Firms To Watch: Energy litigation: oil and gas

In January 2023, White & Case LLP bolstered its commercial litigation practice with a trio of arrivals. Sean Gorman joined from Bracewell LLP, alongside accomplished courtroom lawyer Christopher Dodson and Andrew Zeve, former co-chair of the firm’s energy litigation practice.

Energy litigation: oil and gas in United States

Baker Botts L.L.P.

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.


Practice head(s):

William Kroger


Other key lawyers:

Louie Layrisson; Jason Newman; Tina Nguyen; Ben Gonsoulin; Chauntelle Wood


Key clients

Chevron U.S.A., Inc.


ConocoPhillips


Courson Oil & Gas


Dura-Bond Industries, Inc.


Emirates National Oil Company Limited


EOG Resources


Exxon Mobil Corporation


Halliburton Company


Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.


Hess Corporation


Intercontinental Terminals Company LLC


JGE Gas Solutions, LP


Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline, LLC


Koch Energy Services


Matador Resources Company


Murphy Oil Corporation


Occidental Petroleum Corporation


Ovintiv USA Inc.


Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.


Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC


Shell Oil Company


Southwestern Energy


Sunoco, LP


Work highlights


  • Representing EOG in a series of disputes in the Powder River Basin with a large landowner in Wyoming over the current and future use of his property for oil and gas development.
  • Representing Southwestern Energy, an independent natural gas and natural gas liquids company, in litigation and parallel regulatory matters relating to historical and ongoing exploration and production activities in the Haynesville shale play in North Louisiana.
  • Represents Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC in over 100 individual lawsuits in state and federal court where plaintiffs, combined, seek millions in damages for the alleged misallocation of production and underpayment of royalties in Repsol’s Eagle Ford Shale operations for nearly 4,000 royalty owners.

Gibbs & Bruns LLP

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.


Practice head(s):

Robin Gibbs; Kathy Patrick; Barret Reasoner


Other key lawyers:

Brian Ross; Mark Giugliano; Andi Gulley; Sam Cruse; David Sheeren


Testimonials

‘Excellent lawyers, subject-matter experts, great use of technology and elite courtroom skills.’

‘Sam Cruse is my first call for high stakes oil and gas litigation matters.  He has successfully handled several high stakes oil and gas contract and royalties disputes for us.  He is a highly effective courtroom lawyer and negotiator.’

Key clients

Occidental Petroleum


Enterprise Products


Lone Star Production Company


Anadarko Petroleum Corp.


Quantum Energy Partners


Kinder Morgan


Tennessee Gas Pipeline


GR Lift LP


Mesquite Energy


Tanos Exploration


Pioneer Natural Resources, Inc.


Warwick-Athena LLC


Sanchez Oil & Gas


Jonah Energy


Workrise f/k/a RigUp, Inc.


RDV Resource Properties LLC


Sunrise Oil and Gas Properties, LLC


Work highlights


  • Representing plaintiff client Lone Star in a breach of contract, breach of fiduciary and good-faith duties matter.
  • Representing Occidental Chemical Corporation in a suit filed in June 2018, in which Occidental is seeking contribution from more than 100 defendants for, among other costs, the $165 million Occidental has agreed to spend to design the dredge-and-cap remedy for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
  • Acting in an engineering/construction plaintiff’s suit involving $1bn+ in cost overruns, settled favorably for Enterprise Products.

King & Spalding LLP

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.


Practice head(s):

Tracie Renfroe


Other key lawyers:

Robert Meadows; Charles Correll; Tim Engel; Elizabeth Taber; Craig Stanfield; Andrew Stakelum; Craig Ledet


Key clients

Baker Hughes


Chevron Corporation


Chevron Phillips Chemical Company


ConocoPhillips


G2X Energy


Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.


