The energy litigation team at Baker Botts L.L.P. has a strong track record in handling high-end oil and gas cases in the US, on behalf of clients across the industry, including multinationals, service companies, pipelines, refiners and major trade organizations. The practice encompasses the entire range of oil and gas mandates, including environmental incidents, energy transition and litigation arising from the aftermath of Winter Storm Uri. Other key areas of expertise include price gouging, restructuring, business interruptions, force majeure and liability due to the oil price collapse. The team is led by William Kroger, who has considerable experience advising clients on a wide array of oil and gas, renewables and power disputes, while Louie Layrisson handles litigation across the US and before various arbitral institutions on behalf of investors, developers and manufacturers. Jason Newman acts for energy clients in disputes stemming from horizontal development in Texas and throughout the US. Tina Nguyen is an experienced trial lawyer who works with oil and gas and renewable clients on lease and power purchase agreements, royalty obligations, pricing disputes and nuisance claims. Senior associate Chauntelle Wood is skilled in royalty and pipeline disputes, while Benjamin Gonsoulin has experience in disputes involving industrial accidents, environmental contamination and toxic tort claims.

Praised for its ‘elite courtroom skills’, Gibbs & Bruns LLP exclusively handles high-profile commercial litigation. While based in Houston, the firm has a national reach and represents a broad client base, ranging from tech start-ups to major entities in the oil and gas sector. Founding partner Robin Gibbs is a veteran of the industry, with over 50 years' experience in handling high-stakes business and commercial litigation, while Kathy Patrick is relied upon by industry powerhouses, such as Occidental, in handling high-end issues. Barrett Reasoner is adept in handling business-critical disputes for energy companies and Brian Ross is highly recommended, with a docket that includes prominent force majeure disputes stemming from Winter Storm Uri. Mark Giugliano is another key contact in the group, with considerable experience in multi-party commercial litigation, while Sam Cruse, who is commended as ‘a highly effective courtroom lawyer and negotiator’, is noted for his expertise in the energy and finance sectors.

Counting prominent oil and gas corporations, including Chevron and ConocoPhilips, among its key roster of clients, the trial and global disputes team at King & Spalding LLP handles litigation arising from high-end lawsuits surrounding climate change attribution, environmental justice, decommissioning and further disputes concerning the energy transition. Other key areas of expertise include toxic torts, trade secrets, royalties and administrative agency litigation. The team is led from Houston by Tracie Renfroe, who acts on toxic tort, environmental and commercial disputes civil jury trials, class actions and arbitrations, while San Francisco-based Charles Correll specializes in environmental litigation and mass torts on both a domestic and international scale. Andrew Stakelum handles onshore and offshore litigation, with unique experience supporting energy companies operating on the Gulf Coast, while Elizabeth Taber represents clients in the oilfield services industry in high-stakes litigation involving catastrophic injuries, environmental contamination and mass torts. Houston-based Robert Meadows, who represents clients across state and federal courts, is another key contact in the group.

With lawyers based in Texas and Washington DC, Kirkland & Ellis LLP’s energy litigation department supports oil and gas clients before all federal and state agencies, including testifying to congress, the Department of Energy and FERC. The firm also has considerable experience in international arbitration, supporting multinational energy corporates in regulatory proceedings before the EU. Houston-based Anna Rotman has significant first-chair trial experience in business disputes and restructuring on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants, while Dallas’ Jeremy Fielding handles high-end commercial litigation in state and federal courts. Daniel Donovan acts on a broad range of energy issues and Ragan Naresh litigates civil disputes in the energy and agriculture sectors.

Covering all facets of the industry, the energy trial attorneys at Holland & Knight LLP represent a series of prominent clients in the oil and gas sector, including major national oil corporations, service providers, power project developers and private equity companies. The team handles a broad range of litigation cases, regularly acting on disputes surrounding exploration, class actions, lease agreements, title litigation and royalties. Members of the team also have experience as experts, mediators and arbitrators in international energy disputes. Dallas-based Gregory Binns focuses on complex litigation for major oil and gas companies, midstream companies and interest owners, and jointly leads the practice alongside Juan Alcalá and Tim Moran, who operate from the firm's Austin and New York respectively. Craig Haynes represents independents and gas plant owners in royalty litigation, class actions, pricing disputes and operational issues, while Greg Curry, whose practice covers royalty litigation, securities issues and surface use mandates, is another key contact in the group.

