Jeff Ballew

Jeff Ballew represents clients in complex commercial litigation. His clients include major multi-national businesses involved in manufacturing, energy, upstream oil and gas, and financial services industries. He represents clients in connection with claims arising from distribution and dealership agreements, corporate ownership and management, asset sales, state and national class actions, and state and federal regulatory activity. Mr. Ballew represents energy industry clients in disputes arising from claims involving operational issues, pricing issues, drainage and development disputes, environmental contamination, joint operating agreements, and royalty owner claims.

Mr. Ballew has represented clients in matters across the country, including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas. He prosecutes and defends claims in state and federal courts, and in arbitration proceedings.

Representative Experience

• Obtained judgment construing Texas mineral deed to convey mineral interest rather than a fixed royalty interest, which entitled client to recover millions of dollars in suspensed royalties
• Obtained judgment construing Oklahoma Supreme Court judgment to bar claims that a Texas oil and gas mineral interest had terminated due to lack of production in paying quantities
• Obtained judgment that a party to a global development agreement did not breach by failing to pay additional consideration for surface use after acquisition of covered leases
• Obtained dismissal of a statewide class action seeking royalties on flared gas in North Dakota
• Counsel for global energy company in administrative and judicial proceedings affecting mineral leases and a unit covering more than 100,000 acres
• Obtained judgments for mineral interest lessees in lawsuits filed by taxing units in 37 Texas counties alleging fraud in the valuation of producing properties
• Obtained summary judgment in seminal Texas case establishing that claims for temporary and permanent injury to land resulting from production activity do not accrue upon discovery by a subsequent purchaser
• Obtained take nothing judgment in favor of a major producer in West Texas in defending tort claims for temporary and permanent injury to land from E&P operations
• Represented an engineering firm in an appeal that marked the first time a Texas appellate court ruled that the Texas 10-year statutes of repose bar claims by an owner of defective design, workmanship, and construction of a major office tower and hotel complex (upholding a lower court summary judgment dismissing claims against our client)
• Defeated claims brought by taxing authorities in 18 West Texas counties against a major producer on procedural and state constitutional grounds
• Obtained reversal of a state agency ruling purporting to effect the forfeiture of a 103,000-acre unit on the North Shore of Alaska
• Defeated an effort to certify a class of lessors alleging drainage and development claims against a major East Texas producer
• Recovered multi-million-dollar settlement for manufacturer whose operations were compromised by defective product delivered by supplier to physical plant that is the largest of its type in the world
• Defeated statewide class action alleging antitrust injury in retail product distribution
• Effected change in control of management of national franchisor
• Defeated nationwide consumer class action brought against international tire and rubber manufacturer
• Obtained defense verdict in case involving fraud and breach of contract claims by 18 retail dealers against national manufacturer and wholesaler
• Successfully defended U.K.-based telecommunications equipment supplier from allegations of theft of trade secrets