Fishman Haygood’s Ian Atkinson is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer, whose varied practice includes commercial litigation, white collar criminal defense, and tax litigation.
In his civil practice, Ian represents both plaintiffs and defendants in all manner of commercial litigation. As part of the firm’s sophisticated plaintiff-oriented practice, he focuses on suits involving financial misconduct, fiduciary breaches, and a range of other subject areas.
As a criminal defense attorney, Ian advises clients on complex white-collar matters, including health-care fraud, tax, money laundering, wire and mail fraud allegations, and other investigations. Ian also represents professionals and students in disciplinary and misconduct proceedings.
In his tax practice, Ian represents the Louisiana Department of Revenue in lawsuits seeking to recover corporate income, franchise, and sales taxes from the state’s largest taxpayers. Ian also helps clients develop strategies to resolve compliance concerns, federal tax deficiencies, civil audits, criminal investigations, and IRS litigation.
As a former federal law clerk at both the trial and appellate levels, Ian remains an active member of the federal bar. Ian is a long-serving member of the Federal Bar Association – New Orleans Chapter Board of Directors and former chair of the local chapter’s criminal division. He previously served on the Federal Magistrate Judge Selection and Reappointment Committee and has served on the Court’s Criminal Justice Act Panel, representing indigent clients, for over a decade.
After law school, Ian clerked for the Honorable Sarah S. Vance of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Honorable Edith Brown Clement of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Ian recently received his L.L.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law.
Updated Feb 2026
Successfully obtained probation for many clients accused of crimes calling for significant jail time.
Obtained reversals of student disciplinary findings, including Title IX findings of responsibility, through disciplinary appeals and federal litigation.
Resolved criminal investigations without indictment or through favorable plea bargains.
- Litigated numerous successful appeals of civil and criminal matters before the Fifth Circuit, Louisiana appellate courts, and the Louisiana Supreme Court.
- Commercial disputes
- Tax disputes
- White collar crime
- L.L.M. Taxation, New York University School of Law (2024)
- J.D., University of Virginia School of Law (2008)
- B.A., Tulane University (2005)
- Louisiana State Bar Association (2008)
- Federal Bar Association - New Orleans Chapter
- New Orleans Bar Association
- Louisiana (2008)