Shannon Smith focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation.
Following law school, Shannon was a law clerk to Judge Sim Lake, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, from 2018 to 2019.
FMC Technologies vs. Richard Murphy and Dril-Quip
Represented Richard Murphy, a subsea tree engineer, in a misappropriation of trade secrets case brought by FMC Technologies, his former employer, against Mr. Murphy and Mr. Murphy’s new employer, Dril-Quip. FMC Technologies sought almost $40 million in damages and an injunction against both Mr. Murphy and Dril-Quip. After a three-week trial, the jury ruled entirely in favor of Mr. Murphy and Dril-Quip, finding that no trade secrets were misappropriated. The First Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court victory, August 2023.
Confidential International Arbitration
Represented the claimant in a confidential international arbitration proceeding over a significant natural gas supply contract. After a final hearing on the merits, Gibbs & Bruns’s client won an eight-figure monetary award and a favorable declaration regarding the application of certain contract terms going forward.
Mike Boulter, et al. v. Noble Energy, Inc. and Kerr McGee Oil & Gas Onshore, LP
Representing oil and gas operator on hundreds of leases in Colorado’s DJ Basin against a class action alleging underpayment of royalties.
Box Elder Kids, LLC, et al. v. Anadarko E & P Onshore, LLC, et al.
Representing Anadarko in a suit originally filed on behalf of a class of thousands of parties to Surface Owner Agreements alleging that Anadarko improperly changed its payment methodology in 2010. After discovery and briefing, we successfully defeated class certification. We continue to represent Anadarko against the individual claims of the named plaintiffs.
University of Texas Law School, J.D., with high honors, 2018
Chancellors
Order of the Coif
Texas Law Review, Featured Content Editor
Texas A&M University, B.A., summa cum laude, 2015
Phi Beta Kappa
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch
Commercial Litigation, 2024
State Bar of Texas
United States District Court for Southern District of Texas
United States Federal Court for the District of Colorado
Houston Bar Association, Member