Charles Rosson devotes his practice to complex commercial litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court and in domestic and international arbitrations. Charles’ experience includes antitrust, breach of contract, transnational law, and energy matters.
Charles joined Gibbs & Bruns in 2017 after beginning his litigation career with Vinson & Elkins, LLP in Houston.
Representative Matters
- Enterprise Products Operating LLC v. Amec Foster Wheeler USA Corp.
Represented Enterprise in a breach of contract and fraudulent inducement lawsuit in Texas state court against Enterprise’s former general contractor and its British parent company concerning a multibillion-dollar petrochemical refinery constructed in Mont Belvieu, Texas. Over six years of litigation, Enterprise overcame a special appearance by the British parent company, which was appealed to the United States Supreme Court, multiple summary judgment motions, and four motions to exclude Enterprise’s experts. Following the conclusion of a three-month bench trial, the defendants paid Enterprise $115 million to settle the case before the court issued its judgment.
- Obtained a $15.6 million breach-of-contract arbitration award for a global biotechnology company against a major competitor in a dispute involving DNA-based identity testing.
- Obtained a directed verdict following jury trial on behalf of an international petrochemicals company, in a breach-of-contract lawsuit involving its former chief executive officer.
- Secured an award for a natural gas and refined petroleum products pipeline operator following an ICDR New York-seated breach-of-contract arbitration under Brazilian law against a Brazilian state-owned energy company.
- Represented Occidental Energy Marketing, Inc. and Oxy Ingleside LPG Pipeline, LLC in lawsuit focused on pipeline integrity. The dispute arose from a project to refurbish and reverse flow on a NuStar pipeline which ruptured during the commissioning phase, resulting in Oxy terminating its take-or-pay contract with NuStar. Tried case to the bench for several weeks. Case settled after trial.
- Defeated a writ of garnishment seeking to collect more than $1 billion from an international oil and gas company.
- First-chaired more than a dozen jury trials in conjunction with the City of Houston’s Volunteer Prosecutor Program.
Education
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 2010
Executive Editor, Georgetown Journal of International Law
Moot Court, Best Individual Applicant, International Moot Court Competition (2010),
Semi-Finalist (2009)
University of Texas, B.A., 2007, Government
Recognition
Named in Benchmark Litigation, 2022-2024
“40 & Under” List, 2022-2024
Named to Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Energy Lawyers,” 2024
Named a “Texas Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters’ Texas Super Lawyers, 2020-2024
Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, 2021
Commercial Litigation
Energy Law
Admissions and Certifications
State Bar of Texas
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
Memberships and Affiliations
Houston Community Health Centers, Inc.
Member, Board of Directors (2016-2022)
Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow (2018-present)
Presentations and Publications
“International Litigation: Forum Non Conveniens,” The International Lawyer (2012–2013) (co-author)
