ATTORNEYS
Mark D. Boyer
 Mark D. Boyer was born and raised in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. He was the valedictorian of the 1991 graduating class at Breaux Bridge High School. After high school, Mark attended Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana, where he was a member of the football team. In 1996, Mark graduated with honors from Louisiana Tech with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Mark continues to be a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
He was immediately accepted to the Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana. While in law school, Mark was an editorial staff member of the Intellectual Property and High Technology Law Journal, was a member of the Maritime Law Society, was honored as a member of the Phi Delta Phi Honorary Law Fraternity, and was an officer in the Loyola School of Law Federalist Society. He graduated with honors from Loyola University in 1999 and was admitted to all Louisiana State Courts, the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of the United States District Courts, and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal of the United States Courts of Appeal. Mark has since garnered the honor of being admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
After law school, Mark went to work in the General Counsel’s office of Louisiana’s largest workers’ compensation insurer. He also spent five years as a litigation attorney at one of the state’s more prestigious law firms. His practice has and continues to be concentrated in the areas of general casualty litigation, workers’ compensation litigation, commercial transactions, creditor rights, and education law. Mark has successfully litigated cases in both state and federal courts in Louisiana and has an impressive record as a trial attorney. He represents various insurers, self-insured entities, public bodies, companies, and individuals throughout the state. Additionally, he has litigated cases in every district of Louisiana’s Office of Workers’ Compensation.
Mark is also the Executive Counsel for the Louisiana Association of School Executives and the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, providing general legal advice and expertise to its members in all 69 school districts in the state of Louisiana. Mark works closely with a number of school district superintendents, assistant superintendents, and other school executives throughout the state. Moreover, he has been retained to represent various school districts relative to ongoing general casualty, workers’ compensation, and employment law cases in both state and federal courts.
Mark currently resides in Denham Springs, Louisiana with his wife and two children. He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, Baton Rouge Bar Association, and Livingston Parish Bar Association.
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Bart J. Hebert
 Bart J. Hebert is a native of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana and continues to live there with his wife and two children. After graduating from Breaux Bridge Senior High, Bart attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana. In 1999, he graduated magna cum laude from U.S.L. with a B.S. in Political Science and a minor in History. Additionally, Bart was named Outstanding Graduate of the Political Science Department.
After graduation from U.S.L., Bart attended law school at Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center. While in law school, Bart was honored as the recipient of the Katherine and Camille Gravel Scholarship for his scholastic achievements, was named to the Chancellor’s List and Who’s Who Among American Law Students, and was the recipient of the Awards for the Highest Class Standing in Mineral Rights and Family Law. In 2002, he graduated with honors from L.S.U., finishing in the top 15% of his class. In that same year he was admitted to all Louisiana State Courts, the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of the United States District Courts, and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal of the United States Courts of Appeal.
Bart's practice is concentrated in the areas of commercial transactions and litigation, oil & gas transactions and litigation, and personal injury. Additionally, Bart handles real estate closings, wills and successions and serves as the Town Attorney for Simmesport.
Bart counsels a number of oil and gas companies, providing transactional expertise on a near daily basis. He also authors, amends, and supplements complex agreements for oil and gas exploration and production companies and oilfield service providers.
Bart is an active member of his community, where he serves as the President of the St. Bernard School Foundation and as Immediate Past Grand Knight and Trustee for the Knights of Columbus, St. Bernard Chapter No. 2398. He is an active member of the Kiwanis Club de Pont Breaux, serves as Co-Chair of the annual St. Martin Parish Friends of Scouting Fundraiser and coaches youth sports. Bart is also a Past President of the Breaux Bridge Area Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, he is a member of the American Bar Association, Louisiana Bar Association and Inn on the Teche.
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Brian K. Abels
 Brian K. Abels grew up in the small town of Springfield, Louisiana. After graduating from Springfield High School, Brian attended LSU in Baton Rouge. He graduated from LSU with a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree in 1992. After graduation, Brian worked as state director of a federally funded private non-profit corporation, MET, Inc., for two years before returning to LSU to attend law school.
