I earned my Juris Doctor degree from the L. S. U. Law Center in 1980. I spent the next year as law clerk for the 14th Judicial District Court in Lake Charles, where I had an opportunity to observe many lawyers in practice. I would then talk with the judges about the trials and motions which had just been heard. This experience was invaluable, as I learned what was successful in court, what wasn't, and why.

When my clerkship ended, I moved back to Metairie, and immediately began putting my newly found insights to work. In my first three years, I mostly handled matters for a law firm which primarily did personal injury work. In 1984, I changed my focus to defending insurance companies. I found this work more fulfilling because it afforded me more time in the courtroom than any other kind of civil law practice. Over the next ten years, I handled thousands of cases, often having three or four cases set for trial in a week. I tried hundreds of cases during that time. I learned how to effectively organize my practice because it is impossible to handle that many cases without being well organized.

In 1988, I joined the firm of Leefe, Gibbs & Koehler, and my practice expanded to include representing small businesses. In 1991, I became a director of a small community bank. In October of 2001, I left the law firm to establish The Koehler Firm. I am concentrating my practice on handling successions and representing small businesses.

I feel God has blessed me by allowing me to work in a profession that I truly love, where I can help people resolve problems and still support my family. My years of experience and organizational skills allow me to deliver quality work at a cost below most other attorneys.

Steven J. Koehler
Attorney at Law