A native of New Orleans, John Musser obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and his law degree from Tulane University Law School.  He began his career at another local maritime law firm, before joining Murphy Rogers in 1996 and later becoming a director.

John’s practice includes general casualty and personal injury defense, insurance coverage disputes, and commercial litigation, with an emphasis in admiralty, employers' liability and workers' compensation matters. He also handles commercial real estate disputes, construction litigation, and environmental and toxic tort matters.  In addition to his litigation work, John routinely counsels businesses concerning risks in his areas of practice.

John is actively involved in several bar associations – the American Bar Association, where from 2003-06 he served as Vice-Chair and Membership Coordinator of the Admiralty and Maritime Committee of the Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section; the Louisiana Bar Association, where he has served on the House of Delegates; the New Orleans Bar Association; the Bar Association of the Federal Fifth Circuit; the Maritime Law Association; and the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. He is on the editorial board of the Louisiana Bar Journal, and serves on the Practice Assistance and Improvement and Client Assistance Fund Committees of the Louisiana Bar Association.

John has testified as an expert witness in maritime law before the Maritime Tribunal for the Republic of Panama on behalf of the prevailing party, is a Proctor in Admiralty (as determined by the Maritime Law Association of the United States), and has also taught continuing legal education to fellow attorneys. His publications include “Try a Little Less Tenderness: A Proposal for Presenting Expert Testimony,” Louisiana Bar Journal (Dec 2017 / Jan 2018), in conjunction with Tarryn Walsh.  John has been honored by his colleagues with a Martindale-Hubbell "A-V" rating, and has been named a Louisiana Super Lawyer in Transportation/Maritime since 2020.

State Bar Admissions

• Louisiana, 1993

Court Admissions

• All Louisiana State Courts

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1994

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 1993

• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, 1993

• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, 1993

Education

• Tulane University Law School

J.D., cum laude, 1993

Certificate in Environmental Law

• University of Virginia

B.A., Psychology and American Government, 1990