Joseph J. Cefalu is a partner in the Casualty Litigation section of the Baton Rouge office of Breazeale Sachse. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Louisiana State University, graduating summa cum laude. He then received his Juris Doctor and Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU where he graduated cum laude. During law school, Joseph served as a member of the Louisiana Law Review and was Editor-in-Chief of The Civilian.
Joseph's civil litigation practice focuses on defending companies, employers, insurers and self-insured entities across a broad range of matters. His experience includes tort and insurance defense, trucking and automobile accidents, premises liability, products liability, operational negligence, occupational accidents and workers' compensation. He routinely defends clients after accidents involving heavy machinery, industrial trucks and lifts and scaffolding, among others. He also advises and represents employers during OSHA inspections and investigations, and defends against citations and related enforcement actions.
For catastrophic incidents, clients rely on Joseph to lead emergency response efforts, including securing the scene, conducting investigations, preserving evidence, retaining experts, coordinating with law enforcement, gathering witness statements and providing early case evaluations. He has significant experience managing high-stakes and complex litigation.
In addition to his litigation practice, Joseph regularly advises insurers and policyholders on insurance coverage matters, including coverage analysis, reservation of rights, and declaratory judgment actions. He also litigates matters involving contractual indemnity, business disputes, property and boundary disputes, contract and lease issues, behavioral health matters, interdictions, and judicial commitments.
