The Castaneda Firm has extensive experience in oil and gas litigation. We represent royalty owners, operators, working interests, and other stakeholders in cases involving all phases of upstream production. We have deep knowledge in oil and gas operations, engineering, reserves, finance, and law. The Castañeda Firm was named to the 2022 list of the Best Law Firms in America for our work in oil and gas law.

In 2016, the Firm won a $146 million verdict for Mesa Petroleum Partners and T. Boone Pickens relating to an investment in an area of mutual interest in the Permian ($142 million in damages, $4 million in attorney’s fees). The verdict received national recognition as one of the year’s largest by The National Law Journal.

The trial court entered judgment in 2017 for $136 million and the case was later settled for a confidential amount.

In addition, we have:

• Defended an operator in putative class actions relating to royalty accounting, marketing arrangements and post-production costs
• Defended an oil company in upstream development case alleging environmental hazards and bodily injury from fracking and transportation of natural gas
• Defended an oil company in case of lease termination alleging failure to develop, per TRRC field spacing rules
• Defended a natural gas company in AMI litigation covering several counties in the Fayetteville Shale on claims of failure to assign interests, failure to account and conspiracy
• Defended a producer in a pooled unit accounting case in Alabama
• Defended a natural gas company in contract dispute with processing plant over requirements/capacity contract
• Represented the plaintiff private equity fund in litigation arising from failure to assign lease under contract in Barnett Shale
• Served as interim General Counsel to an operating company.

The Firm’s energy expertise includes upstream development, lease obligations, royalty litigation, production accounting, JOA/Joint Interest accounting, Areas of Mutual Interest (AMI), contracts to convey, Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC) rules and regulations, processing facility contracts, and environmental claims.

National coordinating counsel and trial counsel for product liability, false advertising, fraud, and economic damage claims

Our experience in commercial and business litigation is broad-based. We have represented clients from large commercial arilines to small entrepreneurs, and everything in between (including healthcare companies, the service industry, franchisors, rental companies, engingeering firms, multi-level marketing companies, individuals, and more). Specifically, we have:

• Sought (and obtained) temporary restraining orders and injunctive relief for our clients on an emergency basis to protect their trade secrets and confidential information; 

• Tried business cases in state and federal courts around the country, as well as before various arbitration panels; 

• Defended against allegations of corporate raiding and theft; 

• Obtained judgments in favor of our clients on a variety of matters, never forgetting sometimes the best win for our clients includes candid advice and out of court settlements. 

The firm’s commercial experience includes contract claims, theft of trade secrets, constructive trust, fraudulent conveyances, class actions, consumer protection actions, attorney general inquiries, and accounting disputes.

National coordinating counsel and trial counsel for products liability, economic losses, class action defense, and consumer protection claims

Federal and state MDLs, coordinating counsel, and trial counsel

Chrysta Castañeda has been trained as an arbitrator by the American Arbitration Association. Chrysta is available to arbitrate commercial disputes, including those arising from oil and gas operations, contracts, and interests.

Chrysta Castañeda serves as an expert witness on attorney’s fees. Chrysta has testified at trial on this subject and has decades of experience in evaluating the reasonableness and necessity of attorney’s fees in complex commercial cases of all types.

Chrysta Castañeda helps clients communicate about the business issues and legal challenges they face. She honed her skills in media relations by having acted both as spokesperson and media adviser in litigation matters. Chrysta also advises on local and regional political issues and public affairs.

Learn more about Canterbury Communications.