Louis "Louie" Layrisson

Louie Layrisson counsels clients in a broad range of civil disputes, and his trial practice includes energy litigation and complex commercial disputes. He has handled cases for clients in energy, manufacturing, and technology in various states and before domestic and international arbitral institutions.

In the energy industry, he works closely with investors, manufacturers, operators, service companies, transporters, and refiners on a variety of operational issues and disputes across the energy chain. Layrisson regularly provides advice regarding shale investment and operations across the U.S., including disputes related to oil and gas leases, title, royalty obligations, surface disputes, environmental issues, joint ventures and partnerships, midstream agreements, indemnity, insurance coverage and recovery, distressed assets, and restructuring.

Louie is ranked nationally in oil and gas litigation by Chambers USA, 2020 (Band 1), where he is described as an "absolutely fantastic" advocate. Thomson Reuters has recognized Louie as a "Texas Super Lawyer" in 2020 and as a "Texas Super Lawyer-Rising Star" in energy and natural resources law from 2015-2019.

Before joining the firm, Layrisson served as a law clerk to the Honorable Jay C. Zainey of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Upstream Energy Litigation

• International energy technology company – representation in energy construction dispute arising out of multi-billion dollar greenfield manufacturing project
• Energy investors – advice regarding private equity investment risk mitigation, including portfolio company disputes and restructuring-related disputes such as oil and gas foreclosure litigation and bankruptcy trustee claims
• Oil & gas producers – advice regarding U.S. operations in Eagle Ford, Permian, Haynesville, Bakken, and Marcellus shale plays, including traditional oil and gas litigation matters, nuisance, royalty disputes and class actions, contract and commercial disputes, crude-by-rail lease disputes, environmental legacy and coastal erosion litigation, and related operational issues
• International E&P company – defense of royalty class action claims involving allocation and commingling claims, resulting in denial of class certification in 2019
• Oilfield services suppliers – litigation arising from oil and gas well incidents, contract disputes, indemnity and insurance issues, and major facility construction disputes
• Frac services provider – tried property damage and insurance coverage bad faith dispute to verdict in 2019, securing $5.3 million-dollar judgment including treble damages and attorneys' fees
• Energy manufacturer – defense of breach of contract, conspiracy, trespass, and fraud claims arising out of frac sand supply
• Public exploration and production corporation – coordinated internal investigation and defense of energy litigation matters in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Wyoming and North Dakota as embedded secondee at major shale producer
• Deepwater exploration company – provided in-house legal counsel related to operations, regulatory compliance, and commercial agreements for deepwater exploration company

Midstream and Downstream Energy Litigation

• Midstream Manufacturers and Transporters – Advice regarding force majeure declarations and subsequent disputes arising out of COVID-19 pandemic
• Product Manufacturers – Represented multiple clients in crisis response, governmental enforcement defense, and multiple class action lawsuits arising out of industrial incidents
• Major refining companies – advice regarding various disputes relating to personal injury, products liability, and contract disputes arising out of downstream operations in Texas and Louisiana
• Major integrated oil and gas corporation – assisted in multistate defense of federal class action alleging product liability claims, trial team obtained denial of class certification
• Fortune 100 refining corporation – Defense of toxic tort suit relating to benzene exposure claims, including 2016 decision striking plaintiff's experts and dismissing case, unanimously affirmed by Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
• International refining company – advice regarding anti-corruption compliance and arbitration disputes

Commercial Disputes

• Technology consulting firm – advice regarding partnership disputes, trade secret protection, employment issues, venture capital, and corporate governance matters
• Manufacturing companies – representation in various business litigation involving product liability claims, force majeure claims, non-compete agreements, trade secrets, control of business, tortious interference, and antitrust claims
• Commodities traders – defense of breach of contract, fiduciary duty, conspiracy, and fraud claims in domestic arbitrations and bankruptcy adversary proceedings
• Fortune 500 retailer – defense of claims through federal jury trial in suit alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition
• Professional sports organization – assisted in products liability action against arena sign manufacturer; case tried in Texas state court to verdict
• Fortune 500 power generation company – arbitration of management-labor disputes in connection with power generation plants throughout Texas, including favorable arbitration awards as first-chair counsel
• Maritime class certification society – internal investigation of corporate separateness and corporate governance issues
• Regional insurance company – defense of first-party and third-party personal injury and property damage claims
• Pro Bono Veteran Client – received full reversal of administrative benefits denial by Veterans' Affairs, relief retroactive to 2005 for Iraq War veteran

Recipient, President's Award, presented by Houston Bar Association, 2015 & 2018

Recipient, Judge Thomas Gibbs Gee Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service, 2019