Oil & Gas Matters

Pioneer Natural Resources v. Pony Oil et al. (Martin Co., TX)
Representing a small, privately-owned Dallas company as lead counsel in defense of an alleged $500 million claim brought by ExxonMobil subsidiary Pioneer, which has asserted claims for lease terminations on multiple tracts in the heart of the Midland Basin. The Dallas Morning News provided coverage of a June 2025 hearing in the ongoing litigation.

Point Energy Partners, LLC v. MRC Permian Company (Tex.)
Represented Point Energy in a dispute over rightful ownership of 4,000 gross acres in the Permian Basin. The case hinged on whether MRC’s failure to timely drill was excused by the force majeure clause in the relevant lease. Now regarded as a seminal precedent for such disputes, Point prevailed before the Texas Supreme Court in a 2023 decision that was noted in The Texas Lawbook and Law.com.

Upland Exploration, LLC v. Mewbourne Oil Company (Ellis Co, Okla.)
Successfully represented Mewbourne in two resolved lawsuits related to Upland’s leasing activities and Mewbourne’s drilling activities in the Cherokee Play of the Western Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma.

BP America Production Co. v. Laddex, Ltd (Tex.)
Represented BP America in a retrial in a dispute regarding production paying quantities. In the original trial – when a different firm represented BP – the jury unanimously found the company’s lease terminated for failure to turn a profit. The Texas Supreme Court remanded for a new trial, which resulted in a unanimous jury verdict in BP’s favor with a finding that the lease produced in paying quantities, an outcome featured in a Texas Tech Law Review article.

Appellate Matters

BPX Operating Co. (Reeves Co., Tex.)
Represents BPX Operating Company (“BPX”) in a dispute regarding ownership of working (and related royalties) interest that was foreclosed on and sold through a tax foreclosure lawsuit. BPX is the leaseholder of the subject interest. Through summary judgment proceedings, the Court found that the tax foreclosure sale was valid, and that BPX owns leasehold title to the subject tract. The plaintiff appealed that decision to the El Paso Court.

Point Energy Partners, LLC v. MRC Permian Company (Tex.)
Represented Point Energy in a dispute over rightful ownership of 4,000 gross acres in the Permian Basin. The case hinged on whether MRC’s failure to timely drill was excused by the force majeure clause in the relevant lease. Now regarded as a seminal precedent for such disputes, Point prevailed before the Texas Supreme Court in a 2023 decision that was noted in The Texas Lawbook.

Martin Water Midstream, LLC (Loving Co., Tex.)
Obtained summary judgment for Point Energy Partners Permian, LLC on lease termination and tortious interference. This ruling was appealed up to the Texas Supreme Court, who determined that Matador failed to meet their drilling requirements as detailed in the lease due to a calendaring error, not an event of force majeure. Point Energy Partners Permian, LLC v. MRC Permian Co., 669 S.W.3d 796 (Tex. 2023). The Texas Supreme Court remanded the El Paso Court of Appeals for additional proceedings on remaining issues, No. 08-19-00124-CV. The parties have completed multiple rounds of supplemental briefing on the remaining issues and await the Court of Appeals’ decision.

BPX Properties (N.A.) LP
Represents BPX Properties (N.A.) LP (“BPX”), in a “washout” dispute alleging that BPX conspired to “washout” the plaintiffs’ overriding royalty interests in a Permian Basin oil and gas lease. The plaintiffs advanced a novel common-law claim—a “bad faith washout.” Under this theory, a lessor and lessee commit a tort by terminating a lease—which destroys any overriding royalty interests—and then re-leasing the same acreage, now free and clear of the prior royalty burdens. The plaintiffs also alleged that BPX breached the terms of the lease, committed fraud, and conspired with a third party to cover up its actions. BPX moved for summary judgment, arguing that (1) BPX did not breach the lease, (2) BPX did not commit a “bad faith washout” because no such cause of action exists under Texas law, and (3) the plaintiffs’ claims were barred by the statute of limitations. The trial court rejected BPX’s arguments regarding the statute of limitations but agreed with all of BPX’s arguments on the merits and dismissed plaintiffs’ case in its entirety. The plaintiffs appealed to the El Paso Court of Appeals. The matter has been fully briefed and argued to the Court, Case No. 08-24-00010-CV, and the parties await the Court’s decision.

Other Litigation

Secured summary judgment in an employment discrimination dispute under the ADA, Title VII, ADEA, and TCHRA, which was later affirmed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Secured summary judgment in a purported whistleblower dispute under the National Defense Authorization Act.

Defended a large private employer in several administrative proceedings before the Texas Workforce Commission.

Represented employers in internal investigations related to potential violations of state and federal laws.

Represented several Fort Worth–based hospitals in health care litigation matters.

Assisted in obtaining a highly favorable settlement on the eve of trial representing a large oil company in an $85 million contract dispute in Denver.

Admissions

•  Texas
• Oklahoma

Clerkships/Judicial Internships

• Federal law clerk for the Hon. Reed O’Connor, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
• Judicial extern for the Hon. Lee Gabriel of the Second Court of Appeals of Texas

Education

•  Texas Tech University (J.D., 2014)
  • Magna Cum Laude
  • Order of the Coif
  • Texas Tech Law Review
•  Angelo State University (B.A., 2011)
  • With highest honors
  • Summa Cum Laude
  • Varsity Softball 

Memberships

• Federal Bar Association 
• Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court
• Tarrant County Volunteer Attorney Services
• Tarrant County Bar Association Women Attorneys Section, board (2017–2018) 
• State Bar of Texas, Women in the Profession Committee
• Northern District of Texas, Court Advisory Committee 
• Women’s Energy Network

• “Bad-Faith Washouts: Texas’ Newest Cause of Action,” Texas Lawyer, August 29, 2023.
• “Litigator of the Week Runners-Up and Shout Outs,” The AmLaw Litigation Daily, April 28, 2023.
• “SCOTX Wrestles with Force Majeure Clause in Drilling Delay,” The Texas Lawbook, October 25, 2022.
• 5th Circ. Backs Nuke Co.’s Win in Fire Captain’s Bias Suit, Law360, August 15, 2022.
• Fort Worth Oil Company Wins ‘Use It or Lose It’ Challenge to Permian Basin Leases, The Texas Lawbook, June 24, 2021.

• Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers, “’Up and Coming’ Lawyer Oil & Gas (USA),” 2024-2025.
• BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America, “One to Watch,” 2021-2025.
• Thompson Reuters, Texas Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2020-2023.
• Fort Worth Magazine, “Top Attorney (Civil Law – Litigation),” 2017-2018.