Rick Shelby
BIOGRAPHY
Rick Shelby specializes in bankruptcy, corporate restructuring, and commercial litigation. His bankruptcy representation includes corporate debtors, lienholders, guarantors, insurers, leaseholders, contract counterparties, secured and unsecured creditors. Mr. Shelby represents chapter 11 clients in Louisiana, Texas and Florida, and his experience includes the following cases: Port Aggregates, Inc., Harvest Oil & Gas, LLC, Pel-Tex Oil Company, LLC; FEC Lafayette, LLC; Advocate Financial, LLC; New Orleans Paddlewheels, Virgin Offshore USA, Whistler Energy, LLC, Edgewater Construction, Vertex Energy, Zachry Industrial, Fieldwood Energy, Cox Oil, Nautical Solutions, and Conn’s Appliances. Mr. Shelby also represents clients in all aspects of oil and gas litigation including the Louisiana Oil Well Lien Act (LOWLA), master service agreements, permitting, adjudication, lease renewals, work orders, and decommissioning offshore projects.
Over 15 years, Rick has been a first or second chair lawyer with experience in depositions, expert preparation, mediation, and all related pleading requirements in both state and federal court. Mr. Shelby’s years of bankruptcy and litigation experience have made him a specialist on numerous claims, including contracts, bonding, insurance coverage, open accounts, receiverships, foreclosures, security devices, title disputes, and note enforcement litigation. Rick has appeared before federal and bankruptcy courts in Louisiana, Texas and Florida. He is licensed in all three states, which has proven beneficial for his clients. Mr. Shelby’s experience has been recognized by Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and numerous local New Orleans attorney reviews.
EXPERIENCES and HIGHLIGHTS
- Represented a privately held oil and gas company in an asset purchase agreement dispute against a reorganized Fortune 500 company
- Represented a major international exploration and production company in offshore royalty litigation against another major exploration and production company
- Represented a privately held oil and gas company in Louisiana state court in connection with an insurance coverage matter that was ultimately resolved in a successful reorganization of that company
- Represented a large financial client in oil and gas lease dispute and foreclosure proceeding in Louisiana state court
- Represented a title insurer in lien subordination action and purchase agreement dispute
- Represented an international construction supply company in federal court open account litigation
- Represented high net worth individuals in loan rearrangements and guarantee litigation in both federal and state courts
AFFILIATIONS
- American Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- New Orleans Bar Association
- Turnaround Management Association
HONORS
- Chambers USA, Band 3, 2023, 2024
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
- Louisiana Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2019-2025
- Bankruptcy & Business Reorganization
- Best Lawyers in America®, U.S. News & World Report, 2019-2025
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
- Litigation – Bankruptcy
- New Orleans Magazine “Top Lawyers”, 2013, 2022-2024
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
- Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- New Orleans CityBusiness Leadership in Law Award, 2015, 2019
- Louisiana Rising Star Super Lawyer, 2014-2018
- Bankruptcy & Business Reorganization
- Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2014
- Pro Bono Century Award by the New Orleans Pro Bono Project, 2011
EDUCATION
- Loyola University, J.D., summa cum laude, 2008
- Oregon State University, M.S., 1995
- Auburn University, B.C.E., cum laude, 1992
ADMISSIONS
- State Bar of Florida
- State Bar of Louisiana
- State Bar of Texas
SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS
- Speaker, “Bankruptcy Issues in the Oil and Gas Industry,” The 67th Mineral Law Institute
- Speaker, Bankruptcy Industry Panel, 2022 Professional Landmen’s Association of New Orleans Conference Author, “Contingency and Hybrid Fee Arrangements in Bankruptcy,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, January 2025
- Speaker, “A Trending Risk and Liability on the OCS: What Happens When a Party Can No Longer Pay to Play? Gordon Arata Oil & Gas Seminar, “Louisiana Issues,” April 2014
- Speaker, “Trending Risks and Liabilities on the OCS,” The 61st Annual Institute on Mineral Law, April 2014
- Author, “McGee v. A C & S, Inc: Loss of Enjoyment of Life as a Compensable Category of General Damages”, Loyola Law Review, Spring 2008
- Author, Field Evaluation of Passive Capillary Samplers for Estimating Groundwater Recharge, Water Resources Research Journal, 2000
- Contributing Author, LSU Law Center 15th – 19th Annual Bankruptcy Law Seminar