The Early Days of the Firm

The firm of Crull, Castaing & Lilly is a full service law partnership with primary emphasis in criminal law and civil litigation. The firm was founded by F. Irvin Dymond (1914 - 1998), who graduated from Tulane Law School in 1937 and began practicing law in New Orleans. With the outbreak of World War II, he entered the war as a naval officer and saw combat in both the Atlantic and Pacific campaigns. His ship, USS Bismarck Sea, was sunk at the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.

Following the War, Mr. Dymond returned to New Orleans and resumed his law practice in the First National Bank of commerce Building, 210 Baronne Street. Mr. Dymond was joined in 1962 by William L. Crull, III (deceased), who had just graduated from Loyola Law School after serving as a Navy Officer in the Korean conflict and then engaging in the insurance business. Together, Irvin and Bill became legendary in the field of criminal law and general litigation. In particular, Mr. Dymond gained national recognition for his successful defense of Clay Shaw in 1969, who had been charged by District Attorney Jim Garrison with conspiracy to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. Mr. Dymond was the Dean of New Orleans criminal trial practitioners for many years.

After graduating from Tulane Law School in 1971 and practicing in real estate and commercial law as an associate of Montgomery, Barnett, Brown and Read (now Montgomery, Barnett, Brown, Read, Hammond & Mintz), Edward J. Castaing, Jr., joined Dymond and Crull seeking the opportunity to practice criminal law under the renown duo. In 1991, Edward J. Lilly joined the firm after receiving his Masters in Energy and Environmental Law and practicing several years in oil and gas law with Shell Oil.

Crull, Castaing & Lilly Today

Upon the passing of Mr. Dymond, the firm’s surviving partners included Bill Crull, Eddie Castaing and Ed Lilly. The diverse legal backgrounds of these attorneys coupled with the years of practice under Mr. Dymond’s guidance has led to the firm’s continued success, not just in the practice of criminal law, but in other Practice Areas as well.

While the firm has changed office buildings a couple of times since its inception, it has never left, and will never leave, the great City of New Orleans. Today, Crull, Castaing & Lilly is located across the street from the Federal Courthouse in the Pan American Life Building, in the heart of the Central Business District at:

601 Poydras Street, Suite #2323
New Orleans, LA 70130

For additional information about the firm or to schedule an appointment with any of the attorneys,
please Contact Us.