Charles Conrad
Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
[email protected]Charles Conrad, a Pillsbury Litigation partner, focuses on complex commercial disputes in the energy and construction industries, both onshore and offshore.
Charles assists owners, EPC contractors and other contractors in potential and actual construction disputes involving petrochemical refineries, infrastructure, heavy industrial process facilities, commercial and multifamily buildings, schools, offshore platform construction, and vessel construction. He also litigates matters involving oil and gas, admiralty/maritime, transportation and catastrophic personal injury litigation. Charles operates as a true business advisor to his clients, maintaining an intense work ethic combined with a creative approach to litigation. This approach has resulted in success for his clients.
Representative experience
Construction industry experience
- Counsel to an EPC contractor that provided consultancy services to an owner as part of the owner's integrated project management team of a mega-project refinery modernisation and upgrade located in South America.
- Defended vessel construction claim in excess of US$45 million in damages arising from a fire that occurred during a jackup rig's modernisation and upgrade. Client granted summary judgment and awarded all defense costs after appeal. The Offshore Drilling Co. v. Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corp., 604 F.3d 221 (5th Cir. 2010)
- Defended multi-million dollar breach of contract claim by successfully establishing owner's delay, impact and differing-site-condition claim by the general contractor and its subcontractor.
- Counsel to several nationwide homebuilders and developers for all types of litigation ranging from breach of contract, liens, construction defect, insurance coverage, real estate, toxic tort and catastrophic personal injury and death claims.
- Defended a general contractor multi-million dollar construction defect claim brought by the developer of a $100+ million commercial building project. The client paid nothing out-of-pocket and recouped most of its attorneys' fees and expenses from its subcontractors and their insurers.
- Defended a general contractor in large-scale, multi-million dollar construction defect claim brought by the developer of a $40 million commercial building project. The client paid nothing out-of-pocket and recouped most of its attorneys' fees and expenses from its subcontractors and their insurers.
- Successfully compelled Developer’s claims to arbitration in the Texas Supreme Court’s decision in G.T. Leach Builders, LLC v. Sapphire V.P., LP, 458 S.W.3d 502 (Tex. 2015).
- Energy Industry Experience
- Obtained directed verdict for client during a jury trial as to the plaintiffs' breach of contract claims arising out of hundreds of oil and gas wells located in Oklahoma.
- Defended client in US$12 million+ offshore construction dispute involving the horizontal drilling of multiple wells off the Louisiana coast. Case dismissed via summary judgment, with subsequent award of defense costs to client. Energy XXI, GoM, LLC v. New Tech Eng'g, L.P., 787 F.Supp.2d 590 (S.D.Tex.2011).
- Defended client in $10 million+ offshore construction dispute involving the horizontal drilling and multiple side tracks of a well off the Louisiana coast. Case dismissed via summary judgment and obtained reimbursement for all defense costs.
- Defended environmental company in a multi-million dollar pipeline explosion case in East Texas. After a two-week jury trial, client received a unanimous 100 percent defense verdict. Defended client against wrongful death claim arising out of explosion that occurred during the construction of interstate pipeline, obtaining a summary judgment dismissal for his client.
- Represented clients in the prosecution of numerous claims arising out of oil and gas contracts and catastrophic personal injury claims. Repeatedly successful in enforcing contractual indemnification rights and additional insured status with no monetary impact to the clients.
- Admiralty maritime industry experience
- Represented client in prosecution of property damage claim following a vessel-platform collision following Hurricane Rita. Obtained a favorable settlement for client.
- Defended owner of a fleet of vessels in an intellectual property dispute alleging misappropriation of trade secrets, negligence, business disparagement, and conspiracy seeking over $15 million in damages. Obtained dismissal for client.
- Defended against personal injury claim arising out of vessel capsizing off the coast of Trinidad. Client received 100 per cent defense verdict, which was affirmed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Successfully defended against numerous claims under the Jones Act, the Longshore Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, and state law claims under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
Professional Highlights
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers (published by BL Rankings LLC), Construction Law (2021).
- Texas Super Lawyers (published by Thomson Reuters), Business Litigation, Construction Litigation: Business and Transportation/Maritime (2014–2020)
- Texas Rising Stars (published by Thomson Reuters), Business Litigation, Construction Litigation: Business and Transportation/Maritime (2009–2014)
- AV-Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
- Texas Lawyer magazine, "Litigator of the Week" in November 2012
- Supports his alma mater as a volunteer judge of mock trial and moot court competitions at South Texas College of Law.
- Associations
- Texas Bar Foundation – Sustaining Life Fellow
- Houston Bar Foundation – Sustaining Life Fellow
- Construction Law Section of the State Bar of Texas
- American Bar Association (Litigation and Insurance sections)
- Houston Bar Association