Refinería de Cartagena S.A. (Reficar)


Shell


Exterran


Work highlights


  • Represented Chevron in an investment treaty arbitration against the Republic of Ecuador seated in the Hague, arising out of a US$9.5 billion Ecuadorian court judgment (the “Lago Agrio” judgment) against Chevron for alleged environmental harm caused by historical oilfield operations. In June 2022, a Dutch appeals court dismissed Ecuador’s renewed bid to overturn the award.
  • Obtained a key win for client Exterran in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas in a lawsuit brought by Iberoamerica de Hidrocarburos, S.A. (IHSA) alleging tortious interference with IHSA’s contracts with Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the Mexican state-owned oil company.
  • Representing Baker Hughes in litigation arising from chlorinated solvent contamination near Baker Hughes subsidiary Dresser, LLC’s former valve manufacturing and refurbishing facility in Pineville, Louisiana.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

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.

Other key lawyers:

Anna Rotman; Jeremy Fielding; Daniel Donovan; Ragan Naresh; Kenneth Young; Ben Barnes; Holly Trogdon


Key clients

Amplify Energy Corporation


Bayou City Energy Management LLC


Chesapeake Energy Corporation


Expedi, Inc. d/b/a GoExpedi


Fleur De Lis Energy


Gulfport Energy Corporation


Howard Midstream Energy Partners, LLC


Peaker Power, LLC


Rice Drilling


TOTAL Energies E&P USA, Inc. and TOTAL Energies Specialties USA, Inc.


Ultra Petroleum Corp.


Chord Energy


EQT Corporation


Energy Transfer Partners


Targa Resources Partners


BP plc and affiliates


Diversified Energy


Marathon Oil Corporation


Hess Corporation


Work highlights


  • Representing Amplify in connection with the rupture of its offshore oil pipeline near the California coast. Dozens of lawsuits were filed in connection with the event by individuals and purported classes in the Southern District of California and California state courts.
  • Representing Hess in four class actions concerning the application of North Dakota law to oil and gas leases.
  • Representing a group of 21 clients that are either natural gas companies or electricity generators operating within the state of Texas. They are all part of a state court multi-district litigation that involves 150+ cases and 160+ defendants.

Holland & Knight LLP

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.


Practice head(s):

Gregory Binns; Juan Alcalá; Tim Moran


Other key lawyers:

Craig Haynes; Greg Curry


Key clients

Petrobras America Inc./Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.


Three Rivers Operating Company/Three Rivers Acquisition LLC


Work highlights


  • Successfully defended Roxo Energy, LLC and Vortus Investments in trial regarding mineral interest fraud claims, in which the jury unanimously found for the defendants, and defendants were awarded a take nothing judgment

Norton Rose Fulbright

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.


Practice head(s):

Melanie Rother


Other key lawyers:

Daniel McClure; Reagan Brown; Jeffrey Webb; Carter Dugan


Testimonials

‘A top firm for oil and gas disputes. Subject-matter experts. Excellent use of technology.’

‘Dan McClure is a master at oil and gas disputes. He is extremely smart and quick on his feet. A true expert in oil and gas litigation.’

‘Talented and thorough lawyers with strong industry knowledge.’

‘Reagan Brown is an exceptional trial lawyer who connects with juries and delivers great outcomes. He knows the facts of his case cold and can argue the law effectively.’

‘Carter Dugan is bright and works as an effective field marshal in complex commercial cases. She has strong advocacy skills and makes her points effectively with an un-bombastic style.’

Key clients

EOG Resources, Inc.


