Reynolds Frizzell is one of Houston’s many litigation boutiques and one that has etched itself a prized position in that particular market, with peers and clients offering their praise on the firm’s behalf. “They are one of my top go-to litigation counsel, particularly in the oil and gas industry that I operate within,” testifies one client. Indeed, the firm’s calling card is heavy with energy-related matters, in keeping with Houston’s primary economic driver. However, Reynolds Frizzell partners have been called into service for matters ranging from professional malpractice matters to commercial matters involving avocados.
In one recent novel matter, Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling
Chris Reynolds and Jean Frizzell to pursue patent-infringement cases against Noble Corporation plc (along with various of its subsidiaries and affiliates) and Diamond Offshore Drilling (along with various of its affiliates and subsidiaries). The four patents at issue in the two cases cover the dual-activity technology that Transocean had patented with respect to offshore drilling in ultra-deep waters. The case against Noble covers five different drill ships. This case was successfully resolved in October 2020. Frizzell was also selected to represent the Dallas Police and Firefighters Pension Fund in its claim against its former actuarial firm for breaching its contractual, statutory and common-law duties in connection with the inception of and modifications to a DROP program (deferred retirement plan) that was purportedly designed to retain senior employees, but instead put the entire pension system at risk after billions in losses. Frizzell was also chosen to lead a team that was hired in 2019 to help original counsel prepare and try a major pipeline construction dispute on behalf of USPL against Rover, which is owned in majority part by Energy Transfer. USPL was seeking approximately $100 million in damages for extra work. In turn, Rover counterclaimed and asserted that USPL did faulty work with respect to certain geotechnical-related work and what Rover claims to be “restoration failures” along the pipeline route. Rover’s claim was for approximately $36 million in damages. Jeremy Doyle was hired Performance Contractors to represent it, as co-counsel with another firm, in connection with a construction dispute involving a $900 million polyethylene plant. The parties are currently engaged in discovery and the lawsuit is set for trial in September 2021.
Mike Oldham was retained by World Garden in a suit filed in federal court to enforce World’s Garden’s exclusive distribution agreement with Calavo, the largest producer of avocados and guacamole. World’s Garden is Calavo’s exclusive distributor to Europe and parts of Asia. World’s Garden asserts claims for fraud and breach of contract, alleging that World’s Garden has established a strong and growing market for Calavo’s products in Europe but now Calavo seeks to cut World’s Garden out and service those international markets directly.
