Chris Perfect

Gibson Dunn scored a trailblazing victory in the second-ever Texas Business Court trial when Judge Marialyn Barnard found in favor of our client Mesquite Energy on March 4, 2026, in a dispute with Sanchez Oil & Gas Corp.   As co-plaintiffs, Mesquite and Sanchez had previously obtained a confidential eight-figure settlement in connection with claims for misappropriation of trade secrets. The parties then disputed which of the co-plaintiffs owned the underlying trade secrets, with Sanchez claiming 100% of the proceeds. After a one-week bench trial, Judge Barnard awarded Mesquite 62.2% of the proceeds. The Court found that Mesquite provided all funding for the operations to create the trade secrets and dismissed Sanchez’s arguments as to why the contracts governing the parties’ relationships allocated ownership to Sanchez. The ruling in the case, Mesquite Energy v. Sanchez Oil & Gas Corp., No. 24-BC11B-18 (Tex. Bus. Ct. 11th Div.), flatly rejects Sanchez’s argument for 100% of the proceeds.   The Gibson Dunn trial team was led by Houston partner Collin Cox and featured critical assistance from Houston associates Lloyd Marshall, Jack DiSorbo, Tiffany Penner, and Anthony Alessi, who collectively took all the depositions but one and examined half the trial witnesses. The action was just the second case to go to trial in the newly constituted Texas Business Court, which began hearing cases in September 2024.

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Houston Energy Projects Conference & EPC Expo (June 11-12, 2025) take-aways:  (1) Some projects are being deferred or slow-played due to ongoing tariff and trade negotiations—if there are five frogs on a log and four decide to jump, how many are left on the log?  Answer = five, because deciding to move forward is not the same thing as actually jumping. (2) More use of cost reimbursable and formulaic fee construction agreements—that seek to incentivize performance through reduced compensation (in cases of poor performance) or bonuses (in cases of superior performance). (3) More use of bespoke construction agreements, as owners and contractors seek to identify and share risks on a project-specific basis—instead of relying on the same model, form, or master agreement across multiple projects.  (4) Shortages in local labor continue to increase construction costs and prolong schedules; use of modular construction helps somewhat. (5) Natural gas pipeline system near capacity—needs more construction to accommodate future demand loads from electricity generation. GAILLE lawyers attended the conference panels and hosted a booth on the George R. Brown Convention Center floor, where we met with clients and prospective clients (GAILLE lawyers Tanner Harris, Luke Riel, and Bailey Swainston pictured).  

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Produced water is moving from a cost to a commodity. Scott Ellis and Zachary Zahn share how the Texas Supreme Court’s Cactus decision confirms mineral-lessee ownership but leaves key questions about royalties, valuation, and operator obligations. See what steps operators and property owners can take now: https://lnkd.in/gDMaaad7

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Gibson Dunn is advising Technip Energies on its $556 million acquisition of Ecovyst Inc.’s Advanced Materials & Catalysts business. Our corporate team is led by Houston partner Tull Florey and includes Houston associates Ashley Whittington and Adri Langemeier and San Francisco associate George Hang. Houston senior counsel Greg Nelson and associate Nathan Sauers are advising on tax; partner Krista Hanvey (Dallas) and associate John Curran (New York) are advising on benefits; partners Sophia Hansell (Washington, D.C.) and Attila Borsos (Brussels) are advising on antitrust; and of counsel Richard Sen (London) and associate Stefan Koller (Houston) are advising on real estate. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g3DT73wF

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🚨 👏 Burke Law Group Victory at the Louisiana Supreme Court🚨 👏   Burke Law Group is thrilled to share a major win for our client, Koch Methanol St. James, LLC, in Alexander v. St. James Parish. Huge kudos to Paul Simon and the entire BLG team for outstanding work and a hard-fought win!   In a complete and total victory on all issues, last Friday, the Louisiana Supreme Court vacated the Fifth Circuit’s decision and reinstated the district court’s ruling, upholding St. James Parish Government’s approval of Koch’s land use permit for upgrades to its existing methanol facility and securing a result that protects predictable decision making for local governments and regulated industry alike.    At its core, this case was about the proper role of courts in reviewing local land use decisions. The lower court applied a de novo standard of review and invalidated the St. James Parish Council’s interpretation of its own Land Use Plan. We argued that the Fifth Circuit should have, instead, applied the deferential standard of review found in Louisiana law and ruled based on the Parish Council’s reasonable reading of its own ordinance.   The Louisiana Supreme Court agreed and made clear that courts are not “super-zoning” boards. The correct standard is whether the local decision was arbitrary and capricious, and appellate courts should not substitute their own interpretations for reasonable, good-faith interpretations adopted by parish officials applying their own land use plan. The Court also brought important clarity to a recurring problem in land use litigation: confusion created by loose references to “de novo” review. The opinion explains that there should be no de novo review in this context and reaffirms the longstanding deferential, arbitrary-and-capricious framework as the governing approach for local land use decisions.

