Following Hurricane Katrina, Chris Johnsen and others in our Washington office had a daily call with representatives of the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, and other relevant Federal agencies to assist in a coordinated response to that disaster. Our Washington office was also consulted on the preparation of Federal legislation that provided assistance for Katrina victims, including the numerous post-Katrina supplemental appropriations bills and the Gulf Opportunity Zone (GO Zone) tax relief legislation. Additionally, our Washington office regularly participated in meetings with members of Congress and staff, administration officials, and key agency personnel. We worked with the Louisiana delegation on a comprehensive legislative relief/restoration package for areas affected by Hurricane Katrina in the state of Louisiana and throughout the Gulf Coast.

Jones Walker maintains a list of Federal programs outside of FEMA that provide disaster assistance, and can navigate the qualification and application process for each. Following a disaster, our Washington, D.C. office may issue daily updates on the status of government-based initiatives and other matters of interest to our clients.