Lisa A. Houssiere

Experience

Litigation

• Represented the State of Texas in a qui tam action against a global pharmaceutical company related to violations of the Texas False Claims Act, the Texas Anti-Kickback Statute and the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act.
• Represented lessor of an oil and gas lease in a dispute against a reorganized debtor related to the underpayment of royalties and the lessor’s security interest in the production and proceeds generated under the lease.
• Represented a construction company in defense of related fiduciary duty and fraudulent transfer claims arising out of construction of a billion-dollar public-private partnership toll road.
• Represented Spanish supplier of custom-made process equipment for crude oil refineries in a dispute arising out of non-payment of invoices for oilfield products supplied to PDVSA entities in Venezuela.
• Represented plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against an insurance company in connection with the miscalculation of early withdrawal fees in breach of annuity contracts.
• Represented international chain of convenience stores in connection with the Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit to unwind a multibillion-dollar investment made by a tobacco company in an e-cigarette company for violations of federal antitrust laws.
• Advised international chain of convenience stores on risk mitigation and management issues.
• Represented international oilfield services company and its Mexican subsidiary in a $50 million dispute arising from a Mexican oil and gas development project.
• Represented seller of oil well stimulation products supplied to PDVSA entities in Venezuela in a $54 million dispute arising from non-payment of invoices.
• Represented third-party defendant subcontractor in a $6 million dispute defending against claims that it provided defective piping work in connection with the construction of a chemical plant in Louisiana.
• Represented oil and gas operator in a dispute regarding its alleged failure to properly manage and operate wells.
• Coordinated vessel arrests on a worldwide basis to recover compensation for unpaid bunker invoices for a bunker supplier.
• Obtained $500,000 in sanctions in a dispute involving claims that a rice miller and marketer entered into various pre-petition agreements to guarantee payment of a $19 million judgment.
• Defended an oil and gas exploration and production company in connection with the performance of seismic permitting and seismic survey operations.
• Successfully tried nineteen cases to a jury verdict as a prosecutor for the City of Houston as part of Norton Rose Fulbright’s Attorney Loan Program.

International Arbitration

• International Chamber of Commerce arbitration experience representing an independent oil and gas exploration company in a dispute involving $700 million in alleged damages.
• Represented seller of a Colombian power plant in a dispute over the buyer’s breach of the purchase and sale agreement.

Investigations and Compliance

• Managed and led a large scale DG Comp antitrust regulator investigation in response to a Request for Information for a U.S. smartphone chipmaker’s proposed $47 billion acquisition of a Netherlands-based competitor.
• Antitrust experience representing a global freight forwarding company in response to a DOJ inquiry into potential criminal price fixing on a worldwide basis; successfully represented client in a subsequent U.S. based class action lawsuit seeking civil damages for conduct investigated by the DOJ.
• Managed and led response to Second Request from DOJ and Request for Information from the DG Comp regarding potential anticompetitive effects of a $6 billion merger of cybersecurity companies and defended witnesses in depositions in response to Civil Investigative Demands from the DOJ.
• Represented international oilfield services company in an international Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation.
• Represented energy market trading company in response to a Request for Information from the International Exchange, Inc. Futures U.S. Market Regulation Department.
• Led joint defense group and handled voluminous and expedited discovery for a U.S. smartphone chipmaker in a high stakes International Trade Commission multi-patent investigation involving hundreds of products and the potential bar on importation of these products into the U.S.
• Defense of a former employee of a British multinational investment bank related to a Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigation into the alleged manipulation of an interest rate benchmark.
• Advised international oilfield services company on trade sanctions and analysis of risks associated with the company’s compliance and ethics program.

Corporate

• Negotiated and prepared offshore services agreements for a hydraulic equipment company.
• Assisted confection company in the development of its franchise program.
• Routinely prepared disclosures of litigation risk for clients’ filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Data Privacy

• Advised companies in the energy industry on compliance with U.S. and foreign data privacy laws.

Maritime

• Advise independent liquids terminal and pipeline operator in maritime attachment and garnishment proceedings, including coordination of vessel arrests on a worldwide basis to recover compensation for unpaid bunker invoices.
• Advise clients in transactions involving charter parties, maritime contracts, offshore energy and master service agreements and infrastructure projects with maritime law concerns.
• Advise clients on regulatory compliance, including Jones Act coastwise trade and shipping regulations.

Private Wealth

• Advised high net worth family regarding estate and trust administration, business succession planning, charitable giving and related matters.