Shell


DCP Midstream LP


ExxonMobil Oil Corporation


Chevron


Merit Energy Company, LLC


TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company


Occidental Petroleum Company (including Anadarko Petroleum Corporation matters)


Eclipse Resources (now a subsidiary of Montage Resources Corporation)


Western Gas Partners, LP


Phillips 66


Energy Transfer Partners


Work highlights


  • Representing EOG Resources in multiple class actions.
  • Obtained a no liability jury verdict in which plaintiff asserted allegations of breach of contract and tortious interference against global energy company.
  • Representing Western Gas (WES) in a declaratory judgment action.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP’s energy practice encompasses all forms of disputes, representing both start-ups and established titans of the industry. Key areas of expertise include environmental claims, pipelines, joint ventures, energy trading and exploration, in addition to international arbitrations between energy companies and foreign governments, often surrounding bilateral investment treaties and the Energy Charter Treaty. Washington DC-based Karl Stern leads the team in Houston, handling litigation arising from high-value transactions in the energy sector, including joint ventures, international energy investments, gas and power trading and sale of assets. New York’s Sanford Weisburst is co-chair of the firm’s energy practice and its national appellate practice, handling energy matters at the administrative agency, trial court and appellate levels, while Christopher Porter focuses on litigation relating to breach of contract and trade secret claims, as well as business torts and antitrust disputes.

Practice head(s):

Karl Stern; Sanford Weisburst


Other key lawyers:

Chris Porter; Kate Shih; Patrick King; David Orta; Michael Young


Key clients

UMB Bank, N.A.


TRC Operating Company, Inc. and TRC Cypress Group, LLC


Steptoe LLP

Counting prominent market players, such as ConocoPhillips, Enbridge and Colonial, among its key roster of clients, Steptoe LLP has a strong track record in defending pipeline companies before FERC and appellate courts. Noted for its capability in representing oil pipeline companies, the Washington DC-based practice also has experience working with natural gas pipelines companies in litigation relating to pipeline transactions, project development, pipeline safety and accident response and FERC enforcement issues. Furthermore, presidential permits for cross-border pipelines is a key area of specialism. Joshua Runyan, who represents clients on the construction, operation and maintenance of major pipeline projects, has considerable experience in enforcement proceedings and works with a number of federal and state agencies on regulatory issues and environmental reviews. Jennifer Quinn-Barabanov co-leads the firm’s commercial litigation group, focusing on high-stakes commercial and class action disputes. Daniel Poynor and Monique Watson jointly lead the team.


Practice head(s):

Daniel Poynor; Monique Watson


Other key lawyers:

Joshua Runyan; Jennifer Quinn-Barabanov; Shaun Boedicker


Testimonials

‘Excellent combination of industry know-how and understanding of key legal/regulatory issues, and strong legal advocacy.’

‘Joshua Runyan stands out for understanding the nuances of our industry and combining that with strong legal advocacy.’

Key clients

Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership


Colonial Pipeline Company


Northern Natural Gas Company


Sempra Energy


Eddystone Rail Company LLC (ERC)


ExxonMobil Pipeline Co/Mustang Pipeline LLC


The Southern Company


Sempra Energy


ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.


Williams Companies


Liquid Energy Pipeline Association


Work highlights


  • Representing Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership and its entities regarding various matters related to the operation of its Line 5 Dual Pipelines.
  • Representing Eddystone Rail in multiple contract dispute cases, including securing a significant win for our client Eddystone Rail Company, an Enbridge affiliate.
  • Successfully defended Colonial Pipeline Company in a claim that raises important questions for regulated entities like Colonial about the scope of the filed rate doctrine.

Susman Godfrey LLP

Based in Houston, Susman Godfrey LLP handles high-end energy disputes, both onshore and offshore domestically and internationally. Key areas of expertise include claims arising from field operations, disputes between operators and service providers, mid-stream disputes and power litigation. Additionally, the team is currently handling service disruption cases across the southern states in connection to Winter Storm Uri. Practice leader Neal Manne represents major energy clients on both the plaintiff and defendant side, and is currently representing Chevron in nationwide litigation surrounding climate change. Tom Paterson has over 35 years’ experience in energy litigation, handling noteworthy case for major clients, such as Apache and Hess, while Erica Harris has a broad practice which spans from contract disputes to class action environmental litigation.


