Biography

Beau E. LeBlanc is a member of the firm with a practice focusing on complex commercial litigation, construction-related dispute resolution and advice, general contract advice, as well as admiralty and insurance litigation. Among the clients Beau serves are onshore and offshore energy and marine general and EPC contractors, shipyards, marine and rig fabrication companies, land-based contractors and vendors, design and engineering firms, marine transportation and offshore service companies, marine and energy power manufacturers/service providers, and heavy equipment manufacturers.

Beau has significant experience in prosecuting and defending against claims in complex commercial, construction, maritime and insurance matters, in state and federal courts – on the district court and appellate levels – in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations administered by the American Arbitration Association and the London Court of International Arbitration.

Beau’s litigation and arbitration experience has included the preparation, litigation and/or trial of claims addressing: commercial contract breaches, delay, disruption and acceleration, cumulative impacts, disputed changes orders, warranty or guarantee obligations, force majeure, contractual liquidated damages, non-competition agreements, breach of fiduciary duties, fraudulent transfers, builder’s risk and other insurance coverage issues, bonds/letters of credit, exoneration from and/or limitation of liability and personal injury/death.

Beau has negotiated, drafted or advised upon a wide range of commercial and construction-related contracts, including EPC contracts, new construction and repair contracts, master service agreements, design and engineering contracts, purchase orders, professional service agreements, joint venture/teaming agreements, bonds and letters of credit, non-competition agreements, as well as charter party and other agreements in the admiralty context.

Prior to undertaking his private practice, Beau served as a full-time law clerk from 1998-1999 to the Honorable G. Thomas Porteous, Jr., District Court Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana.

Education

• University of Virginia School of Law – J.D., 1998
• Georgetown University – B.A., with honors, 1995

Recognitions & Distinctions

• Named to the Louisiana Rising Stars list as one of the top up-and-coming attorneys in Louisiana for 2012
• Best Lawyer in America 2023, 2024: Admiralty and Maritime Law, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation – Construction

Representative Experience

• Represented international contractor in an arbitration administered by the International Centre for Dispute Resolution under UNCITRAL rules against major energy company (owner) related to engineering, production, and construction of a deep water production facility hull, topsides and mooring system. Prosecuted over $110 million in claims by contractor for cumulative engineering and fabrication productivity impacts, acceleration, and individual change orders. Defended owner’s counterclaims of over $130 million for consequential damages, clawbacks of settled change orders and defective engineering and fabrication. This matter involved a multi-week hearing in Houston, Texas before a three member tribunal.
• Represented U.S. contractor in an arbitration administered by the London Court of International Arbitration (“LCIA”) against the owner, an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company (owner was purchased during the dispute by a major energy company), to resolve disputes arising out of a contract for the manufacture, fabrication, assembly, supply, testing and delivery of a fixed production platform for processing natural gas in a large field off the coast of Israel. Prosecuted approximately $70 million in claims by contractor for disputed change orders for additional / revised work, loss of productivity, disruption and acceleration. Defended owner’s counterclaims of approximately $12 million for liquidated and general damages, lost and damaged material and incomplete / carryover work. This matter involved a three week hearing in London before a three member tribunal.
• Represented a US shipbuilder in an AAA arbitration against owner — a provider of marine transportation services to exploration and production, oilfield service and offshore construction – on a shipbuilding contract dispute related to design, construction and warranty defects on a series of ten (10) offshore supply vessels. Defended contractor against $50 million in claims by owner. Took lead on largest owner claim relating to Electrical and Instrumentation issues. Prosecuted $3 million in claims by contractor relating to unpaid baseline adjustments, extra work and excessive LDs charged. This matter involved several multi-week hearings before a three member tribunal in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Represented international contractor in AAA arbitration arising from transportation and installation of completed and assembled deepwater production facility, including over $38 million in disputed change orders and project delays. Defended claims for installation delay and for alleged defective work.
• Represented U.S. contractor in an arbitration administered by the London Court of International Arbitration (“LCIA”) under UNCITRAL Rules against an international shipbuilder. The matter involved a multi-week hearing in London before a three member tribunal. The EPC contract was for the detail design, procurement, fabrication, loadout and seafastening of two tower sections for a fixed, deepwater offshore platform for oil and gas production off the coast of Africa. As a result of design delays, work growth and subsequent acceleration of the schedule, the contractor claimed entitlement to additional costs approximating $18 million.
• Represented US fabricator in $18 million dispute in federal district court in Texas with drilling contractor related to the construction and integration of two deepwater, state-of-the art drillships. Pursued claims resulting from contract breaches, extra-contractual work and project impacts arising from late and defective design, increased work scope, compensable schedule delays and impacts.
• Represented contractor in a Society of Maritime Arbitrators arbitration with the owner regarding the design and construction of a first-in-kind dual mode ATB trailing suction hopper dredge. The matter involved competing breach of contract claims of over $45 million relating to contract default, termination, claims for additional compensation for changes, delay, disruption and costs to complete with another company
• Represented U.S. industrial construction contractor in a dispute with an oil and gas producer regarding an EPC contract for the construction of a gas ‐ treating and sulphur recovery plant in Canada. The contractor claimed damages resulting from an incomplete design and specifications. Contractor’s claims included incorporating new owner requirements, correcting the specifications, changes and growth to the work and resulting impacts. The total amount in dispute was approximately $100 million.
• Represented owner / charterer of inland and offshore towing vessels, barges and crewboats against purchasers of two tugboats in Eastern District of Louisiana dispute relating to breach of a non-compete provision relating to charters in a vessel sales agreement. Prevailed against purchasers with $6.75 million judgment, which was successfully defended on appeal to the U.S. Fifth Circuit. Prosecuted further claims against global mergers, acquisitions, and operations company (parent) for fraudulent transfers and piercing of corporate veil.
• Represented owner of two barges in successful limitation of liability action in the U.S. Southern District of Mississippi with respect to claims by the MDOT relating to the allision of those two barges into the I-10 bridge near Pascagoula, Mississippi, causing over $6 million in damages, as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Memberships & Affiliations

