Bracewell LLP’s litigation team operates as a boutique within a global firm, handling high-stakes and complex disputes for energy clients. The trial team represents oil and gas companies as both plaintiffs and defendants, leveraging deep industry knowledge to deliver strategic advantages in court. The practice is co-led by Stephen Crain, who focuses on energy-related disputes, representing developers, producers, commodity traders, and suppliers across the sector. Bradley Benoit stands out for his dual representation of plaintiffs and defendants, bringing experience in energy litigation, securities and derivative litigation, and bankruptcy-related disputes. Drew Taggart is a seasoned commercial litigator with extensive jury trial, international arbitration, and first-chair bench trial experience. He regularly leads state and federal court proceedings, mediations, and depositions in complex oil and gas litigation. All mentioned individuals are based in Houston.
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Key clients
- Apache Corporation
- Chevron USA, Inc.
- Unocal Corporation
- PetroChina International Inc.
- Tenaska Gas Storage, LLC
- Tenaska Marketing Ventures
- Tenaska Capital Management LLC
- Tenaska, Inc.
- Rockland Capital
- Amadeus Wind, LLC
Work highlights
- Secured a win on behalf of numerous defendants in re Winter Storm Litigation, in which hundreds of cases were consolidated and more than 4 million plaintiffs sought damages arising from Winter Storm Uri.
- Represented Apache in an industry-leading case regarding royalty ownership and oil and gas co-tenancies.
- Represented Hilcorp Energy Company in a royalty class action lawsuit. The case involved a putative class action by royalty owners who claimed that Hilcorp failed to properly pay royalties, under their “market value at the well” lease agreements.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Stephen Crain; Bradley Benoit
Other key lawyers
Drew Taggart