Overview

Craig Haynes focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation with an emphasis on energy litigation. He represents major oil companies, large and small independents, gas plant owners, and other oil and gas interest owners in royalty owner litigation, class action litigation, pricing disputes, take-or-pay issues, operational issues, development and drainage claims, pooling and unitization issues, litigation of administrative disputes, disputes between working interest owners, and litigation involving issues arising in the shale plays. He serves as National Coordinating Counsel for civil royalty cases for one of the largest natural gas producers in the U.S.

Mr. Haynes has represented energy industry clients in actions in Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Alaska. He also handles a broad range of non-energy related complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts throughout Texas. In addition, Mr. Haynes also has handled and tried a number of high-profile and high-risk arbitrations.

According to clients quoted in Chambers USA 2016, Craig is "very highly regarded by the judiciary for the quality of his briefs and his advocacy."

Credentials

Education
  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., with high honors
  • Texas Tech University, B.A., summa cum laude
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • Texas
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
Memberships
  • State Bar of Texas, Oil and Gas Pattern Jury Charge Committee Chair
  • American Board of Trial Advocates, Elected Member
  • Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
  • Dallas Bar Association; Business Litigation Section, Chair, 2014; Council, 2002-2016
  • State Bar of Texas; Pattern Jury Charge Committee – Oil and Gas Pattern Jury Charge
  • Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court (Dallas, Texas), 1993-1997; Master, 2018-Present
  • Board of Trustees, Dallas Theater Center, 2014-Present
  • Chair, Dallas Bar Association Judiciary Committee, 2001; Chair, CLE Committee, 2003; Vice-Chair, Bench/Bar Committee, 2003
  • American Bar Association
Honors & Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Oil & Gas Law, 2006-2024
  • Chambers USA, Litigation: Energy & Natural Resources, Oil & Gas Litigation, 2010-2023
  • The Legal 500 USA, Recognized Attorney, Industry Focus: Energy: Litigation, 2015-2016, 2019-2021; Leading Lawyer, Energy Litigation - Oil and Gas, 2019-2023
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Dallas Oil & Gas Law Lawyer of the Year, 2013, 2018
  • Texas Super Lawyers magazine, 2003-2023
  • Best Lawyers in Dallas, Business Litigation, Energy & Natural Resources, D Magazine, 2011-2013, 2015-2018
  • Top 15 Business-Defense Lawyers, "Defenders," Dallas Business Journal, 2009
  • Top-Notch Lawyer (Civil Litigation - Plaintiffs), Go-To Guide, Texas Lawyer, 2002

Publications

News