Van Mayhall III enjoys solving problems. As a corporate attorney for Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, he deals with mergers and acquisitions, focusing specifically on insurance regulatory law and the complex transactions it involves. But for Mayhall, the problem-solving process is what makes the work fun because it involves collaborating with clients and other consultants to devise practical and unique solutions to the many challenges.
“I believe there is a solution to every problem, and it’s just a matter of getting the right people together with the right knowledge and expertise,” says Mayhall. “Putting in hard work leads to a reasonable solution.”
A native of Baton Rouge, Mayhall received his law degree in 2001 from LSU Law School. After he began practicing as an attorney full-time, he went back to night school and received an MBA from LSU in 2005.
Family plays a large role in his professional and personal life. He works with his father, Van Mayhall Jr., and his younger sister, Sunny Mayhall Delacroix.
Mayhall recalls growing up in the firm, handling a variety of jobs—from runner to law clerk.
“The first job I had when we moved into this building in the ’80s was carrying boxes from one office to the other,” he says. “I was 10, so I think that’s when I was paid in M&Ms.”
But Mayhall says that his sons, Van IV, age 6, and Gabriel, age 3, are his two most important partners.
Over his 11-year career in law, the insurance industry has seen a steady increase in state regulation as well as a surge of federal laws that affect insurance companies. Now that the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, Mayhall sees this trend continuing.
In the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers, he was named a “Rising Star” in the area of Corporate Governance and Compliance, and he is a recommended insurance attorney by A.M. Best. He is a member of the Small Business Council of the BRAC and the Federation of Regulatory Counsel.
“I think staying true to who you are is important,” says Mayhall of the philosophy that helps him balance his high-powered career with the other important aspects of his life. Mayhall is the author of the Insurance Regulatory blog, which features discussion as well as commentary on insurance regulatory law. He serves as a volunteer at St. Aloysius Catholic Church and School in his free time.
An astronaut. We did a project in school on the first man to land on the moon and space travel. That really captured my imagination.
Corporate management, I think. A lot of my practice involves advising corporate officers and directors, so I get to see that side of the business, especially in the insurance industry.
I think staying true to who you are is important. Don’t lose yourself in the daily grind and always keep things in perspective. I think if you devote yourself 150% to your daily workload, you can lose the strategic overview and find yourself blind-sided by industry trends or competitive developments.
Baton Rouge is a great community with a lot of really good people here who will go out of their way to help. There’s a real sense of togetherness in a lot of ways.
Tiger Stadium.
Definitely the traffic. I think it’s gone beyond an inconvenience and become a hindrance to the city’s growth and well-being.
Getting out of my own way. Overcoming personal obstacles that don’t need to be obstacles. Making sure to take care of both the daily grind and stay focused on the strategic overview.
Continuing to do what I do now, hopefully even more successfully. Giving more back to this community that has really given so much to me.
