Kelly Ransom

BIOGRAPHY

Kelly Ransom’s practice is focused on patent litigation, energy and environmental litigation, and other high-stakes, complex litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. Ms. Ransom represents some of the world’s largest technology companies in patent litigation cases in one of the nation’s busiest patent venues, the Western District of Texas, as well as others. She also represents oil and gas companies in cases involving environmental damage claims, gas storage and migration issues, royalty disputes, and mineral lease termination claims, and she has defended clients in dozens of high-stakes “legacy litigation” cases involving claims of coastal land loss and damaged hydrology in wetlands.

Ms. Ransom has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America^® in numerous practice areas and honored as a Rising Star in Energy Litigation by Louisiana Super Lawyers. She is the Managing Editor of the Energy Law Advisor, the Institute for Energy Law’s longest running publication, and she was appointed to the Institute’s Executive Committee in 2020. Ms. Ransom is also active in her local community and is on several local non-profit boards. From 2018 to 2022, she was President of the Board of Directors of New Harmony High, a state-chartered public high school in New Orleans, Louisiana that has received national recognition for educating students through the lens of coastal restoration and preservation.

EXPERIENCE AND HIGHLIGHTS

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

• Enable Mississippi River Transmission LLC v. Linn Energy Holdings, LLC, et al., 3:15-CV-01625 (W.D. La. 2016) (dismissing claims brought under Natural Gas Act).
• Enable Mississippi River Transmission LLC v. Linn Energy Holdings, LLC, et al., U.S. Bankruptcy Court S.D. Tx., Houston Div. 16-60040 (DRJ), Adversary No. 16-6017 (11/28/18 Order) (granting Motion to Dismiss claims relating to gas storage facility)
• D&D Cajun Ventures, LLC v. Atlantic Richfield Company, et al., No. 87694, Div. L, 15^th JDC, Vermillion Parish, Louisiana (dismissing numerous claims, including Louisiana Mineral Code claims, through pretrial motion practice)
• ConocoPhillips Company v. Texas Petroleum Investment Company, et al., 113^th JDC, Harris County, Texas, No. 2011-46437; Texas Petroleum Investment Company v. Elysium West LLC, 113^th JDC, Harris County, Texas, No. 2011-46437-B (defended client in litigation involving indemnity claim arising from settlement of legacy lawsuit)

AFFILIATIONS

• Managing Editor, The Energy Law Advisor, 2019-Present
• Center for American and International Law’s Institute for Energy Law
  • Executive Committee, 2019-Present
  • Vice Chair, Communications Committee, 2022-Present
  • Vice Chair, Young Energy Professionals Programs Sub-Committee, 2020-2021
• New Harmony High, XQ Super School, President of Board of Directors, 2018-2022
• Krewe of Red Beans, Board of Directors, 2020-Present
• Louisiana Oil and Gas Association

HONORS

• Best Lawyers®, New Orleans-Ones to Watch, U.S. News & World Report, 2022-2024
  • Energy Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Oil and Gas Law
• Louisiana Super Lawyers Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2021
  • Energy & Resources Law
• Leadership in Law Honoree, New Orleans CityBusiness, 2020, 2022, 2023
• Woman of the Year, New Orleans CityBusiness, 2016, 2020

EDUCATION

• Cumberland School of Law, J.D., 2007
  • Moot Court National Team Member, 2006-2007
  • Moot Court Executive Board Member, 2006-2007
  • Certificate in Trial Advocacy
  • Scholar in Merit Awards for highest grade in Pre-Trial Practice and Procedure; Wills, Trusts, and Estates; Real Estate Transactions; and Domestic Relations
  • National Order of Barristers Honors Society
  • Dean’s List, 2004-2007
• Rhodes College, B.A., Political Science, 2003

ADMISSIONS

• State Bar of Louisiana, 2008
• State Bar of Texas, 2018
• State Bar of Alabama, 2007
• United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division

SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS

• Author, “Louisiana Coastal Zone Litigation Update: Cameron Parish District Court Grants Summary Judgment on Solidary Liability Issue,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 17, No. 3, September 2023
• Author, “Fifth Circuit Affirms Remand of Louisiana Coastal Zone Lawsuits . . . Again,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 16, No. 3, December 2022
• Moderator, General Counsel Panel at Institute for Energy Law’s 73^rd Annual Energy Law Conference, February 2022
• Author, “Fifth Circuit Reverses 2020 Decision on Timeliness of Removal of Louisiana Coastal Zone Lawsuits,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 15, No. 2, August 2021
• Speaker, “Environmental Litigation – Trends and Coming Threats,” Institute for Energy Law’s 2nd Energy and Environmental Law Virtual Conference, March 2021
• Author, “Fifth Circuit Affirms Remand Orders in Louisiana Coastal Zone Lawsuits,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 14, No. 3, September 2020
• Author, “Professional Lessons I Learned Outside of My Actual Profession,” The Energy Dispatch, Issue 8, January 2020
• Author, “Expert Interview of Kathleen Magruder Hiersche,” The Energy Dispatch, Issue 7, October 2019
• Editor, The Energy Dispatch, Institute for Energy Law, Issue 7, October 2019
• Editor, The Energy Dispatch, Institute for Energy Law, Issue 6, July 2019
• Author and Speaker, “Extinction is the Rule, Survival the Exception: Maintaining the Lease During the Secondary Term in the Absence of Producing in Paying Quantities,” 66 Mineral Law Institute, March 2019
• Moderator, “Developing an Energy Network – Fuel for a Career,” Institute for Energy Law, National Young Energy Professionals’ Law Conference, April 2018
• Author, “Young Lawyers Corner: Advising Clients on Their Duty to Preserve Evidence,” ABA Section of Litigation, Mass Torts Journal, Vol. 9, No. 2, Winter 2011