Practice head(s):

Neal Manne


Other key lawyers:

Tom Paterson; Erica Harris; Lexie White; Barry Barnett; Geoffrey Harrison; Bill Merrill; Ashley McMillian; Weston O’Black; Alexander Kaplan


Key clients

Chevron


Apache


Rayos Energy


CenterPoint Energy


Macquarie


Vitol


Luminant


Talen Montana, LLC


Hess


ConocoPhillips


Work highlights


  • Represented CenterPoint Energy in pursuing claims against various gas suppliers in connection with the unprecedented spikes in natural gas costs that occurred as a result of February 2021’s Winter Storm Uri.
  • Secured a complete defensive win for Apache Corporation when the Southern District of Texas granted in full a motion to dismiss a royalty class action brought by a putative class of plaintiffs who alleged – contrary to existing law – that Apache breached thousands of mineral leases by allegedly underpaying royalties.
  • Successfully resolved its client TotalEnergies’ business interruption claims against Intercontinental Terminals Company in connection with a major chemical storage tank fire that began on March 17, 2019 at its petrochemical terminal located along the Houston Ship Channel.

Vinson & Elkins LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Jim Thompson; Matthew Stammel


Other key lawyers:

Philip Dye; Chris Popov; Nicholas Shum; Jeremy Marwell; Stephanie Noble; Jason Fleischer


Key clients

Antero Resources Corporation


Denbury Resources Inc.


Anadarko


Vitol Inc.


Apache Corporation


Magellan Midstream Partners L.P.


Gavilan Resources, LLC


CNOOC Energy U.S.A. LLC


Work highlights


  • Representing Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC in pending appellate litigation related to the Rio Grande LNG project, a proposed LNG export facility and connected interstate natural gas pipeline.
  • Defended Denbury Onshore, LLC in a declaratory judgment and breach of contract action filed against it by MonexCO2, LLC.
  • Acting as lead counsel for Antero Treatment LLC, who are suing Veolia Water Technologies, Inc., who failed to design and construct the Clearwater Facility in accordance with the contractual requirements, for fraud, breach of contract, and other claims.

Bracewell LLP

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 GormanChristopher 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.


Practice head(s):

Stephen Crain; Deanna King


Other key lawyers:

Bradley Benoit; Stephen Benesh; William Moss; Christopher Dodson


Testimonials

‘Excellent team, strong and effective. Professional, pragmatic and good judgement.’

‘Chris Dodson demonstrated strong and effective leadership assembling a team that enabled a perfect outcome. His judgement, ability to listen, provide feedback and counsel made our case successful.’

‘Excellent team for complicated oil and gas disputes.’

Key clients

Apache Corporation


EnerQuest Oil and Gas, Inc. and Braxton Minerals III, LLC


The Bank of New York Mellon


Chemoil Corporation


Manti Equity Partners


Foro Energy


Chevron USA Inc.


Natixis, New York branch


Offshore Exploration and Production, LLC


Catena Resources LLC


Work highlights


  • Successfully represented EnerQuest Oil and Gas, Inc. and Braxton Minerals III, LLC in a contentious fight alleging trade secret violations and mineral interest ownership procured from alleged trade secrets of opposing party.
  • Representing Chemoil in a multi-patent infringement litigation against ProFuel, LLC in the Eastern District of Texas (Sherman Division) relating to on-site refuelling systems. We also are preparing and prosecuting patent applications on behalf of Chemoil.
  • Representing Chevron in a dispute arising from natural gas sales during Winter Storm Uri.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

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.

Other key lawyers:

William Hollaway; Janine Durand


Key clients

Versant Power


Westlands Water District


IMG Energy Solutions


Neptune Regional Transmission System


TotalEnergies Gas and Power North America, Inc.; TotalEnergies, S.E.; TotalEnergies Gas and Power Ltd.


