Courtney Ervin has extensive experience representing clients in complex business disputes. Her clients repeatedly hire her for her creative problem-solving skills, from prelitigation through trial and appeal. Ms. Ervin has the tools necessary to solve problems before litigation strikes. But when that is not possible, she is a shrewd trial lawyer who aggressively represents her clients’ interests. Handling everything from important, cutting-edge energy matters involving first-of-their-kind business ventures to complex insurance coverage litigation, Ms. Ervin practices high-stakes commercial litigation in state and federal court and in arbitration. In addition to energy and insurance litigation, Ms. Ervin handles disputes in the areas of construction, real estate, private equity, information technology, and health care.
Ms. Ervin’s professional accolades include being profiled as one of the leading Energy Litigation lawyers in the U.S. by The Legal 500, being named a top lawyer by Houstonia magazine, and earning a place on the “Texas Super Lawyers” list repeatedly.
Representative Cases:
Energy Litigation:
- Lead counsel for a major exploration and production (E&P) company regarding interpretation of the construction and operation agreement for an ultradeep-water production facility, resulting in a favorable prelitigation settlement.
- Lead counsel for a power company regarding the interpretation of an operations and maintenance agreement. Obtained a summary judgment, resulting in over $100 million in cost savings.
- Counsel for a major E&P company regarding the fabrication and construction of a state-of-the-art floating production platform in the ultradeep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Obtained a take-nothing arbitration award in an eight-figure dispute.
- Counsel for an independent E&P company in a surface-use dispute regarding surface use and water rights impacting over half of the client’s oil and gas operations. Reached a favorable settlement weeks before trial.
Insurance Coverage:
- Lead counsel for a property and casualty insurer in a nine-figure dispute regarding defense and indemnity for a shareholder derivative suit. Prevailed on all claims on summary judgment.
- Lead counsel for an excess insurer in an equitable subrogation dispute involving novel issues of Texas and Louisiana law.
- Lead counsel for a property and casualty insurer in a contribution and subrogation dispute regarding defense and indemnity in underlying Louisiana legacy litigation. Obtained a favorable settlement shortly before trial.
- Trial and appellate counsel for a property and casualty insurer in a multimillion-dollar bad-faith and coverage dispute regarding defense and indemnity costs concerning environmental damage related to an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site.
Other Litigation:
- Counsel in a shareholder dispute in the Delaware Court of Chancery seeking to unwind a multimillion-dollar transaction.
- Lead counsel for an above-ground tank company in a construction and breach-of-warranty dispute in Louisiana federal court.
- Counsel for a medical equipment company regarding the termination of a licensing agreement in a bankruptcy adversary proceeding.
Updated Oct 2024
