Taylor LeMay
Senior Associate
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Taylor LeMay is a senior associate in the International Arbitration group in Houston. His practice focuses on complex cross-border disputes, including international arbitration, the enforcement of arbitration clauses and awards, and complex commercial litigation in US federal and state courts. His experience includes advising foreign and domestic entities on cross-border contract and business tort disputes, with an emphasis on high-value cases arising from projects and business ventures in Europe and the Middle East in the construction, engineering, energy, and transportation sectors. Taylor has handled disputes arising from engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts, franchise agreements, supply and purchase agreements, and service agreements. He also has experience with post-merger and acquisition disputes.
Taylor has represented clients in international and domestic arbitrations governed by the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), JAMS, and the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR). He also has particular experience resolving high-value construction and engineering disputes under the ICC's Dispute Board Rules. In addition to international and domestic arbitrations, Taylor’s experience includes litigation and appeals in the US federal and state courts, including actions regarding the enforcement of arbitration clauses and awards.
Prior to entering private practice, Taylor gained valuable insight into federal motion practice and procedure as a law clerk for the Hon. Marcia A. Crone of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. In law school, Taylor interned for the Hon. Royce C. Lamberth of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and served on the editorial boards of the Texas Journal of Oil, Gas, and Energy Law and the Texas International Law Journal.
Taylor is admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court and the Southern, Eastern, Western and Northern District Courts of Texas.
Professional experience
Collapse all- JD, with honors, The University of Texas School of Law, 2018
- BA, Louisiana State University, 2011
- Texas State Bar
- Represent a foreign sovereign in multi-jurisdictional arbitral award recognition and enforcement proceedings.
- Represented EPC contractor in numerous disputes implicating over US$1bn in damages related to the construction of two mega refineries in Kuwait, including ICC Dispute Review Board proceedings, ICC arbitrations, and related proceedings in Kuwait court. Disputes included asserting claims for extensions of time, delays, changes in law, disputed changes, and unforeseeable site conditions, and defending against multiple subcontractor claims.
- Prevailed in ICC Dispute Review Board hearing held in London and subject to Kuwait law, securing an award of over US$180m in damages for EPC contractor asserting extension of time and delay claims against Kuwait national petroleum corporation arising from the construction of a mega refinery in Kuwait. Sat fourth chair at hearing.
- Prevailed in ICC Dispute Review Board hearing held in London and subject to Kuwait law, securing an award of over US$25m in damages for EPC contractor asserting claims against Kuwait national petroleum corporation related to disputed changes and progress deductions arising from the construction of mega refinery in Kuwait. Sat third chair at hearing.
- Prevailed in Houston-seated ICC arbitration, successfully defending against US$45m in contract claims related to overseas module transportation for an EPC project in Kuwait, securing net costs award in client’s favor.
- Secured favorable settlement for cost of defense on behalf of EPC contractor in Paris-seated ICC arbitration, in dispute involving claims related to delay and calculation of final account arising out of the construction of an industrial plant in France.
- Represented United States-based medical supply distributor in Singapore-seated ICC arbitration involving breach of contract and COVID-19-related price gouging claims against Malaysian manufacturer.
- Represented global supplier of industrial equipment in United States federal district court litigation and parallel ICC arbitration in defending against post-M&A business tort claims related to a joint venture in Saudi Arabia. Drafted 12(b)(6) Motion to Dismiss resulting in complete dismissal of plaintiffs’ claims valued at US$260m.
- As sole appearing defense counsel, successfully argued motion to compel arbitration before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, resulting in an order compelling arbitration, dismissing claims against clients, and staying claims against the remaining defendants. In ensuing ICDR-administered AAA arbitration, negotiated favorable settlement for Italian building products manufacturer of claims asserted by its former United States-based business partner related to the winding up of a closely-held company days before the merits hearing.
- Represented global coffee chain resisting enforcement of an ICC arbitral award rendered in Toronto before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, resulting in a favorable stay of enforcement without bond pending appeal of a decision setting aside the award in Canadian court.
- Represented multinational conglomerate in AAA arbitration, defending against and asserting contract claims arising from the termination of the ERA-Interim atmospheric model’s impact on the parties’ wind farm turbine service agreements.
- Secured favorable settlement for a Fortune 500 clinical laboratory company facing discrimination claims in a Texas federal court from senior management-level employee.
- Represented a private drilling and exploration company in defending numerous onshore and offshore personal injury and wrongful-death claims in state and federal courts in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Routinely investigated claims from date of incident, addressed indemnity and insurance defense issues, and prepared cases for favorable resolution at trial or mediation.
- Author, “Offshore Wind: Lessons from Abroad,” 7 LSU J. ENERGY L. & RESOURCES 159, 2019
- Author, “Protecting International Petroleum Investments During Geopolitical Unrest: Arbitrating Disputes Under Economic Sanctions,” 53 TEX. INT’L L.J. 307, 2018
- Houston Young Lawyers Association
- Houston International Arbitration Club, Member
- ICC Young Arbitrators and ADR Forum (YAAF), Member
- Young ICCA (International Council for Commercial Arbitration), Member
- Young ITA (Institute for Transnational Arbitration), Mentorship Program Facilitator
- Teach For America 2011 South Louisiana Corps, Member, 2011-2013