Hudson Transmission Partners


Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables


TC Energy


Tampa Electric Company


Energy Transfer and Rover Pipeline


Haynes and Boone, L.L.P.

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.


Practice head(s):

Craig Stahl; Michael Mazzone


Other key lawyers:

Jeffrey Kuehnle; David Ammons; Michelle Scheffler


Testimonials

‘Craig Stahl and Jeff Kuehnle are excellent trial lawyers. They are experienced, knowledgeable, and responsive. I trust them to work on some of our company’s highest stakes litigation.’

‘The attorneys are responsive, client-focused, and are very knowledgeable about our industry and the specialized legal issues that we often face in litigation.’

Key clients

Newfield Exploration Company (now Ovintiv USA Inc.)


Finley Resources, Inc.


ConocoPhillips Company


TETRA Technologies


Hess Corporation


Oasis Petroleum North America, LLC


Mewbourne Oil Company


Shell Oil Company


Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company, LP


Citizen Energy LLC


Work highlights


  • Successfully represented Shell Oil Company in a five-week jury trial of environmental contamination claims. Plaintiffs claimed personal injury and property damage from an alleged neighbourhood cluster of asthma, lupus and autoimmune diseases. Plaintiffs’ counsel sought multi-million-dollar damages, including punitive damages. The jury returned a verdict for the company on all claims.
  • Representing Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company, LP in a putative class action alleging late royalty payments by our producer client on thousands of leases in North Dakota. The case presents important questions about the applicability of penalty interest charges under the North Dakota royalty payment statutes.
  • Recently taken over as lead counsel in two cases for Newfield Exploration Company (now Ovintiv USA Inc.): The first, a putative class action alleging improper post-production royalty deductions on royalty payments now pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The second, a precedent-setting matter in North Dakota in which the State of North Dakota claims that it was underpaid royalties on state oil and gas leases in which the Haynes Boone team secured a take-nothing judgment against the State.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Deidre Duncan; Michael Morfey; Myles Reynolds


Other key lawyers:

Shannon Broome; Alex Gomez; Chuck Knauss; Georgia Lucier; Shemin Proctor; John Shepherd; Tom Taylor


Key clients

Calsep A/S (Denmark), Calsep, Inc. (Texas)


Marathon Petroleum Corporation


Equinor U.S. Operations LLC


Ensign Energy Services Inc.


LODA Mud Motor Bearings Inc.


Rover Pipeline LLC


Energy Transfer LP (Sea Robin Pipeline)


Work highlights


  • Representing Calsep pursuing claims against defendants for having stolen Calsep’s trade secret and confidential information.
  • Representing Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Marathon Petroleum Company, LP, and Speedway LLC (Marathon’s former service station and retail arm), playing a lead role in the joint defense groups collectively defending the claims asserted against defendants in matters that are at the forefront of climate change law.
  • Argued and won a unanimous reversal in the Fourth Circuit for client Equinor Onshore Properties, Inc. and secured a landmark victory for the oil and gas industry in West Virginia in a case concerning the royalty-calculation requirements imposed by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals’ decision, Estate of Tawney v. Columbia Natural Resources, which had dramatically limited the ability of oil and gas companies to deduct the royalty costs incurred after extracting oil and gas from the ground.

McGuireWoods LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Anthony Carna


Other key lawyers:

Brian Jackson; Gregory Krock; Andrew Gann


Testimonials

‘A small team of very knowledgeable and experienced individuals.’

‘The partner that handles our account is very knowledgeable and experienced. He is direct and to the point. He gives his opinion and is a great resource for bouncing ideas off of, but he does not waste anyone’s time with unnecessary information or explanations.’

Morgan Lewis

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.


Practice head(s):

Brad Fagg; Michelle Pector; James Dragna; John McGahren


Other key lawyers:

John Gisleson; Ella Foley Gannon; Bryan Killian; Rick Rothman


Key clients

Southern California Gas Company and Sempra Energy


Shell


Duke Energy


Crown Central LLC


Occidental Petroleum Corporation and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation


ExxonMobil


Oxy USA


Sunoco Pipeline L.P.


