20th Annual Energy Litigation Conference
Hybrid Conference
In-Person Attendance held at
The Westin Houston, Memorial City
945 Gessner Road
Houston, TX 77024
Registrar: +1.972.244.3403
IEL: +1.972.244.3421
Fax: +1.972.244.3401
E-Mail: iel@cailaw.org
Overview
Attendance of this conference may be either in-person or online. The 20th edition of the Energy Litigation Conference will bring together some of the top in-house and private practice energy litigators to discuss new trends in energy litigation, recent case law of importance to energy litigators, and ways to improve an energy litigation practice.
Conference Co-Chairs
Chevron
Houston, Texas
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
New Orleans, Louisiana
Lifetime Achievement in Energy Litigation Award Recipient
King & Spalding LLP
Houston, Texas
Tuition
- $495 - Regular Registration Fee
- $395 - IEL Advisory Board Member
- $395 - IEL Supporting or Sustaining Member Employee
- $395 - IEL Young Energy Professional Member
- $395 - Government Employee
- $125 - Law Student
- $125 - Full-time Professor
Schedule and Faculty
7:45 a.m.
Registration
8:20 – 8:30 a.m.
Welcome, Overview and Introductions
8:30 – 9:15 a.m.
Energy Litigation Update 2021
A review of recent lawsuits and case outcomes of special interest to energy litigators.
- Keith B. Hall, Director of Mineral Law Institute and Campanile Charities Professor of Energy Law, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
9:15 – 10:15 a.m.
The Pendulum Swings – Regulatory Impacts on Energy Development and Litigation
This seasoned panel of energy practitioners will examine impacts of recent regulations and enforcement efforts by the Biden administration and key energy producing states, including trends in U.S. energy litigation.
Moderator: Stephanie Bergeron Perdue, Baker Botts L.L.P., Austin, Texas
Panelists:
- Scott Looper, Baker Botts L.L.P., Houston, Texas
- Garrett S. Martin, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Houston, Texas
- Bina R. Reddy, Beveridge & Diamond PC, Austin, Texas
10:15 – 10:45 a.m.
BREAK
10:45 – 11:30 a.m.
Overview of Cyber and Automation Risks in the Oilfield
Proposed Description: As recent events have shown, cutting edge technologies have reached the often remote world of upstream and mid-stream oil and gas operations. This presentation will provide a brief overview of some recent developments of note and their impact on operations. Additionally, the presentation will address the potential litigation exposure and offer insight on how to proactively address those risks.
- Kenneth W. Bullock, II, Frost Brown Todd LLC, Houston, Texas
- Layna Cook Rush, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The In-House Perspective on Representing Energy Clients
This panel will discuss the current trends and hot issues facing in-house counsel in the energy industry, working with outside counsel, and representing energy clients in litigation.
Moderator: Mark Robeck, Assistant General Counsel, Golden Pass LNG, Houston, Texas
Panelists:
- Betty Q. Richmond, Lead Counsel, Equinor, Houston, Texas
- Cedric D. Scott, Senior Counsel, Chevron, Houston, Texas
- Pete Vermillion, Managing Attorney – South Texas, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
Lunch – Lifetime Achievement in Energy Litigation Award Presentation and Speech (Presentation Not Included with Online Attendance Registration)
Award Recipient
Robert E. Meadows
King & Spalding
To Be Introduced By
R. Hewitt Pate
Vice President and General Counsel
Chevron
1:45 – 2:00 p.m.
BREAK
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
View from the Bench
This panel of trial and appellate judges will share its perspective on trends in litigation and the management and prosecution of proceedings, including lessons learned from the pandemic.
Moderator: Bianca Roberson, Head of US Labor and Employment Litigation, Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas
Panelists:
- Hon. Gregg J. Costa, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Houston, Texas
- Hon. S. Maurice Hicks, Jr., United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport, Louisiana
- Hon. Dena Hanovice Palermo, United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Texas, Houston, Texas
3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Hydraulic Fracturing and Subsurface Trespass
The physical and practical realities concerning various production processes that take place beneath the surface of the earth often give rise to complex legal issues that would be simpler in other contexts. This presentation will consider certain case law landmarks from around the country related to the practice of hydraulic fracturing and its relation to trespass. In addition, the process of fracturing and a comparison to other sub-surface industrial practices, and resultant case law, will be considered.
- Christopher S. Kulander, Director and Professor, Oil & Gas Law Institute, South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas
3:30 – 3:45 p.m.
BREAK
3:45 – 4:15 p.m.
Don’t Blame Me -- I Have Been Exculpated: “Exculpatory Clauses” in Operating Agreements
This session will examine the case law in numerous states concerning the scope and reach of the “exculpatory clause” in operating agreements, not all of which are consistent or uniform, and each dependent on different forms of the JOA. It will also consider relevant state law as to the validity or permissibility, within the principle of “freedom of contract,” of a clause that releases liability in advance, and will consider the various iterations of the AAPL Model Form as it pertains to the evolution of the “exculpatory clause.”
- Patrick S. Ottinger, Ottinger Hebert L.L.C., Lafayette, Louisiana
4:15 - 5:15 p.m.
Lawyer Ethics in the Conference Room and the Courtroom
Ethical rules are often tricky to apply in the real world for in-house and outside counsel alike, with particular challenges for those in the energy industry. This panel will explore the ethics of both negotiation and litigation by examining specific factual scenarios and recent case law, with a focus on oil and gas.
- Jacqueline Furlow, Beck Redden LLP, Houston, Texas
- Geoff Gannaway, Beck Redden LLP, Houston, Texas
5:15 – 6:30 p.m.