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Skadden and Gibson Dunn are advising on Devon Energy’s merger with Coterra Energy in a deal that values the combined business at around $58bn. Skadden is advising Devon Energy, while Gibson Dunn is advising Coterra. The Skadden team advising Devon includes Houston-based M&A partners Steve Gill, Mingda Zhao and Emery Choi, with support from Dohyun Kim and Elizabeth Gonzalez-Sussman in New York. Also on the deal are executive compensation partners Erica Schohn and Joseph Penko (both New York); capital markets partner Michael Hong (New York); finance partner Steven Messina (New York); tax partner Trevor Allen (New York); and antitrust partner David Wales (Washington DC). Meanwhile, the Gibson Dunn team advising Coterra was led by corporate partners Tull Florey, Hillary Holmes and Andrew Kaplan, alongside counsel Jonathan Sapp. Oil and gas practice co-chair Rahul Vashi is advising on the oil and gas aspects of the deal, while senior counsel Greg Nelson is advising on tax aspects and partner Shalla A. Prichard on financing aspects. Benefits advice is being provided by partner Krista Hanvey and counsel John Curran, while partner Joshua Lipton is advising on competition matters. https://lnkd.in/eyKiPdmK #legalnews #deals

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Hanszen Laporte Partner Matthew Hansel achieved a significant victory in a long-running complex international arbitration, obtaining a settlement and an eight-figure recovery for the firm’s client, a Houston-based oil and gas production company. To read the full article: https://lnkd.in/ggsXgtiv

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🛠️ In the July edition of Construction News, Kyle Zunker shares insight on the implications of the Texas Supreme Court’s TotalEnergies ruling, which refined the law regarding delegation of arbitrability issues, raised new questions, and underscored the importance of every single word in arbitration clauses, especially in complex construction contracts. Read more about it: https://bit.ly/419gQSn #CokinosLaw #ConstructionNews #ArbitrationClauses

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Baker Botts Partner Ted Posner is quoted in a recent Washington Post article discussing the evolving U.S. approach to Venezuelan oil and its implications for energy investment. “There are carrots available” to entice companies to drill, Posner said. “What I don’t know is if there are enough.” Read the article here: https://okt.to/d51Hzr

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Akin advised Tokyo Gas America, Japan’s largest city gas supplier, in the sale of its oil and gas interests in the Eagle Ford shale gas project in South Texas for $130 million. The Akin team was led by oil & gas partner, Ian Goldberg, counsel Alex Miron and associate Garrett Korbitz, and included tax partner Alison Chen and counsel Aaron D. Vera. Additional assistance was provided by the Akin CFIUS and international trade team. To read more: https://lnkd.in/ezXPiq3g #AkinEnergy #OilAndGas #MergersAndAcquisitions 

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𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗣: 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 In 2019, I made one of the most defining transitions of my career, moving from a full-service law firm in Latin America, trained under a civil law system, into the U.S. in-house environment within the oil & gas industry operating under common law. It wasn’t just a geographic move. It required rethinking how I had to approach risk and use my expertise and past experience to help me succeed as an In-House Counsel in the US. From analyzing risk and advising external clients, into living with the risk, and helping shape the decision from within. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working inside two globally recognized leaders in the energy and industrial space, each built on fundamentally different business models: • One centered on 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 & 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 • The other focused on 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗥&𝗗, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 In an 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹, legal sits close to operations. Contracts must carefully allocate risk around: – Warranty exposure – Delivery Terms and Schedule – Performance guarantees – Liquidated damages – Claims and disputes Revenue depends on execution in the field. Risk is immediate and performance-based. In a 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹, the core asset is intellectual property. The focus shifts to: – Clear IP ownership structures – Patent protection strategy – Confidentiality frameworks – Governance of joint development and collaboration Revenue depends on protecting know-how. Risk is strategic and long-term. What allowed me to navigate these different worlds wasn’t just technical legal knowledge. It was developing, and constantly refining a 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁. To develop a business mindset, we need to understand: – How the company truly creates value – Where margins are generated and protected – Which risks are commercially acceptable – When to hold the line, and when to think creatively As In-House Counsel, we cannot be the “𝗡𝗢” department. We are a support function designed to enable growth while being the last line of defense against unnecessary risks. That often means thinking outside the box, structuring solutions, adjusting risk allocation mechanisms, proposing alternative protections, or reframing negotiations so the business can move forward without exposing the company unnecessarily. - The legal framework may change. - The industry model may change. - The core asset may shift, from steel to intellectual property. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀: An effective In-House Attorney aligns its legal judgment with business strategy and finds solutions that protect value while, enabling it. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒄.

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"Successful outcomes depend less on negotiation and more on preparation, particularly on both sides developing a shared understanding of what ‘good’ looks like in practice." Jennifer McKay and Lynn Pentland of Morton Fraser MacRoberts LLP with some pragmatic advice on #pfi expiry.