Buckeye Partners LP and Buckeye PT Terminals LP


Mitsui E&P USA, LLC


ConocoPhillips Company


ExxonMobil


Work highlights


  • Served as coordinating and litigation counsel for SoCalGas and Sempra Energy handling more than 394 individual and government complaints involving more than 48,000 individual plaintiffs, multiple class actions, six derivative/securities lawsuits, one criminal proceeding, a Proposition 65 claim, and several administrative enforcement proceedings, among other matters arising from the natural gas leak at the Aliso Canyon storage facility.
  • Represented Duke Energy in obtaining an agreement from the federal government to pay the company $281 million in breach-of-contract damages for claims based upon the failure of the DOE to accept SNF for disposal from four Duke sites.
  • Represented Buckeye Partners LP and Buckeye PT Terminals LP (together, Buckeye) in prevailing in a Delaware Court of Chancery dispute.

Reed Smith LLP

The energy and natural resources industry group at Reed Smith LLP is active across a broad range of precedent-setting litigation in the oil and gas market, particularly within the Appalachia region. The firm is instructed on business-critical disputes, with a strong track record working on pipeline matters nationwide, in addition to boasting a robust international arbitration practice, active in the oil and gas sector. Pittsburgh-based Nicolle Snyder Bagnell represents natural gas companies in lease disputes, royalty class actions and contract issues, while Houston's Stan Perry, who focuses on toxic tort, product liability and mass tort litigation, jointly leads the practice alongside London-based Prajakt Samant.


Practice head(s):

Prajakt Samant; Stan Perry


Other key lawyers:

Nicolle Snyder Bagnell; Justin Werner; Julie Hardin; Kenneth Broughton; Francisco Rivero; Lucal Liben; Michael Bernick; Megan Haines


Testimonials

‘Strong technical team who are highly commercial – throughout a case, they constantly re-evaluate our strategy within the bigger picture of company objectives. Extremely compelling value proposition within a marketplace that’s getting costlier every year.’

‘Very smart lawyers who are technically strong but think beyond the law to seek to influence the humans on the “other side” of an argument.’

Reynolds Frizzell LLP

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.


Practice head(s):

Chris Reynolds; Jean Frizzell


Other key lawyers:

Jeremy Doyle; Brandon Allen; Michael Oldham; Solace Southwick; Lindsey Raspino; Nathan Smith; Jim Weiss


Key clients

Phoenix Services, LLC


DCP Midstream


Castleton Commodities


Enerfin Resources I Limited Partnership


Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline LLC


Kinder Morgan Tejas Pipeline LLC


Symmetry Energy Solutions, LLC


Huntsman Chemical Corporation.


Pantheon Oil & Gas, LP and Pantheon East Texas, LLC


Goldston Oil Corporation


Work highlights


  • Successful in a jury verdict for Phoenix Services in Oklahoma removing liens and rejecting contractor’s payment claims relating to the design and construction of a 21-mile oilfield saltwater disposal gathering system.
  • Successful on a summary judgment on behalf of Kinder Morgan applying force majeure defense to reject plaintiff’s $125 million sell-back claim.
  • Defending Pantheon Oil & Gas from multimillion-dollar claims asserted by Kinder Morgan under a gas treating agreement.

Hogan Thompson Schuelke LLP

Praised for providing ‘high quality advice in a timely and efficient manner’, litigation boutique Hogan Thompson Schuelke LLP represents plaintiffs and defendants in the energy sector in state and federal court proceedings, as well as arbitration cases, and is active across various oil and gas producing industries, with a particular focus on the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford Shale. Key areas of expertise include upstream and midstream litigation, shale litigation and royalty litigation. Houston-based founding partner Christopher Hogan leads the team and is noted for his expertise in mineral rights disputes, such as pooling and commingling, ownership, and royalty payment issues.


