Born and raised in Massachusetts, Alan came to New Orleans to attend Tulane University, where he obtained a B.A. in history in 1982 and his J.D. from the School of Law in 1984.  For twenty five years, his practice has focused on personal injury litigation, particularly in the fields of longshore compensation and Jones Act defense, as well in corporate and business transactions.  Alan leads the firm's longshore defense team, as well as claims arising under the defense Base Act and War Hazards Compensation Act.  He is admitted to practice in all Louisiana and federal courts, as well as the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.  He handles claims across the country.

Alan was recognized by New Orleans CityBusiness as one of the city's Top 50 Lawyers in 2005 and by Louisiana SuperLawyers in 2008.  He is a member of the Louisiana State, American, Federal and New Orleans Bar Associations of Defense Counsel, the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, and the Maritime Law Association of the United States, in which he is a proctor member.  He is a fellow in the Louisiana Bar Foundation, where he serves on the IOLTA grants committee.  He is an Assistant Bar Examiner for the State of Louisiana and has served as general counsel to a member of the Advisory Board of the Greater New Orleans Barge Fleeting Association since 1994.  He is a contributing author to The Longshore Textbook and has served as Chairman of the Advisory Committee and Seminar Moderator for Loyola Law School's Annual Longshore Conference since 1998.  He has lectured at numerous maritime, labor, and workers' compensation law seminars around the country and abroad.

In addition to his professional activities, Alan serves on the finance and investment committees of Christ Church Cathedral, is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Martin's Episcopal School, serves as the International Vice President of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Delta Tau Delta Educational Foundation.