Ron Oran is a commercial litigation partner who focuses his practice on the energy industry. He has experience representing energy clients, particularly exploration and production (E&P) companies, private equity investors, and boards of directors in a variety of oil and gas litigation and arbitration matters. Ron particularly manages disputes involving the purchase, sale and operation of energy companies or assets.
In addition, Ron is skilled in securities litigation, defending oil and gas companies and private equity firms against alleged violations of the Securities Exchange Act.
Representative Experience
Energy Litigation
- Defended a master limited partnership and certain of the members of the board of directors of its general partner against shareholder derivative lawsuits in state courts in Texas and Delaware that sought to enjoin a $1 billion merger
- Represented an exploration and production company in an arbitration regarding contractual adjustments to a $420 million purchase and sale for an exploration and production company
- Represented an exploration and production company in a lawsuit brought by working interest owners challenging certain expenses allocated to oil wells
- Defended an energy services company and certain of its officers and directors in shareholder derivative lawsuits in state courts in Texas and Louisiana that sought to enjoin a $1 billion merger
- Represented a private equity firm in a Texas arbitration and lawsuit regarding potential contractual indemnification obligations that arose after the sale of a gas compression company
- Represented a private equity firm in a breach of contract dispute arising from the purchase of an exploration and production company
- Represented an exploration and production company in litigation pending in Delaware bankruptcy court and Alaska state court concerning potential decommissioning liabilities relating to previously divested oil and gas assets
- Represented an exploration and production company in litigation pending in Texas federal court concerning drainage claims relating to a previously divested Gulf of Mexico lease
- Represented an exploration and production company in litigation in Texas state court seeking to enforce a $235 million purchase and sale agreement for oil and gas assets
- Represented an exploration and production company in a lawsuit pending in New York federal court asserting claims under the Alien Tort Claims Act and RICO
- Represented a coal company in a New York arbitration arising from breaches of contracts to purchase coal
- Assisted with the representation of the general partner of a master limited partnership and certain of the members of the general partner’s board of directors in the appeal of the dismissal of a shareholder derivative lawsuit in Delaware that challenged the fairness of a $9 billion merger
- Assisted with the representation of an exploration and production company in an antitrust lawsuit filed in Louisiana federal court
- Assisted with the representation of an exploration and production company in a lawsuit filed in New York federal court alleging price discrimination
- Assisted with the representation of a petrochemical company in a lawsuit filed in Kansas federal court alleging price fixing
- Represented a provider of retail electricity and natural gas in lawsuits filed in Colorado federal court alleging breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty
Securities Litigation
- Represented the private equity sponsors of an oil and gas company in a putative class action lawsuit pending in Texas federal court alleging violations of Section 15 of the Securities Act
- Represented an oil and gas company in a putative class action lawsuit pending in New York federal court alleging violations of Sections 11, 12, and 15 of the Securities Act
- Represented the publicly traded general partner of a master limited partnership and certain of its directors in Delaware and Texas litigation alleging violations of Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act
- Represented an oil and gas company in a putative class action lawsuit in Oklahoma federal court alleging violations of Sections 11, 12, and 15 of the Securities Act
- Assisted with the representation of an oil and gas company in a putative class action pending in Louisiana federal court alleging violations of Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act related to revisions to the company’s hydrocarbon reserves estimates
- Represented an oil field services company in a putative class action brought in Texas federal court alleging violations of Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act
- Represented a private equity fund and two of its directors in a putative class action in Oklahoma federal court alleging violations of Sections 11,12, and 15 of the Securities Act and Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act
- Assisted with the representation of a construction company in a putative class action pending in Louisiana federal court alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act
- Assisted with the representation of an energy firm in an SEC investigation into a restatement of financial statements
Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Houston Bar Association
- Texas Bar Association (Fellow)
- Houston Bar Association (Fellow)
Community Involvement
- Board of Trustees, United Way of Greater Houston
- Board of Directors, Avance, Inc.
- Board of Directors, Children’s Museum of Houston
- American Leadership Forum, Class XLII