Practice head(s):

Christopher Hogan


Testimonials

‘It is always a positive experience working with Hogan Thompson. They provide high quality advice in a timely and efficient manner.’

‘Chris Hogan is capable of jumping on any matter when called upon.’

Key clients

Chevron


Apache


EOG Resources


BPX (subsidiary of BP plc)


Marathon Oil


Callon Petroleum


Troubadour Energy


Ovintiv


Escondido Resources


Legacy Reserves


BHP


El Dorado Gas & Oil


Siltstone Capital, LLC


Bedrock Energy Partners


Chord Energy


Pocahontas Land


Indorama Ventures


Huntsman Corporation


Nixon51, LLC


Grayson Mill Energy, LLC


Atlas Operating


Enchanted Rock


Air Liquide


Certified Pressure Testing


CPX Energy


Moody National Companies


MetroNational


Hoist & Crane Service Grou


Wisenbaker Builder Services, Inc.


Work highlights


  • Filed a quiet title suit in New Mexico on behalf of Marathon Oil against Chisholm Energy Operating, LLC based on the termination of a term lease executed by Marathon’s and Chisholm’s predecessors in interest.
  • Serving as counsel for oil and gas company in Texas suit for more than $10 million stemming from H2S contamination.
  • Represented Pocahontas Land LLC in a dispute regarding ownership of carbon sequestration rights valued at over $150 million in hundreds of thousands of acres of Appalachian hardwood forests in West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky.

Jones Walker LLP

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.


Practice head(s):

Marjorie McKeithen; Grady Hurley


Other key lawyers:

Jonathan Hunter; Alida Hainkel; Lauren Mastio; Sarah Dicharry; Justin Marocco; Brett Venn


Key clients

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.


Arena Energy


BP America


Chevron Phillips Chemical Company


Chevron USA


Enterprise Products Partners


ExxonMobil


FG LA LLC


Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas LLC


Japan Bank


LLOG Exploration Company, LLC


Talos Energy


Taylor Energy Company, LLC


Tellurian


Tidewater, Inc.


W&T Offshore


The Williams Company


K&L Gates

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’.

Practice head(s):

Jamie Lavergne Bryan; Clare Kempkens


Other key lawyers:

Jeffrey King; Elizabeth Tiblets; Travis Brannon


Testimonials

‘K&L Gates’ energy practice is excellent. The attorneys are creative, responsive, conscientious, and very knowledgeable about the specific issues facing our industry.’

‘Responsive and detailed, but also practical in their advice.’

‘Elizabeth Tiblets is smart, tenacious, and knows the industry very well. She is an excellent attorney in whom I entrust very high stakes litigation.’

‘Jamie Lavergne Bryan just settled a recent matter for us. She did stand out work, particularly on an issue that was complex, and that even the plaintiff and the plaintiff’s attorney did not understand. She was able to put us in a procedural position that helped us negotiate a final settlement’

‘Very knowledgeable team that has added new members over time to enhance its capabilities.’

Key clients

Enterprise Products Partners


TH Exploration II and Tug Hill Operating


TH Exploration


Energy Transfer Marketing and Terminals


Continental Resources, Inc.


SWN Production Company, LLC


Pachira Energy


Range Resources Corporation


Work highlights


  • Represented Continental Resources, Inc. in a case wherein a royalty owner seeking to represent a putative class claimed that Continental had wrongfully deducted post-production costs from oil royalties under a standard form oil royalty clause.
  • Represented Continental Resources, Inc. in a case wherein a working interest owner asserts that the finding of the North Dakota Industrial Commission concerning the location of the historical riverbed and the Ordinary High Water Mark for the Missouri River has caused it to lose a portion of its working interest.

