NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Kean Miller has announced the addition of four new attorneys in its New Orleans and Houston offices. “Now the professional home to 226 attorneys, we are excited to welcome Melania Smith and Ricky Hutchens to our Houston office, and Haley Nix and Christopher Caplinger to our New Orleans office. These talented attorneys bring a wealth of experience in tax law, bankruptcy, and litigation and further strengthen the firm’s ability to create unique solutions, pragmatic strategies, and unparalleled value that allow our clients to perform at the highest level,” said Kean Miller in a statement.
Melania Smith
Smith joins the firm in our Houston office, where she will focus her practice on federal and state and local tax matters. She advises clients on a wide range of tax matters, leveraging eight years of experience in corporate tax compliance to deliver practical, strategic solutions. She has experience in tax litigation and debt including audits, income tax, bankruptcy, federal claims, and IRS collection, installment agreement, penalty abatement, and offer in compliance.
Smith earned her J.D., cum laude, from the South Texas College of Law Houston in 2023 and her B.B.A. in Accounting, magna cum laude, from University of Houston in 2016.
Ricky Hutchens
Hutchens joins the firm in our downtown Houston office, where he will focus his practice on bankruptcy law, business disputes, and commercial litigation. He represents both debtors and creditors in Chapter 7, 11, 13, and Subchapter V proceedings. He has extensive experience taking and defending depositions and has served as both first and second chair. He frequently appears in bankruptcy court to argue motions, has drafted dispositive motions, and has participated in trials in both lead and supporting roles. Prior to joining the firm, Hutchens served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Shelley D. Rucker of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and to the Honorable David S. Kennedy of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
Hutchens earned his J.D. from the Vanderbilt Law School in 2015, his M.A. in Communications from University of Memphis in 2010, and his B.S. in Film Production from Full Sail University in 2006.
Haley Nix
Nix joins the firm in our New Orleans office, where she will focus her practice on casualty and mass tort litigation. She is a skilled commercial litigator with a decade of experience managing complex and high-stakes disputes across a variety of industries. She has extensive experience in commercial litigation matters across state and federal courts, including insurance coverage, labor and employment, and contract disputes. Nix has also handled matters involving expropriations, environmental liability claims, lender liability, and complex claims of business misconduct, fraud, trade secrets, and civil RICO liability.
Nix earned her J.D./D.C.L., magna cum laude, from the LSU Law Center in 2015, her M.A. in Political Science from LSU in 2014, and her B.A. in Communication Studies from LSU in 2010.
Christopher T. Caplinger
Caplinger joins the firm in our New Orleans office, where he will continue to focus his practice on several areas, including bankruptcy, restructuring, and creditors rights, marine insurance coverage, and oil and gas.
He represents debtors, creditors, and creditor committees in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization cases, creditors in Chapter 7 and 13 cases, and creditors and defendants in all aspects of prosecution and defense of claims before bankruptcy courts and in related litigation before federal district courts. Caplinger also represents clients in commercial litigation matters, assisting across a variety of industries. He is a Business Bankruptcy Law Specialist, certified by the American Board of Certification and the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. He is a frequent speaker and panelist regarding debtor and creditors’ rights issues.
Caplinger earned his J.D. from the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 1997, his M.A. in Religious Studies from Loyola University New Orleans in 1997, and his B.A. in Politics and Religion from William & Mary in 1994.
