Sashe D. Dimitroff

Experience

Oil, Gas and Energy Disputes

• Prosecuted claims of an oil and gas exploration company relating to its claims at the LCIA against a Nigerian drilling company, while concomitantly addressing related complicated multijurisdictional proceedings around the world. Ultimately negotiated a settlement, and the client company collected an eight-digit recovery. To obtain security for the award, won interim measures awards in courts worldwide, including: 
  • Arresting several million dollars in cash that flowed through U.S. intermediary banks in New York.
  • Arresting $400 million of physical assets in Dubai.
  • Obtaining injunctions in Panama and Cyprus to prevent the assets’ sale or mortgage until the end of the LCIA proceedings, so the assets could be used as security to satisfy a potential award.
• Defended a large oil and gas equipment manufacturing company from claims of fraud, breach of contract, breach of warranty and negligence resulting from a broken deep-water riser while the plaintiffs were conducting drilling operations in the South China Sea. Case was settled on terms favorable to the client.
• Defended a major pipeline company in a class action arising from an oil spill in Louisiana. Defeated class certification and settled the remaining claims on favorable terms. Prosecuted contractual indemnity and negligence claims in federal court against the marine contractor that caused the pipeline rupture.
• Represented a major oil company in royalty and lease disputes throughout Texas.
• Represented an oil services company against a major oil company for $25 million in service fees owed for support of offshore drilling in Angola, Africa.
• Represented working interest owners against major oil company regarding gas well development in Pennsylvania.
• Represented exploration company against defendant regarding pooling dispute in Colorado.
• Represented a Fortune 100 company oilfield services company in a $6.9 million ICC dispute regarding an oil field purchase agreement with an oil and gas company. The arbitration was based on Colombian law and seated in New York. In July 2018, the arbitration panel issued its award, dismissing all of the oil and gas company’s claims, reducing the purchase price by $5.6 million and awarding client $1.3 million in attorneys’ fees and the cost of the arbitration.
• Defeated an emergency petition at the U.K. High Court in London for provisional measures before the ICC seeking to prevent client from collecting a $4.5 million performance bond. Continued representing the company against more than $30 million in alleged damages as well as counterclaiming for more than $12 million in the underlying ICC arbitration regarding the purchase of a faulty industrial furnace from an engineering company.
• Represented private oil and gas company in a lawsuit against holding company regarding a breach of a pipeline operating agreement in North Texas.

International Litigation and Arbitration

• Representing refractory manufacturer in a $22.5 million International Chamber of Commerce arbitration, under English law and seated in London, involving client’s alleged liability for the catastrophic failure of eight industrial smelting furnaces for a plant in Saudi Arabia.
• Won dismissal of all claims against an international oil and gas exploration company brought by the government of the Ivory Coast, Africa, in an arbitration before the ICSID.
• Won injunctive relief in a United States district court against a foreign government-owned oil company in support of a UN Commission on International Trade Law arbitration for recognition and enforcement in Albania.
• Successfully defended against claims of an industrial valve distributor in an ICDR arbitration against the manufacturer. Settled the case with all claims dismissed against the client and the claimant paying money to settle the client’s counterclaims.
• Successfully defended the respondent in four separate trials before the ITC against claims for patent infringement in the design, manufacturing and sale of semiconductors.
• Prosecuted the claims of U.S. shareholders against a French medical device company in an ICC arbitration under the CPR rules. Settled the matter on terms favorable for the client.
• Acted as settlement counsel for an oil and gas exploration company that was engaged in six years of ongoing litigation with an international oil field services company in Trinidad. Settled all claims in two months, resulting in significant savings to the client and preservation of customer relationships.

Environmental Disputes

• Won a jury verdict while defending a chemical plant in a wrongful death case based on purported exposure to benzene in plant emissions.
• Selected as Texas counsel for a chemical manufacturer. Representative cases include: 
  • State court suit alleging cancer from exposure to vinyl chloride found in household products manufactured by the client. Won summary judgment.
  • Federal court suit in Beaumont, Texas, alleging paralysis and other damage to the plaintiff’s nervous system resulting from multiple chemical exposures. Won summary judgment.
  • State court suit alleging bladder cancer from exposure to an arsenic-based herbicide. Settled on terms favorable to the client.
  • Successfully represented multiple chemical manufacturing clients in a suit brought by former employees, contractors and landowners alleging personal injury and property damage due to chemical exposure.

Internal Investigations

• Conducted internal investigations for corporate clients relating to issues such as Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, governmental reporting and employment issues.

Memberships

• State Bar of Texas 
  • International Law Section: Executive Council (2015)
  • Standing Committee on Court Rules: Appointed Member (2008 to 2011) Committee is responsible for revisions of the rules of practice in civil actions and the related statutes of Texas
• International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR)
  • Energy, Oil & Gas Committee (2017 to present)
  • International Arbitration Committee (2017 to present)

Community

• Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA): Advisory Board of Directors (2013 to present)
• University of Houston Law Review Alumni Association: Board of Directors
  • President (2003 to 2004)
  • Vice President (2002 to 2003)
  • Secretary (2000 to 2001)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Houston: Advisory Board of Directors
  • Board of Directors: Past Member
    • Legal Affairs Committee: Head
    • Capital Fund Committee: Head
    • Big Brothers Big Sisters Gala: Co-chair
• Houstonians Soccer Club: Board of Directors (2008 to 2009)
• Express Soccer Club: Board of Directors (2007 to 2008)

Pro Bono

• Obtained political asylum for a couple fleeing to Texas from Romania after the fall of the Communist regime.