Energy-Related Litigation Support and Expert Witness
- Fuel Oil and Refined Products Quality and Blending
- Natural Gas and Power Trading
- Industry Standards for Commercial and Trading Activity
- Price Manipulation, Class Action Suits, Financial Guarantees
- Engaged as litigation support consultant and expert witness regarding commodity trading, risk management, structured finance, and asset valuation for over 40 cases of federal and state court litigation, with potential judgments totaling over $1 Billion.
- Engaged as a financial structuring and risk management consultant regarding federal court litigation concerning over $2 Billion pre-paid commodity (natural gas and oil) transactions.
- Engaged as a natural gas, energy, and commodities trading consultant in State of California court litigation regarding alleged long-term, fixed-price natural gas contracts. Assisted in responding to and propounding discovery, reviewing documentation, and preparing litigation plan, the result of which forced a favorable settlement for the client and avoided nearly $4.5MM in potential judgments.
- Engaged as a natural gas, energy, and commodities trading consultant in State of California court litigation regarding alleged long-term, fixed-price natural gas contracts. Assisted in responding to and propounding discovery, reviewing documentation, and preparing litigation plan, the result of which forced a favorable settlement for the client and avoided nearly $4.5MM in potential judgments.
- Engaged as a natural gas and power trading consultant and designated as an expert witness regarding a class action complaint on behalf of the purchasers of common stock against defendant (an electric utility located in the state of Washington). Supported analysis showing utility engaged in illegal power trading activity with other market participants during so-called California Energy Crisis of 2000 to 2001. Case was estimated to have potential judgments for plaintiffs and the class of over $40 MM - case settled favorably for plaintiffs and class in mediation in 2007.
- Engaged as a natural gas trading consultant and expert witness regarding a class action complaint on behalf of a large California agri-business enterprise against a large integrated wholesale and retail provider of natural gas. Supported analysis, propounded discovery, and gave deposition testimony showing provider engaged in illegal natural gas trading activity with other market participants during so-called California Energy Crisis of 2000 to 2001. Case was estimated to have potential judgments for plaintiffs and the class of over $60 MM. Case moved to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in November 2005. After conducting mock trials, parties settled out of court.
- Engaged as an expert witness in three separate cases of federal court litigation regarding fuel oil blending. Assisted in responding to and propounding discovery, reviewing documentation, and preparing litigation plan, the result of which forced a favorable settlement for my clients in which they realized over $8MM in total savings in potential judgments.
- Engaged as a commodity trading and risk management consultant regarding pending FERC action concerning long-term, fixed-price natural gas contracts for delivery to California.
- Engaged by plaintiff's counsel as a pipeline Subject Matter Expert in support of the effort in federal court to force the largest Canadian crude oil pipeline operator to decommission and remove 40 miles of 30-inch crude oil pipeline trespassing on Wisconsin tribal lands. The pipeline in question is a 70- year 540,000 Bbls/day facility that transports Canadian heavy crude oil, light sweet crude oil, and propane. The pipeline runs through several environmentally sensitive areas and has been prone to develop leaks.