Beaujeaux de Lapouyade, Esq.

Biography

Beaujeaux “Beau” de Lapouyade devotes her legal practice to first-party property insurance claim disputes and bad faith insurance litigation. She protects the interests of residential and commercial property owners and helps maximize recovery for losses after catastrophe.

Raised in Sarasota, Florida, Beau gained her competitive edge behind the tiller of a J24 sailboat. Her determination and agility to maneuver through choppy waters drew her to the legal field where she navigates oceans of legal uncertainties to support her clients’ cases.

Beau prides herself on meticulous attention to detail and effective client communication to provide a methodical and strategical approach to client matters. She handles windstorm, hurricane, hail, water damage, flood, collapse, ice damming, and agent negligence claims. Beau also helps policyholders recover benefits for business income losses and extra expense coverage. She enjoys advocating on behalf of policyholders with both integrity and tenacity.

Prior to law school, Beau worked as a certified paralegal for a civil litigation firm in cases against Fortune 500 companies. She assisted clients in a wide array of claims, including personal injury, wrongful death, tortious interference with contractual rights, obtaining property by false pretenses, and unfair and deceptive trade practices. This experience reinforced her desire to advocate on plaintiffs’ behalf and provide exceptional client service to the underdog.

My paralegal work definitely solidified my decision to advocate for plaintiffs. I am grateful for the ability to hold insurance carriers accountable and feel a great sense of satisfaction when the insurer pays its insured a just and fair amount under the policy.

Beau’s strong legal research and writing skills have influenced her legal career. During law school, she clerked for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. She drafted bench memoranda recommending case disposition as well as court orders and opinions. Beau also clerked for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. She served on the Executive Board of the Moot Court Honor Board and as an Associate Editor of “Law Review.”

Today, Beau works directly under the firm’s founder, William F. “Chip” Merlin, Jr., and has authored many of the firm’s “Merlin Law Guides” providing public adjusters with valuable legal information. When she is not advocating on policyholders’ behalf, Beau enjoys sailing, playing soccer, traveling, and watching football.

To learn more about insurance claim disputes from Beau, read her valuable contributions to the Merlin Law Group Blog here.