NETWORKING RECEPTION
CLE Credit
This program is approved by the State Bar of Texas for a total of 6.5 hours, including 1 hour of ethics. Course ID Number: 174131480. Credit hours may vary depending upon in-person or online viewing depending on the jurisdiction. Please review your jurisdiction’s rules and regulations before registering.
For this conference, IEL will directly apply (if requested) for course accreditation in the following states: California, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Some of these states may not approve a program for credit hours before the program occurs. Attorneys may be eligible to receive CLE credit through reciprocity or attorney self-submission in other states. Attorneys filing by self-submission in certain states may be required to pay an additional fee. IEL conferences are typically accredited by all mandatory CLE states.
Hotel Information
The Westin Houston, Memorial City
945 Gessner Road
Houston, Texas 77024
Room nights available: Nov. 2, 2021 (night prior to conference) for $189+ USD per night
Cutoff: Oct. 27, 2021
Phone reservations: 281-501-4300 refer to block name: Energy Litigation Conference
Sponsorship Opportunities
Wi-Fi Sponsor (Only 1 Allowed) - $5,000 - SOLD
- Sponsor Name Reflected in Wi-Fi Access Code
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo displayed in the Conference Program
- Company/firm logo displayed on slides during breaks
- Recognition on the Conference website
- 3 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference.
Lanyard Sponsor (Only 1 Allowed) - $4,500 - SOLD
- Name on lanyards distributed at conferences
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure, final program and conference break slides
- 3 complimentary registrants at the conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the Conference
Conference Notepads (Only 1 Allowed) - $4,500 - SOLD
- Name/Logo on notepads distributed to all attendees
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure, final program and conference break slides
- 3 complimentary registrants at the conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the Conference
Breakfast Sponsor (Only 1 Allowed) - $3,500 - SOLD
- Recognition in the Conference brochure, which is sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through email and web announcements
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program
- Recognition on the Conference website
- Recognition from the podium at start of conference
- Recognition via signage at the breakfast
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference
Morning Break Sponsor (Only 1 Allowed) - $3,500 - SOLD
- Recognition in the Conference brochure, which is sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through email and web announcements
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program
- Recognition on the Conference website
- Recognition at the break, including from podium immediately before break
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference
Afternoon Break Sponsor (Only 1 Allowed) - $3,500 - SOLD
- Recognition in the Conference brochure, which is sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through email and web announcements
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program
- Recognition on the Conference website
- Recognition at the break, including from podium immediately before break
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference
Hosted Luncheon and Presentation of the IEL Outstanding Achievement in Energy Litigation Award - $3,500 each
Honoring Robert E. Meadows (King & Spalding)
- Recognition in the Conference brochure, which is sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through email and web announcements
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program
- Recognition on the Conference website
- Recognition at the luncheon
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference
Charging Station (Only 1 Allowed) - $3,000 - SOLD
- Signage Recognizing Sponsor at Two Charging Stations
- Recognition in the Conference brochure, which is sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through email and web announcements
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochures and final programs
- Recognition on the Conferences website
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Energy Litigation
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conferences
Networking Reception - $2,500 each
- Recognition in the Conference brochure, which is sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through email and web announcements
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program
- Recognition on the Conference website
- Recognition at the reception
- 1 complimentary registrant at the Conference
- 2 complimentary guests at reception
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference
Exhibitor (Non-law Firms only) - $1,750 each
- 1 complimentary registrant at the Conference
- Space to display company/firm materials at the conference.
- Name/logo on Conference website with link to company page
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Lilly Hogarth, Sponsorship Coordinator at lhogarth@cailaw.org or +1 972 244 3424.
COVID Protocols
Although we are excited to meet in person again, some policies are required to reduce the risk and to allow some individuals to attend because of employer restrictions. First, we strongly encourage all attendees to be either vaccinated or to have received a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the start of the conference. Second, masks must be worn by all attendees while in the conference room or in the conference common areas. Masks are strongly encouraged at all other times, but are not required while seated at the luncheon or during optional networking events.
Other Information
Press Policy
All IEL conferences are held under the Chatham House Rule. Participants, including journalists, are free to use any information received, but comments may not be attributed to any speaker identifi ed by name or affiliation.
Photo/Audio/Video Release
Registration for or attendance at this event acknowledges consent to be recorded or photographed. We reserve the right to use any photograph/video taken at our events, without the expressed written permission of those included within the photograph/video. We may use the photograph/video in publications or other media material produced, used or contracted including but not limited to: brochures, invitations, books, newspapers, magazines, television, websites, annual reports, newsletters, etc. To ensure the privacy of individuals, images will not be identified using full names or personal identifying information without written approval from the photographed subject
Visa Information
If you require a letter of invitation to obtain a visa for this conference, payment of the registration fee must first be made. If you apply and do not receive a visa, please send us a copy of the rejection letter from the consulate, and we will cancel your registration and issue a refund. Please email iel@cailaw.org for more details.
Nondiscriminatory Policy
The Center for American and International Law does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status in educational activities, scholarship programs or admissions.
Privacy Policy
We do not sell or rent information to any outside parties. By providing your information, you will receive postal and electronic communications from the Institute for Energy Law (IEL) of The Center for American and International Law (CAIL) in accordance with CAIL's Privacy Policy. If we co-sponsor a program with another organization, information may be shared between the parties. All such co-sponsors will be identified on the event details and registration page. At any point, you can opt-out or unsubscribe by selecting either link at the bottom of each email or call us at 972.244.3400.
