Michael Tristan
Senior Counsel

Overview
Michael Tristan is a litigation attorney in Holland & Knight's Dallas office. Mr. Tristan focuses his practice on disputes involving a variety of complex commercial transactions, with an emphasis on oil, gas and other energy-related matters.
Mr. Tristan has represented clients in state court, federal court and before arbitration panels in Texas and across the country.
Mr. Tristan's recent representative engagements include:
- represented a mineral interest owner in title dispute related to Permian Basin assets
- handled American Arbitration Association (AAA) international arbitration related to the operation of an oil and gas lease located in the Middle East
- represented multiple oil and gas companies in disputes related to royalty payments
- represented a mineral owner in a number of disputes with operators and various governmental entities concerning surface use, easement and condemnation issues
- handled a dispute concerning off-shore mineral interest located in Louisiana state waters; lead the negotiation of the subsequent sale of such interest
- handled adversary proceeding claims seeking to recharacterize a sale of certain debtor mineral assets
- represented a property owner in dispute concerning title to mineral rights located in California
- served as trial co-counsel on behalf of a Texas county in an inverse condemnation action
- handled AAA labor and employment arbitration between an employer and a terminated employee
- served as lead counsel in obtaining temporary restraining order, permanent injunction and agreed judgment in theft of trade secrets case against a former employee
- representation of a lender in dispute against a real estate developer in related state and federal court lawsuits in Illinois
Credentials
Education
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D.
- Texas Tech University, B.B.A.
Bar Admissions/Licenses
- Texas
Court Admissions
- 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
Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
- Dallas Bar Association
Honors & Awards
- Texas Rising Stars, Business Litigation, 2010, 2011, 2016-2018