeffrey M. Bassett, Senior Partner

324 W. Landry Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
Phone: 337-948-4483
Fax: 337-942-5234
Email: JeffB@mmrblaw.com

JEFFREY M. BASSETT was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge where he was a business major. He graduated from Louisiana State University Law School in 1977. Upon graduation from law school, he worked as an Assistant District Attorney in New Orleans where he was head of the District Attorney's Homicide Department before becoming Chief of Trials. During that time he prosecuted numerous major felony and murder trials.

Jeff left the District Attorney's office in New Orleans in 1981 and joined the firm of Morrow and Morrow, which later became Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett. His work with Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett has been almost exclusively in the area of personal injury. During that time he developed a specialty in traumatic brain injury cases and has given continuing legal education presentations in that area. Along with other members of the firm, Jeff has handled virtually every type of personal injury case in areas such as products liability law, all terrain vehicle accidents, trucking accidents, automobile accidents, medical malpractice, sports-related injuries, industrial accidents, municipal liability and aviation accidents. A great deal of his practice focuses on maritime personal injury, a field in which the firm specializes. Jeff has tried and settled many cases with multi-million dollar recoveries. His practice also includes class action and pharmaceutical litigation.

Jeff is a member of the Louisiana State Bar, the American Bar Association and the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association. He has represented the towns of Port Barre, Krotz Springs and Henderson. Jeff is admitted to practice before the Louisiana Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court and the 5th and 11th Circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals. He served as Vice President of the St. Landry Parish Bar Association in 1986 and President in 1987. He has been the Chairman of the St. Landry Parish Indigent Defender Board since 1987.

In addition to legal work, Jeff has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau from 1998 until 2000 and was Chairman of the Board in 2000 and 2001. He also serves as a member of the Board of the Z'Tejas Restaurant Group. Jeff is married to Cecette Bassett and has three children: Laura, Taylor and Scott.

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P. Craig Morrow, Partner

324 W. Landry Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
Phone: 337-948-4483
Fax: 337-942-5234
Email: CraigM@mmrblaw.com

P. CRAIG MORROW was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and received his bachelor's of criminal justice on May 16, 1991. He attended law school at Southern University Law School and received the degree of Juris Doctor on May 14, 1994. Upon graduation from law school, Craig joined the firm of Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett.

Craig's work with Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett has been exclusively in the area of personal injury. During his legal career, he has developed a specialty in maritime personal injury and has handled numerous cases in this particular area. In addition, he has handled, along with his partners, virtually all types of personal injury cases involving automobile accidents, traumatic brain injury, aviation accidents, products liability, industrial accidents, municipal liability, medical malpractice and class action litigation. Craig is a member of the Louisiana State Bar, the American Bar Association, the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He is also a lifetime member of the National Registry of Who's Who and a member of the Lexington Who's Who Registry. He currently represents the towns of Port Barre and Krotz Springs. Craig is admitted to practice before the Louisiana Supreme Court, Federal Court consisting of the Western, Eastern and Middle Districts and the 5th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals.

In addition to legal work, Craig served as the President of the Board of Directors at Indian Hills Country Club from 1996 until 2002. In 2005, Craig began serving as the Tournament Chairman of the annual St. Landry Parish Bar Foundation Golf Tournament that raises funds to benefit the St. Landry Parish Bar Foundation Scholarship Fund, which awards a $5,000 annual scholarship.

Craig is married to Nicole Morrow and they have four daughters: Courtney, Tyler, Savannah and Blair.

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Candyce C. Gagnard, Associate

324 W. Landry Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
Phone: 337-948-4483
Fax: 337-942-5234
Email: candyceg@mmrblaw.com

CANDYCE C. GAGNARD was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, on August 6, 1970. She attended the University of Denver and obtained her Bachelor of Arts in English literature and speech communications in 1992, with honors. She attended Loyola University School of Law and obtained her Juris Doctor in 1997 and was admitted to the Louisiana State Bar on October 10, 1997. She was a member of Loyola's Moot Court Staff from 1995-1997 and served as a Moot Court Teaching Assistant from 1995-1997.

Candyce is a member of the St. Landry Parish Bar Association, the Avoyelles Parish Bar Association, the Louisiana State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

Candyce formerly clerked for the Honorable Charles R. Jones, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, State of Louisiana.

Candyce was the City Prosecutor for Marksville, Louisiana, from 1998 through 2001. She formerly served as the President of the Avoyelles Parish Bar Association in 2001, Vice-President in 2000, and Secretary in 1999.

Candyce is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Louisiana.

In addition to her legal work, Candyce is a member of Tulane University's Key to the Cure for Cancer that raises funds for cancer research throughout Louisiana.

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Richard “Richie” T. Haik, Jr., Associate

324 W. Landry Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
Phone: 337-948-4483
Fax: 337-942-5234
Email: richardh@mmrblaw.com

RICHARD “RICHIE” T. HAIK, JR. was born in New Iberia, Louisiana, on September 7, 1979. He attended the University of Mississippi, and obtained his Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology in 2002. He attended Louisiana State University Law School and obtained his Juris Doctor in 2005.

Richie is a member of the Lafayette Bar Association, Louisiana Association for Justice, and is admitted to practice in all Louisiana State courts, as well as the United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana.

Richie formerly clerked for the Honorable Chief Judge Helen Gillmor, United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.

In addition to his legal work, Richie is the President of the Acadiana Alumni Club for the University of Mississippi.

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