Carisa German-Oden is a native of Colorado where most of her family still lives. Before moving to New Orleans to attend Loyola University, Carisa lived in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. Carisa graduated from Loyola University in May, 2001 with a B.A. in English Writing. After college, Carisa began her career with the Davis & Saunders Law Firm in October 2001 and worked until 2004 before attending Loyola College of Law to earn her J.D. Carisa remained with the Davis & Saunders Law Firm after graduating from Loyola College of Law in February 2008. She has been with the Davis & Saunders Law Firm for the last 15 years, making partner with the firm in 2014. She currently acts as managing partner with senior partner Ben Saunders.
Since earning her J.D., Carisa has represented injured railroad workers and their families throughout the country. Carisa has extensive litigation and trial experience in both state and federal court. She has experience fighting in front of the Department of Labor and Administrative Law Judges for the rights of railroad workers who face retaliation from the railroad after reporting legitimate personal injuries. Carisa has appeared pro hac vice in state and federal courts in Alabama, Mississippi, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina, and Florida.
Carisa German-Oden tried the first successful case, Nagra v. National R.R. Passenger Corp., Case No. 2012-FRS-74 (10/29/2013), under the new whistleblower FRSA law to return an injured railroad engineer to service after the railroad carrier denied her a return to work physical. This is the first case in the country where this law was used as a sword, preventing the railroad from unilaterally and illegally picking and choosing which employees would be allowed to return to work.
Railroad (FELA) Litigation
OSHA Whistleblower Protection from Retaliation
Personal Injury - Plaintiff
Jones Act
Admiralty & Maritime Law
Aviation
Loyola University College of Law, New Orleans, Louisiana
J.D. 2008, Doctor of Jurisprudence
Civil and Common Law Certification
Law Clinic/Civil and Criminal Litigation
Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana
Bachelor of Arts, 2001, with Honors
Co-authored and published Fact development through ex parte communications with employees of a defendant railroad company: Model Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11, and Federal Employers' Liability Act ? 60, which was presented at the American Association of Justice Seminar in Philadelphia, PA on July 15, 2008.
Louisiana, 2008
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana
U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana
U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
2014-2016 Member of Academy of Rail Labor Attorneys
Federal Bar Association of New Orleans
Louisiana Bar Association
Louisiana Association for Justice
American Association for Justice
New Orleans Bar Association
Women's Caucus of LAJ
Public Justice Foundation
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law Skills Curriculum Instructor, 'Conducting Jury Focus Groups,' February 2012