Porter Hedges LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Joe Cohen


Other key lawyers:

Stephen Lee; Eric Wade; Joe Thompson; Stephanie Holcombe


Testimonials

‘Stephanie Holcombe was great to work with.’

‘Great team to work with.’

Key clients

Ascend Performance Materials


Axiall Corporation (a subsidiary of Westlake Chemical Corporation (NYSE: WLK))


Maximiliano Poveda


Rigby Refining, LLC and Magēmā Technology LLC


Apache Intermediate Parent, Inc.


Tech Con Trenching, Inc., CTS Manufacturing, and owner David Conlon


Weatherford International


Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.


James Duke Van Lue, Founder of Downhole Technology, LLC


ABB Inc. (n/k/a Hitachi Energy USA Inc.)


Hupecol Operating Co., LLC


Protégé Energy III, LLC


Venable LLP

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.


Practice head(s):

Richard Powers


Other key lawyers:

Steven Adducci, Matthew Field, Gregory Wagner, Joseph Hicks


Testimonials

‘Accommodating to requests and knowledgeable with many years of relevant experience.’

‘Richard Powers, Joseph Hicks and Matthew Field are very knowledgeable. They work hard to support the issues at hand, to point out petitions that should be filed or actions/responses that should be taken. They draft strong, on-point briefs.’

Key clients

Airlines 4 America


American Airlines, Inc.


BP Products North America, Inc.


Delta Air Lines, Inc.


HollyFrontier Refining & Marketing LLC


Husky Marketing & Supply Company (an indirect and wholly owned subsidiary of Cenovus Energy Inc.)


Metroplex Energy, Inc.


Monroe Energy LLC


National Propane Gas Association


Orlando Fuel Facilities LLC


Phillips 66 Company


Southwest Airlines Co.


Spark Energy


Trafigura Trading LLC


TransMontaigne Partners LLC


United Airlines, Inc.


Valero Marketing and Supply Company


Valero Renewable Fuels LLC


Work highlights


  • Representing a large coalition of pipeline shippers in a challenge brought against the transportation rates of the nation’s largest petroleum product pipeline – Colonial Pipeline Company, challenging Colonial’s cost-based and market-based rates. Together, the complainants are seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages and reduced transportation rate savings going forward.
  • Representing the Husky Marketing & Supply Company and Phillips 66 Company in a challenge to tariff filings by TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, LP (Keystone) to increase its rates for committed transportation service on its crude oil pipeline from the Canada-U.S. border to points in Nebraska, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas, and in a challenge to Keystone’s committed rates charged in prior years.
  • Representing Husky Marketing & Supply Company and BP Products North America Inc. in a challenge to an application by West Texas Gulf Pipe Line Company LLC (West Texas Gulf) to charge market-based rates for transportation of crude oil from the Permian region of West Texas to points in the Gulf Coast and East Texas.

Winston & Strawn LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Hugh Tanner; Mike Blankenship; Rich Shutran; Mike Pikiel


Other key lawyers:

Paula Hinton; Denise Scofield; Walter Berger; Michael Murphy; Brandon Duke; Katherine Preston


Key clients

Banco San Juan International, Inc. (BSJI)


BP America Inc.


Brigade Energy Services


Cameron International Corporation


Harlan Chappelle and Michael Ellis, former officers of Alta Mesa Resources, Inc.


NGL Energy Partners


Occidental Petroleum


Schlumberger Limited


Schlumberger Technology Corporation


Seminole Electric Cooperative


Smith International


Work highlights


  • Successful in appellate and trial court victories for Schlumberger before the Fifth Circuit and the Southern District of Texas in a long-running breach of contract dispute.
  • Represented Aspen Midstream in multiple commercial litigation matters in 2022 arising from Aspen’s construction projects throughout the state of Texas. These include disputes with contractors and landowners arising from pipeline and gas treatment facility projects in Texas.
  • Won dismissal for Occidental Petroleum on an appeal stemming from arbitration with the government of Ecuador.