• American Bar Association (Member, ABA Forum on Construction Law and ABA Litigation Section)
• Louisiana State Bar Association (Member, Fidelity, Surety & Construction Law Section; Civil Law & Litigation Section; and Alternative Dispute Resolution Section)
• State Bar of Texas (Member, Construction Law Section)
• New Orleans Bar Association
• Houston Bar Association (Member, Construction Law Section)
• Partner Member of the Shipbuilders Council of America

Admissions

• State Bar of Texas
• State Bar of Louisiana
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States District Court: Eastern, Western & Middle Districts of Louisiana
• United States District Court: Northern, Eastern & Southern Districts of Texas
• United States District Court: Southern District of Mississippi
• United States Bankruptcy Court: Southern District of Mississippi
• United States District Court: Southern District of Alabama

Biography

Education

• University of Denver Sturm College of Law – J.D., 2003
• Hope College – B.A., 1999

Representation Experience

• Secured jury verdict for client on claim for breach of fiduciary duty after five-day trial against defendant financial advisor in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado by showing that financial advisor breached his fiduciary duties to client by aiding in transfer of client’s funds despite multiple red flags.
• Prevailed in seven-day administrative law trial before Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings for Class 8 truck manufacturer by showing manufacturer’s good cause to reduce dealer’s area of responsibility because of dealer’s poor sales and service performance and successfully defended case on appeal.
• Secured jury verdict and awarded attorney’s fees and costs for drilling company client in case involving breach of the International Association of Drilling Contractor’s form contract in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Prosecuted the drilling company’s breach of contract case and defended against operator’s counterclaims for breach of contract.
• Prevailed in appeal before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in a dealership termination dispute between an equipment manufacturer and an equipment dealer. The Sixth Circuit ruled in favor of the client that the dealer was not permitted to shield the federal case record from public access on concerns that publicity would harm the dealership. Rudd Equip. Co., Inc. v. John Deere Constr. & Forestry Co., 834 F.3d 589 (6th Cir. 2016).
• Secured jury verdict for publicly traded engineering and manufacturing company in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado by arguing that the client’s carbon steel boat steering cable design was not defective, and the jury should decide that issue using the risk-benefit test, not the consumer expectation test. Defended verdict on appeal. Kokins, et al. v. Teleflex Inc., 621 F.3d 1290 (10th Cir. 2010).
• Awarded summary judgment for component part supplier in a California federal court strict product liability and fraud case involving a failed microtunnel boring machine. Nada Pacific Corp. v. Power Engineering & Mfg., Ltd., 73 F. Supp. 3d 1206 (N.D. Cal. 2014).
• Awarded summary judgment in favor of an engineering client in case involving alleged storage silo failures by arguing the parties’ contracts defeated claims for third-party beneficiary status and implied warranty in a Pennsylvania federal court. Lone Star Industries, Inc. v. Besser Company, Civ. Action No. 11-1481, 2013 WL (April 17, 2013, E.D. Pa.).
• After nearly a decade of litigation in New York state court, secured agreement to transfer venue to arbitration and later won defense award for manufacturer facing claims by former partner over a failed joint venture to sell equipment to factories in Greece.
• Awarded summary judgment for publicly traded engineering and manufacturing firm in catastrophic injury and quadriplegia products liability case in Maricopa County, Arizona, by defeating plaintiffs’ causation theory where plaintiffs sought more than $30 million in damages.
• Awarded summary judgment for equipment seller in a warranty case in New York County, New York, by arguing the buyers’ claims were barred by the statute of limitations. The buyers were required to pay for the goods and the installation services the client provided in China.
• Led defense of cross border dispute in Harris County District Court involving claims against Mexican dairy company client brough by client’s U.S. and Mexican distributors over failed business venture in Texas.  Secured settlement for client that ended litigation and terminated the client’s U.S. and Mexican distributor agreements with distributors.

