Murphy J. Foster, III

Murphy Foster is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P. and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. His principal areas of practice include construction litigation and employment and traditional labor law. He brings over 40 years of experience representing businesses in Construction and Labor matters and has successfully litigated numerous high profile construction and employment cases throughout the country. Mr. Foster is the former Chairman of the Labor & Employment Law section of the Louisiana State Bar Association and is a member of the Construction Industry team as well as the Labor & Employment Practice section at Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson.

Mr. Foster has been selected by his peers to be included in the “Best Lawyers in America” for his work in the practice areas of construction, labor law-management and litigation, and was selected "Lawyer of the Year" in Labor Law - Management in Baton Rouge by The Best Lawyers in America® 2017 and Lawyer of the Year for Litigation - Construction in 2023. Mr. Foster is also recognized by Chambers, USA, for his experience in both the areas of construction and labor & employment law. Chambers defines Mr. Foster as a “very savvy” practitioner, who “gets good results for his clients” with an “aggressive litigation reputation” and respected throughout the region. Mr. Foster was also named to America’s Leading Business Lawyers as “the best known labor and employment attorney in Baton Rouge” and Who’s Who Legal as “one of Louisiana’s top flight labor lawyers.” As General Counsel to the Louisiana Associated General Contractors, and the Pelican Chapter of the Associated Builders’ and Contractors, Mr. Foster is also respected for his extensive experience in litigating large construction related disputes. Chambers describes Mr. Foster as, “An experienced, assertive attorney” who “puts a bit of fear into opponents.” Mr. Foster is a Charter Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA).  He received the 2018 CLSA Distinguished Speaker Award and Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P. was awarded the CLSA Law Firm of the Year Award.

Practice Areas

• Construction
• Labor & Employment
• Public Bid Laws
• Associations and Nonprofits
• Government Contracts

Education

Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, J.D., 1979

Admissions

Louisiana State Courts, Eastern, Middle & Western Districts of Louisiana, Fifth, Eighth, and Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. Supreme Court,1979

Professional Associations

Construction Lawyers Society of America (CLSA)

• Fellow, Order of Maximus; Member
• Member, Trial Law Institute
• Member Diversity Law Institute

General Counsel, Louisiana Associated General Contractors

General Counsel, Louisiana Pelican Chapter of the Associated Builders & Contractors

General Counsel, Louisiana Concrete Association f/k/a Concrete & Aggregates Association of Louisiana

General Counsel, Louisiana Asphalt Pavement Association

Immediate Past Chairman of Policy and Bylaws Committee, Associated Builders and Contractors, National

Immediate Past Board Parliamentarian, Associated Builders and Contractors, National

Labor & Employment Law Section, Past Chairman, Louisiana State Bar Association

Past Chair Labor & Employment Law Council (2018-2019), Associated General Contractors of America

Fellow, Louisiana State Bar Foundation

Member, American Bar Association

General Counsel, Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge

Former General Counsel, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors

Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow

Community Involvement

Past Chairman of the Board of the Istrouma Area Council for the Boy Scouts of America

Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award

Eagle Scout

Past Chairman of the Board of Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana

Instrument Rated Multi-Engine Pilot

Lifetime Sponsor Ducks Unlimited

Honors and Awards

Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in Construction Law, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Construction (Since 2013)

Ranked in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Louisiana - Labor and Employment and Construction (Since 2005)

Selected Lawyer of the Year, in Labor Law - Management in Baton Rouge by The Best Lawyers in America^® 2017 and for Litigation - Construction in 2023

AV^® Preeminent^TM Peer Review Rated

Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow

Listed in Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Employment & Labor

“Who’s Who Legal”

“The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers”

Publications

Presentations

Representative Matters

Represented employers interest in over 250 trials and arbitrations in employment & labor and construction related disputes

Successfully prosecuted and defended hundreds of millions of dollars in commercial and highway heavy construction disputes across Southern U.S.

Successfully represented employers/management in numerous union representation campaigns and regularly conducts union avoidance seminars for employers

Successfully handled decertification campaigns and elections involving former unionized employers

Negotiated in excess of 100 collective bargaining agreements representing management

Enjoined unlawful strikes and pickets in union - management disputes