Energy Litigation

Overview

The Steptoe & Johnson Energy Litigation Team is one of the largest and most diverse industry-specific litigation practices in the United States. More than 60 Steptoe & Johnson litigators represent energy clients throughout the nation, with our highest concentration of litigators centrally located in the major producing oil and gas regions in the U.S.

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Highlights

Dedicated team of litigators serving only the energy industry in all major shale plays
Nearly half of our litigators have more than 10 years’ experience in energy litigation
Largest mineral title practice in the eastern United States, so when mineral title litigation occurs, we know the title issues from the outset
Our Emergency Response Team is ready to assist in a crisis and help clients prepare for the best response in critical situations

Representative Experience

Served as lead counsel and successfully defended claims in excess of $250M regarding allegations of contract breach, fraud, and tortious interference in a natural gas measurement dispute
Served as lead counsel and prosecuted a claim in excess of $24M on behalf of a coal operator in an eminent domain matter that went to verdict in a jury trial
Represented an oil and gas exploration company in state court litigation regarding public road easement and gravel use on fee lands in western North Dakota
Represented oil and gas exploration company in a contract dispute involving oil and gas lease overriding royalty assignments covering lands in northern Colorado
Litigated cases involving breach of lease agreements, breach of implied covenants, right-of-way disputes, injunctions against landowners, royalty disputes, and all types of energy-related cases in Colorado, Wyoming, West Virginia, Texas, and Pennsylvania
Received a positive Supreme Court decision regarding the interpretation and application of the contractual indemnity obligation pursuant to the Texas Oilfield Anti-Indemnity Statute
Defended a major energy company in a Clean Water Act citizens’ suit alleging wastewater contamination from selenium and conductivity
Litigated Marcellus shale well claims on surface use, ownership, drilling rights, pooling, and lease interpretation
Defended oil and gas companies in mineral title and landowner lease dispute litigation in Ohio state and federal courts, including lease termination and Dormant Mineral Act litigation
Represented oil and gas exploration company concerning a contract dispute regarding the interpretation of term assignments covering lands in central Wyoming
Prevailed on summary judgment in a matter before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, enforcing a provision permitting fixed-rate post-production costs to be deducted from an oil and gas lessor’s royalty payments