Norton Rose Fulbright secures jury win for Shell Trading

After a hard-fought nearly four-week jury trial, a trial team from Norton Rose Fulbright’s Houston office secured a jury victory in the 281st Judicial District Court of Harris County for client Shell Trading (US) Company (“STUSCO”) against a trial team from Rusty Hardin & Associates.

Following testimony from nine witnesses over the course of four weeks and nearly two days of deliberations, the jury rejected the claims of GelTex Marketing, LLC (“GEL Tex”), a subsidiary of Genesis Energy, in their entirety and returned a no liability verdict in favor of STUSCO. Before the case went to the jury, Judge Christine Weems of the 281st Judicial District Court of Harris County granted a partial motion for directed verdict in STUSCO’s favor, knocking out nearly $11 million in damages claimed by GEL Tex as a matter of law. GEL Tex’s claims of tortious interference, damages, and malice were submitted to the jury. 
 
GEL Tex’s claims in GelTex Marketing LLC v. Shell Trading (US) Company stemmed from its entry into two contracts with Lazarus Energy, LLC (“Lazarus”) in 2011 related to the refurbishment of—and provision of crude oil to—a refinery in Nixon, Texas, as well as the sale of refined products produced at the refinery located in Nixon, Texas.  GEL Tex sought in excess of $35 million in actual damages from STUSCO, as well as punitive damages, stemming from STUSCO’s alleged tortious interference with these contracts. 
 
GEL Tex also initially brought a breach of contract claim against STUSCO, which it dropped during the course of the trial.
 
STUSCO was represented by Reagan Brown, Carter Dugan, Kate Ergenbright, Patrick Doyle and Warren Huang of the Houston office of Norton Rose Fulbright.
 
GELTex was represented by Rusty Hardin, Joe Roden and Leah Graham of Rusty Hardin & Associates and Brett Solberg of DLA Piper.