Norton Rose Fulbright has considerable experience representing oil corporations, pipelines, energy traders and oil field service companies on both a domestic and international scale. Counting some of the industry's biggest players among its key roster of clients, the team acts before state and federal courts across the country in upstream, midstream and downstream cases, and houses a dynamic arbitration practice, acting on high-stakes disputes. Houston-based Melanie Rother leads the team with a national trial practice focused on business litigation in the energy sector on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants. Daniel McClure handles a range of commercial litigation cases, including class actions, royalty disputes, contract disputes and Qui Tam False Claims Act actions. Reagan Brown focuses on trial, arbitration and appellate litigation, while San Antonio’s Jeffrey Webb acts on litigation arising from upstream, midstream and oil field services activities. Praised for her ‘strong advocacy skills’, Carter Dugan is another key member of the group, handling energy arbitration matters.

The energy litigation team at Vinson & Elkins LLP acts on a broad range of energy disputes in the oil and gas sector, both domestically and internationally, including cases surrounding transportation of oil and gas, contract disputes, royalty litigation and class actions. Disputes specific to shale and hydraulic manufacturing are another key area of expertise. Dallas-based Matthew Stammel heads the energy litigation practice group, frequently representing oil and gas companies and private equity firms in commercial disputes, while Houston’s Jim Thompson co-leads the wider litigation department, with over 35 years’ experience handling lawsuits, appeals and domestic and international arbitration for clients in the oil and gas sector. Nicholas Shum has considerable experience litigating contracts involving upstream, midstream and oilfield services companies, while also handling significant antitrust and trade secrets matters. Stephanie Noble was promoted to partner at the end of 2022, with a track record for representing clients in energy, contract, shareholder and construction disputes. Jason Fleischer joined the team from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in February 2023.

Praised as an ‘excellent team’, who are ‘strong and effective’, Bracewell LLP acts for industry leaders in the oil and gas sector, such as Chevron and Apache, in high-profile litigation cases, as both defendants and litigators, with demonstrable experience in arbitrations relating to royalty ownership, oil and gas co-tenancies and class actions. Houston-based Stephen Crain chairs the firm's wider litigation group, representing developers, producers, commodity traders and suppliers in the energy sector across a broad range of disputes, including those surrounding alleged violations of securities law. Following the departures of Sean Gorman, Christopher Dodson and Andrew Zeve to White & Case LLP in February 2023, Crain jointly leads the team alongside Deanna King, who also operates from the firm's Houston office.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is adept at handling FERC enforcement and litigation cases on behalf of major players in the oil and gas sector, such as TotalEnergies. The team regularly supports clients on regulatory litigation mandates, including rate proceedings, investigations, complaints and acquisitions. William Holloway is a key contact in the group, based in Washington DC, with a client roster consisting of independent power producers and transmission companies. Hollaway chairs the firm's energy regulation and litigation practice and has considerable experience standing before the FERC, while Janine Durand, who advises on energy-related transactions and administrative litigation, is another key member of the team. Jason Fleischer, Jeffrey Jakubiak and Jennifer Mansh left the firm to join Vinson & Elkins LLP in February 2023.

Based in Texas, Haynes and Boone, L.L.P. focuses on litigation surrounding highly technical oil and gas issues, in addition to commercial litigation cases. The practice counts prominent market players, including ConocoPhillips and Shell, among its key roster of clients. With experience in state and federal courts, as well as in international arbitration, the team has experience across a wide range of disputes, including operating agreements, lease termination disputes, royalty litigation and midstream disputes. Craig Stahl handles high-end commercial litigation across the majority of oil-producing states between the Gulf of Mexico and the Canadian border, on behalf of major energy producers, pipelines, marketers and royalty trustees. Michael Mazzone frequently represents companies in environmental contamination disputes, as well as toxic tort cases and construction litigation, while Jeffrey Kuehnle handles a broad range of cases arising out of the oil and gas industry in the federal and state courts.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP represents integrated oil and gas companies, natural gas pipeline companies, natural gas producers and developers of LNG facilities on a broad range of disputes. The energy litigation practice regularly acts for clients before FERC, as well as appellate courts, federal bankruptcy courts and state courts. The team advises on all aspects of environmental issues relating to oil and gas permitting, construction, operation and maintenance, as well as defending against administrative, civil and criminal enforcement matters. Additionally, audits, compliance and enforcement issues are commonly handled by the group, as well as oil pipeline regulatory mandates. Washington DC-based Deidre Duncan, who specialises in natural resources and water law, leads the practice alongside Dallas’ Myles Reynolds, who acts for natural gas utilities and midstream companies, and Houston-based Michael Morfey.

McGuireWoods LLP represent clients in the energy sector across a range of high-stakes, high-profile litigation, in addition to advising on regulatory matters, internal investigations and appeals. The team is frequently involved in bet-the-company litigation relating to subjects including climate change and notably, the firm has a strong nationwide reputation for its handling of catastrophic litigation, often surrounding pipeline explosions and overpressure events. This work is frequently led by Brian Jackson, managing partner of the Charlottesville office, who often acts on high-exposure jury cases for energy, transportation and manufacturing companies. In Pittsburgh, Greg Krock handles litigation surrounding contract disputes, unfair competition claims and toxic tort cases.

