Carter Walker Dugan

Partner-in-Charge, Houston Office
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP

Houston
United States
T:+1 713 651 5714
Houston
United States
T:+1 713 651 5714
Carter Walker Dugan

Carter Walker Dugan

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Biography

Carter Dugan serves as Partner-in-Charge of the Houston office.

Carter is a partner in the Energy Litigation Practice Group. Carter practices in the Houston office where her practice encompasses handling a wide range of complex commercial and energy litigation matters pending in state and federal courts across the country.  

Carter represents clients across a wide spectrum of industries in matters including enforcing contractual and property rights, disputes involving fraud and error, and disputes alleging professional negligence. In addition, Carter has developed a focus on litigation of construction matters and has extensive experience in representing owners, municipalities, and contractors in complex construction disputes.  Carter routinely advises clients on a multitude of construction and commercial issues including contract breach and interpretation, regulatory compliance, environmental compliance, bid anomalies, delay claims, acceleration and inefficiency claims, and default terminations. 

In addition, Carter regularly assists clients with avoiding litigation through providing contractual analysis, identifying project risks, and advising on alternative dispute resolution, at all stages of projects.

Carter is also involved in leadership within the Firm and the community. She currently serves on the Firm's Associate Evaluation Committee and Futures Committee, and she organizes special ProBono projects designed to aid and empower women and refugees. Carter's community involvement centers on ensuring that girls and women have equal access to education, the workforce, and political office. In addition, she and her family are committed to fundraising for cancer research and early detection.

Professional experience

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JD, New York University Law School, 2006
BA, magna cum laude, Philosophy and Political Science, Vanderbilt University, 2003

While in law school Carter was an article editor for the Journal of International Law and Politics and at Vanderbilt, was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Carter was admitted to practice law in Texas in 2006.

  • Texas State Bar

Commercial Litigation:

  • Obtained no liability jury verdict as second chair of a four week trial, in which plaintiff asserted allegations of breach of contract and tortious interference against global energy company and sought actual damages of more than $35M as well as punitive damages.
  • ​Led arbitration team and recovered in excess of $15M for global energy company following a two week arbitration in dispute against an inspection company over allegations of breach of contract and fraud.
  • Member of team obtaining dismissal of lawsuit filed by Houston Firefighters Relief & Retirement Fund against the City of Houston, the Mayor of Houston, and Houston City Council members claiming that legislation seeking to reform Houston's pension system (Senate Bill 2190) was unconstitutional.
  • ​Obtained favorable settlement for pipeline owner in contract dispute in a proceedings alleging that a construction contract was converted from a lump sum contract to a time and materials contract.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for global oil and gas services company in lawsuit over scope of environmental remediation services.
  • Obtained dismissal of lawsuit alleging breach of fiduciary duty and conspiracy in business separation case.
  • Obtained successful settlement in representation of global oil and gas company in contract dispute over the existence and interpretation of a minimum volume commitment.  
  • Obtained summary judgment for manufacturer of component of drilling rig in products liability case claiming over US$450M.
  • Obtained summary judgment for international real estate developer in case involving claims of negligence and fraud.
  • Obtained permanent injunction for property owner in case involving wrongful attempts to foreclose on property.
  • Obtained successful settlement for drilling contractor in dispute over quality of goods and services provided to operators in Louisiana.  
  • Obtained successful settlement for a chemical resin distributor in litigation concerning the quality and type of resins provided.
  • Obtained a favorable settlement for a regional pipeline company in AAA proceeding in a contract dispute over the quality of services provided under a MSA.
  • Member of team obtaining ruling in favor of City of Houston in dispute over the constitutionality of "Proposition B."

Construction Litigation:

  • Led a team of lawyers who defeated an attempt to obtain a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction to enjoin construction of a state conservation and reclamation district's greater than US$60M construction project.
  • Represented a municipality in bidding dispute involving allegations of statutory violation and obtained a dismissal releasing municipality from any damages.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for a nationally recognized glass installation company in a case in which Plaintiff alleged an iconic public parking structure has been rendered unsightly by paint flaking off glass panels installed on the structure.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for one of the most respected general contractors in the Las Vegas area in a construction defect case in which Plaintiff alleges damages to its Las Vegas residential tower of US$40M.
  • Obtained summary judgment for subcontractor in a construction defect case that involved a large apartment complex in Texas in which the client was alleged to be responsible for water damages at the complex.
  • Represented a construction and engineering company (the contractor) and one of the world's largest publicly traded international oil and gas companies (the owner) in a construction dispute where the subcontractor sought to foreclose on a mechanic's and materialman's lien it filed on the owner's property and has alleged claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination, unjust enrichment, and violations of the Texas Prompt Pay Act against the contractor due to its alleged wrongful for cause termination of the subcontractor from the project.
  • Texas Rising Star, Business Litigation, Thomson Reuters, 2012-2016
  • 40 under 40 Honoree, Houston Business Journal, 2017
  • Texas Lawyer, Lawyers on the Rise Professional Excellence Award, Texas Lawyer 2017
    • Named one of twenty "impact lawyers in the Texas legal community"
  • Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Energy litigation: oil and gas, The Legal 500, 2017, 2023-2024
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Energy Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, 2023, 2024
  • Texas Super Lawyer, Business litigation, Thomson Reuters, 2024
  • Women Who Mean Business Honoree, Houston Business Journal, 2024
  • "Ethics from the Movies," Houston Bar Association CLE presentation, April 18, 2017
  • "Protecting Your Attorney-Client Communications," CLE presentation, April 25, 2017, June 13, 2017. 
  • Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse ("AVDA"), Board Member (2018-present)
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Houston Bar Association
    • Board of Directors, Member (2023)
    • Houston Lawyer Referral Service, Board of Directors (2022– present)
    • Gender Fairness Committee, Co-Chair (2023-2024), Member (2012-2015)
    • Legal-Lines Committee, Chair (2011)
  • Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
    • Office Administrative Partner (2022-present)
    • Associate Evaluation Committee (2016-present)
    • Houston Futures Committee (2017-2020)
    • Houston Associates Committee (2010-2015)
    • Clerkship Committee (2012-2015)
    • Pro Bono Committee (2014-2015)
  • St. Luke's United Methodist Church, Member
    • Church Council (2022-present)
    • Second Grade Sunday School Teacher
  • River Oaks Baptist School, Member Leadership Council
  • Houston Ballet, Board of Trustees (2023 – present)