Scott R. Humphrey

Scott has more than 20 years of experience defending clients in complex commercial, energy, toxic tort, insurance, personal injury, and environmental litigation. Scott has experience defending clients across a full range of commercial disputes, including allegations of fraud, breach of contract, antitrust violations, and breach of fiduciary duty. He has also represented clients in investigations of commercial activities by federal regulatory agencies. Scott has particular experience representing and defending clients in the energy industry. He is also experienced in representing industrial clients in cases involving exposure to benzene and asbestos.

Before joining the firm, Scott worked in the Houston office of Baker Botts and Pierce & O’Neill. Prior to his legal career, he worked for 14 years as a manager and principal consultant for a national environmental consulting firm.

Practice Areas

• Commercial Disputes Litigation
• Energy Litigation
• Toxic Tort Litigation
• Environmental Litigation

Awards & Recognition

• Recognized by Law & Politics as a “Texas Rising Star”

Memberships

• State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association

Publications

• Drawing Lines: The D.C. Circuit Forces the EPA and Congress to Clean Up the Process of Setting Air Quality Standards in American Trucking Associations, Inc. v. EPA, 37 HOUS. L. REV. 839, 2000

Education

University of Houston Law Center, Houston, Texas

• J.D. – 2001
• Honors: Magna Cum Laude

Southern Methodist University

• M.B.A. – 1989

Texas A&M University

• M.S. – 1985
• Major: Atmospheric Science

Texas A&M University

• B.S. – 1983
• Honors: Magna Cum Laude
• Major: Atmospheric Science

Admissions to Practice

• State of Texas
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas

Representative Experience

• Represented an independent oil and gas company in a multimillion dollar overriding royalty dispute, resulting in a favorable settlement and court of appeals affirmation of summary judgment.
• Represented a large oil and gas company in $35 million breach of contract and tortious interference action involving the drilling of deep wells in East Texas.
• Represented a large oilfield services company in breach of contract and conversion of intellectual property action.
• Represented an independent oil and gas company against fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims brought by investors, culminating in a five-week jury trial.
• Represented an international oilfield services company in a breach of contract arbitration proceeding.
• Represented an independent oil and gas producer in a $50 million state court breach of contract action.
• Represented a venture capital company in a one-week arbitration proceeding related to the liquidation of an oil and gas royalty trust.
• Participated in the successful defense of a petroleum refining client in RCRA citizens suit action involving leaking underground storage tanks.
• Represented five oil and gas producers in a federal class action case brought by royalty owners.
• Represented an agricultural commodity company in two-week arbitration hearing for a breach of contract claim related to the sale of assets to another company.
• Successfully obtained a mandamus from the Texas Supreme Court of a trial judge’s improper pretrial ruling in a toxic tort matter, closing a potential venue loophole for plaintiffs.
• Obtained a preliminary injunction in state court against a construction machinery dealer that was misappropriating a manufacturer’s equipment.
• Defended a large energy company in a series of related state and federal class action lawsuits related to the 2000-2001 California energy crisis.
• Represented a large utility company in investigations brought by the FERC, CFTC, SEC, and DOJ related to the 2000-2001 California energy crisis. Coordinated the investigation of and responses to subpoenas related to these matters.
• Defended petroleum refining and chemical clients in approximately 100 toxic tort cases involving allegations of benzene exposure and other workplace injuries.
• Coordinated the investigation of alleged accounting misconduct for a large energy client, including the management of outside auditors and reporting to Board of Directors, resulting in $20 million accounting restatement.