Speaking Engagements

• Commentator, "SCOTUS Limits U.S. Discovery Requests in Foreign Arbitrations,” Westlaw Today, June 17, 2022
• Commentator, "Three International Arbitration Trends to Watch in 2021,” Law360, International Arbitration, January 4, 2021
• Co-Presenter, “Cross-Border Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement and Recent DOJ Guidance on the Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs,” Presentation to the Mexican law firm Rodríguez Dávalos Abogados, September 9, 2020
• Commentator, “Second Circuit Arbitration Discovery Ruling Ripe for High Court,” Law360, International Arbitration, July 10, 2020
• Commentator, “Coronavirus Disputes May Turn on Little-Known Clause,” Law360, International Arbitration, March 28, 2020
• Commentator, “Coronavirus May Hasten Arbitration Technology Boom,” Law360, International Arbitration, March 20, 2020
• Panelist, "Working Through Generational Diversity Among Leaders and Emerging Leaders (Boomers vs. Generation X vs. Millennials)," Women in Legal & Corporate Leadership Conference, Houston, Texas, March 11, 2020
• Moderator, “Privilege Issues in Cross-Border Investigations, Litigation, and Transactions,” Houston Bar Association International Law Section, Houston, Texas, April 10, 2019
• Co-Presenter, "Overview of Maritime Law in the Offshore Energy Sector," In-house client presentation, Houston, Texas, May 28, 2015
• Speaker, "Brace for Impact: Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure May Significantly Impact the Future of Discovery," Houston Metropolitan Paralegal Association's 36th Annual Business & Litigation CLE Seminar, Houston, Texas, February 20, 2015
• Speaker, "Significant Changes are on the Horizon: The Most Recent Updates to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Proposed Amendments That Could Change Discovery As We Know It," Houston Corporate Paralegal Association, Houston, Texas, January 14, 2015
• Speaker, "The Rules are Changing: Recently Implemented and Recently Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure," National Association for Legal Support Professional's 63rd Annual Education Conference & National Forum, Houston, Texas, October 3, 2014
• Speaker, "Navigating Through the Complex World of International Arbitration," Advanced Skills Paralegal Conference, Galveston, Texas, April 25, 2014
• Speaker, "International Commercial Arbitration: A Guide to the ICC and Significant Provisions in Arbitration Agreements," Houston Paralegal Association, Houston, Texas, June 27, 2013

Publications

• Author, “International Arbitration Experts Discuss ZF Automotive US, Inc. v. Luxshare, Ltd.,” Mealey’s International Arbitration Report, July 2022
• Author, “International Arbitration Experts Discuss Opportunities for Growth in the Field of International Arbitration,” Mealey’s International Arbitration Report, April 2022
• Author, “International Arbitration Experts Discuss the Impact of Remote Proceedings,” Mealey’s International Arbitration Report, December 2021
• Author, “International Arbitration Experts Discuss the Impact on the Global Economy,” Mealey’s International Arbitration Report, November 2020
• Co-author, “Complexities Associated with Multi-Party Proceedings in Energy Sector Commercial Arbitrations,” Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, Fall 2020
• Author, “International Arbitration Experts Discuss the Future of Arbitration,” Mealey’s International Arbitration Report, July 2020
• Author, “International Arbitration Experts Discuss The Impact of COVID-19 on Arbitration in 2020 and Beyond,” Mealey’s International Arbitration Report, May 2020
• Author, “International Arbitration Experts Discuss The Major Challenges for Arbitration in 2020,” Mealey’s International Arbitration Report, April 2020
• Co-author, "Sixth Circuit Opens Door to U.S.-Style Discovery in Aid of Private International Arbitration under 28 U.S.C. § 1782," Mealey’s International Arbitration Report, March 24, 2020
• Author, "International Arbitration Experts Discuss the Most Significant Developments in 2019," Mealey's International Arbitration Report, December 2019
• Co-author, "The Jones Act and Export of Crude Oil and LNG from the U.S.," Pratt's Energy Law Report, Vol. 16-7, July/August 2016
• Co-author, "Texas Supreme Court clarifies private nuisance law," Norton Rose Fulbright – Legal update, July 5, 2016
• Co-author, "The Jones Act and Export of Crude Oil and LNG from the USA," Legalseas Shipping Newsletter, March 2016
• Co-author, "Limitation of Liability, Willful Misconduct and Loss of Insurance Coverage - A Round in the World Perspective," Legalseas Shipping Newsletter, July 2014

Memberships

• State Bar of Texas
  • Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section
  • Litigation Section
• Houston Bar Association
  • Litigation Section
  • Legal Lines: Volunteer
  • Houston Area Women's Center: Pro Bono Volunteer
• Women's Energy Network
• Institute for Energy Law: Advisory Board Member

Community

• Impact100 Houston: Founding Member
• The Junior League of Houston (2013 to present)
  • Executive Committee, Researcher (2022)
  • Admissions Chairman (2020 to 2021)
  • Board of Directors (2017 to 2018)
• United Way of Greater Houston: Young Leader
• Vanderbilt University Alumni Admissions Program: Interviewer