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🚀 Houston Ranks Among Top 5 U.S. Cities for Corporate HQ Relocations 🚀 From 2018–2024, Houston successfully attracted 31 corporate headquarters, placing it in a tie for 4th place nationwide, right alongside Phoenix. The only cities ahead of Houston were Dallas (100 relocations), Austin (81), and Nashville (35) 📊 What’s driving this surge? Strategic HQ positioning: CBRE reports companies increasingly view HQs as strategic assets that boost agility and responsiveness Industry magnet: The appeal is especially strong among energy firms—Chevron’s move is a major highlight Robust local ecosystem: Houston is home to thousands of energy professionals and key partners, with Chevron alone employing around 7,000 in the region Business-friendly climate: Less regulatory friction compared to other regions makes the city more attractive . 🔑 What This Means for Houston: Validation as a top-tier business hub: Now the 3rd‑largest metro for Fortune 500 HQs,. Enhanced economic momentum: More HQ relocations mean more jobs, investment, and innovation clustering here. Network effects: With more corporate presences and senior leadership onsite, collaboration and ecosystem strength deepen. 🎯 Takeaway for business leaders and professionals: Houston isn’t just growing, it is proving its strategic value as a prime destination for corporate headquarters, especially in energy and related sectors. If you're thinking HQ, expansion, or relocation, Houston deserves a serious look. https://lnkd.in/g9GJR2un Winston & Strawn LLP, Susan Purcell, Eric Johnson, Ben Smolij, Justin Hoffman, Steve D'Amore, Dominick DeChiara

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Mayor John Whitmire has unveiled a $7 billion budget for Houston, touting it as balanced, without raising taxes (but I believe he will propose tax hikes soon) or introducing new fees. But as we dig deeper, Houstonians should ask an important question: what does this budget really mean for our day-to-day lives? While it's encouraging that the administration avoided new burdens on taxpayers, the savings came at a cost. Our savings account known as the general fund—fueled primarily by property and sales taxes—was cut by $107 million. This matters because the general fund supports critical services that keep our neighborhoods safe, clean, and functioning. Public Works, which already fields the lion’s share of 3-1-1 complaints, has seen the largest monetary cut: $21.8 million. The Department of Neighborhoods was slashed by nearly half. These are the departments that residents rely on every single day to fix potholes, clear debris, and keep our communities safe and livable. When funding for these essential services is gutted, it's hard to accept reassurances that city services will remain untouched. Even if these reductions are framed as “efficiency moves,” the reality is that less funding often means longer response times and fewer resources for the issues that matter most to our communities. And there's a deeper financial concern looming on the horizon. According to the city’s Finance Director, if we continue balancing the budget by drawing from the city’s fund balance—a tactic used for the past two years—Houston could face a $500 million deficit within five years. Whoever is sitting in the mayor’s seat then will have to deal with that and it is not a sustainable strategy. The fund balance is not an endless well, and relying on it to patch holes today only digs a deeper one for tomorrow. Unless we change course and explore new revenue options or structural reforms, we risk driving the city into a fiscal crisis that will be far harder to reverse. Without introducing new revenue streams or securing additional county or state funds, we are walking a tightrope—one misstep away from letting service gaps widen. And while department consolidations and voluntary retirements have been presented as cost-saving victories, they also mean fewer staff to handle our growing city’s needs. This budget should be the start of a conversation, not the end. It’s a chance for Council Members to work together and dig deeper into how we protect essential services while keeping our financial house in order. Houstonians deserve transparency and assurance that today’s choices won’t become tomorrow’s challenges. #togetherwewill

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New Texas Supreme Court opinion today on contract interpretation: Equinor Energy LP v. Lindale Pipeline, LLC. Justice Sullivan’s opinion is a straightforward reminder that Texas courts enforce contracts as written. When the text is unambiguous, the analysis stops there—no rewriting the agreement in the name of equity, purpose, or what someone later says the parties “must have intended.” For lawyers making a plain-text contract argument, this one is a helpful citation.

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Most in‑house lawyers wait for the GC title.  The best do this instead… Ever wonder why some mid-level counsel have a voice in C-Suite meetings years before their titles change? This is why 👇 They don’t just give legal advice. They lead like business partners and get results. They: ✅ Speak the language of revenue & risk, not regs ✅ Build trust beyond Legal, across the business ✅ Solve problems before they hit your desk Reality check:  Only ~30% of GC roles are filled internally. Even if you’re aiming for GC where you are, You’ll compete with sitting GCs from outside. Don’t wait for authority. Start building it before you get the title. Ask yourself: 1/ Where can I influence key business decisions? 2/ How am I perceived beyond the legal lane? 3/ Which risks can I turn into opportunities? And start acting like a General Counsel, even if you're not one yet. P.S. Which of these makes the biggest impact? Or what’s one GC-level move you’ll take this week? Every week, I share with 2,000+ in-house lawyers the strategies I used to go from legal expert to GC-ready, by thinking and acting like a GC title or not. Join them for free: https://lnkd.in/gu67fPFC Follow me, Adrian Moffatt, for more in-house insights Save for later or Repost for others.

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