Speaking Engagements & Presentations

• Collignon and Curtis Speak on “Interviewing for Diversity Scholarships” at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law (11/1/2013)

Memberships & Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• Colorado Bar Association
• Texas Bar Association

Admissions

• State Bar of Texas
• State Bar of Colorado
• United States District Court: District of Nebraska
• United States District Court: Eastern District of Michigan
• United States District Court: District of Colorado
• United States District Court: Northern, Eastern & Southern District of Texas
• United States Courts of Appeals for the Sixth & Tenth Circuits

Community Involvement

• Board Member, Alumni Council, University of Denver Sturm College of Law (2016-present)
• Chairman, Businesses of Thornton Advisory Commission (2012-2014)

Biography

Allegra Melton Lezak is an attorney in the Houston office of Cokinos | Young. Allegra received her J.D. from The University of Houston Law Center, where she served as Senior Articles Editor for the Houston Journal of International Law. While in law school, she also represented clients in the civil litigation clinic and was a competitive member of the mock trial team.

Allegra’s practice primarily focuses on construction law and commercial litigation. She has experience representing residential and commercial construction clients throughout the litigation and arbitration processes. Allegra’s experience covers a variety of areas including contract and payment disputes, delay disputes, mechanic’s and materialman’s liens, construction defect cases, premises and products liability, negligence, and other residential and commercial construction issues.

Education

• University of Houston Law Center – J.D., 2018
• Texas A&M University – B.S., cum laude, 2015

Recognitions & Distinctions

• Best Lawyers – Ones to Watch 2023, 2024: Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation – Construction

Publications

• The Independent Injury Claim Against Subcontractors and the Law of Unintended Consequences, The State Bar of Texas Construction Law Journal (Winter 2020)

Memberships & Affiliations

• Texas Aggie Bar Association
• Texas Bar Association: Construction Law Section
• Texas Bar Association: Women and the Law Section
• Texas Bar Association: Litigation Section

Admissions

• State Bar of Texas
• United States District Court: Eastern & Southern District of Texas

Biography

For the past fifteen years, Peter has developed a range of legal experience encompassing a wide array of commercial litigation matters in the energy, construction, and financial services industries where he has resolved disputes across the country before various courts and arbitration forums.  He has had the fortunate opportunity to work with some of the largest banks, insurers, and broker-dealers in the country as well as with smaller “mom and pop” businesses, and yet his approach to achieving the best result for his clients does not change.  Peter works closely with his clients to establish the most effective and cost-efficient strategy for every matter, and he is committed to working hard every day to ensure the client’s goals are achieved.

Education

• South Texas College of Law – J.D., magna cum laude, 2005
• University of Texas at Austin – B.A. Government, Minor – Business, 2002

Recognitions & Distinctions

• Best Lawyer in America 2023, 2024: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Selected for inclusion in Texas Rising Stars for Business Litigation (2015-2019)
• Houston Association of Legal Professionals, 2010 Boss of the Year

Representative Experience

Construction

• Obtained complete dismissal on behalf of heavy highway construction company in private nuisance action brought by adjacent landowner who alleged construction activities at borrow site caused increased flooding. Plaintiff non-suited all claims against client after all his experts were successfully struck from the case.
• Represented chemical company relating to claims for loss of productivity and overhead against mechanical piping contractor on multi-million dollar styrene revamp project.
• Represented commercial contractors in all facets of construction litigation including the recovery of mechanics and materialman’s liens, percentage completion, defects, delays, prompt payment violations, and trust fund violations.

