Jones Walker LLP

The energy litigators of Jones Walker have the extensive courtroom experience and industry-specific knowledge necessary to help clients prevent disputes and—when they cannot be avoided altogether—resolve them quickly and effectively. Whether negotiating a settlement, filing a motion for summary judgment, arguing a case before a judge and jury, or appealing an adverse decision, we advise clients through every step in the process and with an eye toward overall business objectives.

Our energy litigation team includes lawyers with decades of trial experience and service in federal and state law-enforcement agencies across the country. Among our ranks are former U.S. district and appellate judicial clerks, officers of the Judge Advocate General (JAG), and U.S. attorneys, assistant U.S. attorneys, and special assistant U.S. attorneys. Our number also includes lawyers who previously held senior positions in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and numerous state agencies.

We represent individuals and companies in the full range of energy-related disputes, including products liability and professional liability claims, environmental and toxic torts, class actions and mass torts, public utility regulation, labor and employment disputes, contract disputes, insurance coverage disputes, white-collar criminal defense, securities enforcement, and bankruptcies and reorganizations.

We understand that litigation—whether defending against allegations of civil or criminal misconduct or pursuing redress from wrongdoers—can represent an expensive investment in justice. With our proactive approach to dispute resolution, competitive rate structure and flexible fee arrangements, we help clients minimize the costs associated with litigation. For this and other reasons, Jones Walker was named to the BTI Client Service A-Team in 2013.

Recent engagements including the following:

• Defense of a number of Haynesville Shale operators in putative class actions, "failure to develop" actions, alleged groundwater and air contamination actions arising out of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) activities, and actions seeking termination of mineral leases
• Defense of major energy companies in resolving royalty disputes, including putative class actions relating to the payment and calculation of royalties
• Defense of major energy companies in multi-state litigation concerning environmental damages cases and legacy lawsuits related to historical operations and matters involving contractual indemnity and defense claims against other operators
• Prosecution of oil and gas operators for engaging in fraudulent leasing activities
• Representation of a subsurface natural gas storage operator in an action against a state relating to authority to brine new caverns, including winning a court ruling declaring unconstitutional a project-specific groundwater law
• Defense of an electrical power company in a permit appeal involving water rights in Louisiana
• Defense of asbestos litigation on behalf of manufacturers, suppliers, and premises owners
• Defense of mass tort, class action and cost-recovery suits claiming personal injuries and property damage resulting from releases of chemicals or other toxic substances
• Assisting in the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Oklahoma of the largest punitive damages award in Oklahoma history

Diversity Mission Statement

Jones Walker LLP strives to encourage, foster and increase diversity across the firm. To this end, the Diversity Committee has adopted the goal of fostering a work environment that welcomes different perspectives, backgrounds and life experiences and ensures that an individual’s professional growth, experience or advancement is not limited because of gender, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability or other similar factor.

Purposes of the Diversity Committee

• To increase awareness of the importance of diversity within the firm and of the means by which diversity enriches the firm;
• To encourage all lawyers and staff members to develop mutual respect and appreciation for different perspectives and backgrounds; and
• To develop and implement strategies to assist the firm in recruiting, retaining and advancing staff and lawyers from diverse backgrounds.
• Jones Walker values all employees who contribute positively to the firm’s practice, the firm’s environment, and the greater community we serve.

In 2009, Jones Walker was named to MultiCultural Law Magazine’s list of "Top 100 Law Firms for Women," part of a series of listings of the top 100 law firms for diversity. The listings are compiled based on diversity statistics derived from annual surveys that the publication sends to law firms with more than 100 attorneys.