Housing a team of experienced trial lawyers and former regulators, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP acts for its roster of clients in court, arbitration and regulatory proceedings, and is well-equipped to handle a variety of mandates, including class actions, disputes between developers and purchasers, partnership disputes, administrative litigation, eminent domain and use of LNG terminal facilities. Washington DC-based Brad Fagg handles federal procurement matters, as well as contractual disputes and government and internal investigations. In Houston, experienced trial lawyer Michelle Pector focuses on litigation concerning severe weather events, trade secret disputes and supply chain disputes, while Los Angeles-based James Dragna leads the firm’s environmental practice with the support of John McGahren in Princeton.

Noted for its litigation experience in state and federal courts, Houston-based Reynolds Frizzell LLP has a strong track record representing clients as both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes business disputes, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations. Key areas of expertise include contract disputes, securities, antitrust, trade secret theft and class action lawsuits. Chris Reynolds focuses on commercial and business litigation, in addition to arbitration, in highly technical industries such as oil and gas and electricity trading, while Jean Frizzell is frequently involved in litigations and arbitrations as lead trial counsel concerning securities mandates and contractual disputes. Reynolds and Frizzell jointly lead the practice.

Based in New Orleans, the energy, environment and natural resources team at Jones Walker LLP is a major player in the Louisiana market, working on a range of energy litigation cases, including those in relation to carbon capture and state regulation. The practice is also noted for its experience in handling high-stakes litigation before the FERC, involving upstream business issues, regulatory enforcement proceedings, and litigation involving major damages exposure. Marjorie McKeithen, who regularly serves as project counsel for large energy infrastructure projects, jointly leads the team alongside Grady Hurley, who is experienced in maritime and oilfield litigation. Alida Hainkel handles offshore and onshore disputes in state and federal court, while Jonathan Hunter guides exploration and production companies through matters surrounding federal statutes.

K&L Gates frequently acts as trial and appellate counsel to major clients in the upstream oil and gas industry, and defends lessees in multi-jurisdictional litigation brought by royalty owners, as well as litigating hydraulic fracturing cases and eminent domain. Other key areas of expertise include advising on issues impacting oil and gas operations in unconventional production areas. Jamie Lavergne Bryan, who splits her time between Fort Worth and Houston, represents oil and gas producers and pipeline companies in multi-district litigation, and jointly leads the practice alongside London-based Clare Kempkens. The Fort Worth office is also home to Jeffrey King, who has experience in multi-district and class action litigation, and Elizabeth Tiblets, who is commended as ‘smart, tenacious, and knows the industry very well’.

Based in Houston, the litigation team at Porter Hedges LLP has considerable experience representing energy companies in all aspects of their business, including royalty litigation, leasehold and land disputes, unitization agreements, environmental matters and exploration agreements. The team is led by Joe Cohen, while Stephen Lee represent clients in a variety of litigation matters, including contracts, trade secrets, product liability, construction and employment disputes. Eric Wade handles a broad range of business and commercial litigation in the energy sector, while Joe Thompson has a strong focus on oil and gas disputes. Stephanie Holcombe is another key contact in the group.

Operating out of the firm's Washington DC, the energy team at Venable LLP acts as lead regulatory and litigation shipper counsel in crude oil, petroleum and NG pipeline cases before the FERC, with demonstrable experience in litigation surrounding market rates, ROE development and other major pipeline cost and revenue issues. Richard Powers leads the practice and focuses on crude oil, petroleum and NGL regulatory and litigation cases before the FERC and other public utility commissions. Steven Adducci frequently represents trade associations in the energy sector, while Matthew Field has experience litigating discrimination and jurisdictional issues before the FERC. Gregory Wagner has considerable experience in the regulated crude oil and petroleum products industries.

Winston & Strawn LLP’s Houston-based oil and gas litigation practice is routinely involved in high-stakes litigation for prominent clients, such as BP and Occidental Petroleum. The fully-integrated team is well-placed to leverage the expertise of the firm's M&A, finance and tax departments, to advise on a wide range of energy mandates. Hugh Tanner chairs the firm’s litigation practice, regularly appearing in mediations, arbitrations and disputes in the energy sector, while Paula Hinton is often involved in bet-the-company commercial litigation in the oil and gas industry. Denise Scofield runs the litigation practice in Houston, handling business disputes and conducting internal investigations, as well as acting as counsel to clients in cases concerning crisis management.