Commercial

• Won week long trial before The Honorable Lynn N. Hughes in the Southern District of Texas—Houston Division representing local stevedoring company relating to claims against major national chassis pool operator for breach of contract stemming from repair services stevedore provided to chassis pool operator.  Also defended against counterclaims for breach of contract and fraud.  Obtained judgment for 100% of claim as well as attorneys’ fees, costs, and interest.
• Represented local exploration and production company on oil and gas lease termination cases.  Relevant issues included application of production in paying quantities, force majeure, continuous drilling, Pugh clauses, and interpretation of joint operating agreements.
• Represented publicly traded oilfield services company in breach of contract case stemming from synthetic mat joint-venture.
• Represented oilfield tool companies in disputes involving claims for unpaid freight charges, breach of warranty, and collection of receivables.
• Provided risk assessment and pre-litigation analysis for major chemical manufacturer relating to various issues including (1) termination of terminalling services agreement; (2) common-carrier status of various pipeline owners; and (3) proposed contract language for incorporation into sales agreements for commingled product.
• Represented mineral interest owner in suit brought by federal government seeking to foreclose on tax liens against co-tenant/delinquent taxpayer.
• Represented global medical device manufacturer to recover receivables owed stemming from lease of breathalyzers.
• Representing entrepreneur/buyer in various disputes under asset purchase agreement against seller of medical imaging company.
• Represented guarantors of notes in actions by banks to recover on defaulted loans provided to oilfield storage tank manufacturer and seller.
• Representing local third-party adjusting firm for various Lloyds syndicates against ERP software design firm in DTPA and breach of contract action.
• Represented stevedoring company relating to claims by second largest container shipper in world for fraud and breach of contract.
• Served as local counsel to oil and gas magazine publisher relating to claims for fraud and theft stemming from sale of multi-million dollar land rig.
• Represented downtown Houston property owner named as defendant/subsequent transferee in Bankruptcy Court adversary proceeding for claims relating to fraudulent transfer of client’s property.
• Represented individual commercial property owner relating to claims by foreign family member for trespass to try title, fraud, and constructive trust.
• Participated as part of contract drafting and negotiation team for major chemical manufacturer relating to the sale and storage of chemicals for international customer.
• Experience also includes comment and negotiation of master services agreement for commercial electrical contractor relating to work at chemical plant.

Financial

• Represented New York investment bank in suit by subsequent trustee relating to claims for civil conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duty for sale of publicly traded royalty trust assets.
• Represented brokers and broker dealers before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and its predecessor, the National Association of Securities Dealers (“NASD”), relating to customer disputes regarding claims for unsuitability, fraud, churning, unauthorized trading, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract.  Experience includes risk assessment and drafting case evaluation letters for use in discussions with client and insurance carrier for settlement and settlement authority.
• Represented various insurance brokers and independent registered representatives relating to claims stemming from the sale of various fixed and variable annuities, life insurance, disability, and long-term care products.
• Successfully tried arbitration before FINRA relating to customer dispute involving rogue broker’s recommendation of speculative investment outside the scope of his employment with broker dealer.  All claims asserted against client dismissed with prejudice.
• Successfully tried arbitration before FINRA relating to former broker’s employment agreement and promissory notes with local broker dealer.  After hearing arguments from both sides, panel awarded client full amount of unpaid principal, interest, and attorneys’ fees.
• Defended broker dealer from claims brought by individuals and corporations for fraud stemming from sale of auction rate securities.
• Hired by various broker dealers to enforce arbitration awards in state courts relating to employment agreements and promissory notes.
• Represented tax preparation service relating to claims of improper accounting practices.

Insurance

• Represented major national insurance company with regard to first party insurance property damage claims for mold, water, hurricane, and fire damage.  Experience includes drafting initial pre-suit reports, mediation reports, and status reports to client for case evaluation.
• Won summary judgment on behalf of national insurance company dismissing extra-contractual claims stemming from uninsured motorist coverage.

Speaking Engagements & Presentations

• Forecasting Challenges in Design-Build Construction in light of Texas SB 219 and Material Price Escalation, 2022 Design-Build Institute of America Southwest Regional Conference, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, April 2022
• The Biggest Issues Impacting Your Work in 2021 – 2022, 2021 Houston Contractors Association Management Conference, Key West, Florida, August 2021

Memberships & Affiliations

• South Texas College of Law Alumni Association, Director
• Board of Directors, Wilchester Men’s Club (a charitable non-profit 501(c)(3) focused on youth outreach, education, and neighbors in need in the areas of west Memorial and Spring Branch)

Admissions

• State Bar of Texas
• United States District Court: Eastern, Southern & Western Districts of Texas