While in law school, Brian was a member of the 1996-97 Appellate Advocacy Board, which was reserved for a select few students who excelled in the appellate advocacy program at the LSU Law Center. He was also a finalist in the 1996-97 Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition. As a finalist, Brian was one of only four students in his class to have the honor of arguing before the Louisiana Supreme Court. Brian graduated in 1997 and was admitted to practice in all Louisiana State Courts, as well as the Louisiana Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of the United States District Courts and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeal. He was also recently honored with admission to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
During his years of practice, Brian has obtained a vast amount of litigation experience. His practice concentrates on automobile liability, uninsured motorist claims, insurance coverage, contractual indemnity claims, products liability, toxic tort, workers’ compensation, premises and landlord liability, and municipal liability. He currently serves as town attorney for the Town of Killian. He has litigated cases in state and federal district courts throughout Louisiana and has conducted oral argument in several state appellate courts and the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Brian currently resides in Denham Springs, Louisiana,
with his wife and son. He is on the Board of Directors for the Livingston
Parish Chamber of Commerce and was recently named Chamber Member
of the Year. Brian is also a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association,
American Bar Association, Baton Rouge Bar Association, 21st Judicial
District Court Bar Association, and the Louisiana City Attorneys
Association. He has been selected to serve as an Advisory Panel Member
for the American Bar Association.
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Renée Z. Berard
 Renée Zeringue Berard is a native of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. In 1997, Renée graduated Summa Cum Laude from University of Southwestern Louisiana with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Elementary Education. After graduating from USL, she attended law school at Louisiana State University. Renée served as a Senior Editor of the Louisiana Law Review from 2000 to 2001. She graduated in 2001 from LSU with her law degree and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. Upon graduation from law school, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Rebecca Doherty, District Judge for the United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana from 2001 to 2002. She then practiced at Liskow & Lewis in Lafayette for seven years.
Renée is admitted to practice in all Louisiana State Courts, as well as the Louisiana Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of the United States District Courts and the United States Bankruptcy Courts, and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeal.
During her years of practice, Renée has practiced in the areas of business transactions, business litigation, bankruptcy, and oil and gas. Her experience includes representation of creditors in bankruptcy cases and adversary proceedings. She has assisted with various business and financial transactions, including company formations, leases, and contracts. She has experience with commercial litigation matters, including contract and shareholder disputes. She also has experience in redhibition litigation, insurance litigation, liens and privileges, and collections.
Renée currently resides in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, with her husband and children. She serves as Vice Chairman of the School Board of Sts. Leo Seton Catholic School. She is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, and Lafayette Bar Association.
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OF COUNSEL
Jerry L. Denton
Jerry L. Denton,
Jr.,
is a 21 year practicing attorney. He has been associated with Boyer,
Hebert & Abels LLC, since 2005. His areas of practice include
corporate business formations, buyouts and acquisitions and mergers,
especially in the healthcare area. He brings an extensive background
of civil and criminal practice to the firm. He served as vice-president
to Synergy Healthcare Group and as a consulting attorney since
1995, until the company was acquired in 2007. As owner of Governmental
Consultants, LLC, since 2000, Jerry has experience in lobbying, governmental
relations and political consultations on both the state and federal
level.
Since 1985, Jerry has been associated with the Louisiana Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, as a law clerk, staff attorney and served as special legal counsel to Attorneys General Ieyoub and Foti. He is currently a political advisor to Louisiana Attorney General James D. “Buddy” Caldwell. He clerked for District Judge Edward “Jimmy” Gaidry who currently sits on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal. Jerry also served as a Special Prosecutor for the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s office. Prior to attending law school he worked as a Special Investigators Detective for 10 years. He has been a commissioned law enforcement officer for 30 years.
Jerry is a 1987 graduate of Southern University Law Center and he holds both Bachelor and Associate degrees from Nicholls State University.
Professional Associations/Licenses:
- Licensed and Admitted to Practice before the United States Supreme Court
- Licensed Louisiana Attorney
- Licensed Louisiana Notary Public
- Louisiana State Supreme Court
- Louisiana Courts of Appeal (All Circuits)
- Federal Eastern District Court
- Federal Middle District Court
- Federal Western District Court
- 5th Circuit Court of Appeals
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- American Trial Lawyers Association
- Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
- American Inns of Court
- Louisiana Notarial Society/ National Society of Notaries Public
- Delta Sigma Pi Professional Business Fraternity
- Delta Sigma Phi Social Fraternity
- Who’s Who Among Professionals in America
Jerry currently resides in Denham Springs, Louisiana, where he serves as City Marshal. He is married to Michelle, an elementary school teacher, and is the father of Jerry III (Trey), 27 and Brielle (Elle), 5. They belong to First United Methodist Church where Jerry serves as a church trustee.
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