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W. Ray Whitman

W. Ray Whitman is Group Chair of Baker Hostetler’s national Litigation Group. He is also a member of the firm’s Policy Committee, the firm's governing body.

Mr. Whitman graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in geophysics. Upon graduation, he began work in the oil and gas industry as an exploration geophysicist and gained extensive experience in oil and gas exploration, seismic acquisition and drilling and production practices.

Mr. Whitman has successfully represented energy, oilfield service and technology companies in a wide variety of litigation and business-related issues involving: international, national and local contractual disputes; bad faith pooling; theft of trade secrets and noncompete violations; wrongful death claims involving catastrophic events such as blowouts, mechanical failures and electrocutions; BOEMRE permitting; earn-out provisions; seismic licensing disputes; arbitrations and other related matters.

Mr. Whitman was selected as a “Texas Super Lawyer” from 2004 through the present, and in 2005 was selected for inclusion in Who’s Who in American Law. He has been selected as one of Texas’ Top Rated Lawyers®-AV® Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Natural Resources Law since 2009. In addition, Mr. Whitman speaks on a variety of industry and litigation topics and at CLE presentations on the issue of Direct and Cross-Examination of Expert Witnesses.

The following is a list of Mr. Whitman’s representative matters:

• Representation of a heavy equipment manufacturer in a wrongful death case. After trial, a take-nothing judgment was entered against the plaintiffs.
• Successful representation of a seismic licensing company in a dispute over the payment of overriding royalty interest resulting in the payment of millions of dollars to licensor. 
• Successful representation of oilfield service providers in catastrophic events such as blowouts, mechanical failures and electrocutions throughout the United States.
• Representation of energy companies in obtaining import and export licenses and permits issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (“BOEMRE”).
• Representation in a wrongful death case resulting in the granting of a no-evidence summary judgment which was affirmed on appeal.
• Representation of a major oil and gas company in a lawsuit involving claims of oil and gas lease termination and bad faith trespass, where the plaintiffs sought $2 billion in damages. After trial, a take-nothing judgment was entered against the plaintiffs.
• Successfully represented one of the largest drilling contractors in America in a dispute concerning the drilling of a deep over-pressured well in the Gulf Coast. The lawsuit resulted in a judgment in favor of the client.
• Provided advice and led the investigation team concerning allegations of employee fraud and other inappropriate acts. This representation included advice regarding reporting requirements under Sarbanes-Oxley.
• Successful representation of a minority shareholder in a multiparty lawsuit involving assertions that a biomedical firm and related third parties systematically defrauded the minority shareholder.
• Representation of an oilfield service company in a patent infringement lawsuit which resulted in the validity of the subject patents being acknowledged and royalties being paid. 
• Representation of a major pipeline company concerning a pipeline spill in the western United States. This matter resulted in a settlement favorable to the client.
• Representation of a business-to-business Internet company in an action involving theft of trade secrets and enforcement of non-compete agreements. The lawsuit resulted in the return of the client’s trade secrets and closure of the competing business.
• Representation of exploration and production companies and numerous oilfield services companies in cases involving downhole failures, resulting in successful outcomes.