Education
-
Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law, J.D., 1997
-
Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1994
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
-
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
-
U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
Awards and Honors
- Texas Rising Star, Texas Monthly Magazine (2006, 2007, 2008)
- Pro Bono Associate of the Year (2004)
- Pro Bono Award - Honorable Mention (2002, 2003)
|
|
| |
Jennifer Keefe applies her substantial first and second chair trial experience to assist clients in a wide range of business litigation, with an emphasis on financial institutions and traditional oil and gas problems. Ms. Keefe has tried numerous jury and non-jury cases across Texas, has mediated dozens of cases for her clients, and has been recognized three years in a row as one of Texas’ Rising Stars in Texas Monthly Magazine.
Commercial Litigation
Ms. Keefe manages litigation filed in Texas for a major national banking association, which has included defending and prosecuting, through trial and appeal, a wide variety of leasing disputes, account and deficiency claims, deceptive trade practices act violations, and statutory claims. Ms. Keefe has obtained a number of temporary restraining orders, injunctions, and judgments for her financial institution clients. As an accomplished commercial litigator, Ms. Keefe has also served as lead counsel in civil cases involving contract disputes, fraud, construction defects, employment law, and federal civil rights matters.
Oil and Gas Litigation
Ms. Keefe’s extensive oil and gas experience includes land and title disputes, working and royalty interest owner disputes, third party claims, joint operating agreement disputes, gas purchase contract litigation, products liability litigation, condemnation disputes, and traditional tort and insurance defense litigation arising from oil and gas operations. These disputes may arise in any aspect of the industry from the acquisition of leases, to the organization and administration of joint operating agreements, through all aspects of exploration, development, production, and abandonment, as well as the sale, purchase, and marketing of hydrocarbons. Ms. Keefe’s clients include large integrated energy companies, independent oil and gas producers, purchasers, and pipelines, as well as landowners, royalty interest owners, and service companies. Ms. Keefe is also a frequent speaker on ethical considerations in the oil and gas industry for all professionals.
Pro Bono Commitment
Further enhancing Ms. Keefe’s litigation experience is her commitment to pro bono activities. She is a member of the Pro Bono Committee in both the firm’s Washington, D.C. and Dallas offices. She has appeared before U.S. Immigration Courts as a pro bono attorney for both Patton Boggs and Human Rights Initiative of North Texas, a local non-profit organization. Presently, Ms. Keefe provides general legal advice to BRAINS for Autism at UT Southwestern and other autism related organizations.
Before joining the firm, Ms. Keefe worked as an intern for the Supreme Court of Texas. Under the direct supervision of Justice John Cornyn, she assisted in the evaluation of writ of error applications. For three years during law school, Ms. Keefe served as the research assistant to Professor William V. Dorsaneo, III where she aided in drafting the Texas Litigation Guides.
Representative Matters:
- Swor v. IESI TX Corp. (2008); successful jury verdict in wrongful termination suit.
- LaGrone v. Sendero Energy, Inc., 2007 WL 2332329 (Tex.App. – Texarkana 2007); successful defense of appeal for oil and gas company after successful jury verdict. , 2007 WL 2332329 (Tex.App. – Texarkana 2007);
- Prestige Ford v. U.S. Bank, N.A., 170 S.W.3d 272, (Tex.App. – Dallas 2005); successful appeal of conversion and contract action on behalf of bank relating to good faith purchaser and buyer in the ordinary course of business status.
- Cotton v. Ryan, 119 Fed. Appx. 643, 2005 WL 27604 (5th Cir. (Tex.) Jan. 6, 2005); successful defense and appeal of Section 1983 action against county employees alleging deliberate indifference to medical needs.
- Grind Factory, L.P. v. Moceanu, 2004 WL 584900 (Tex. App. – Hous. (1 Dist.) March 25, 2004); successful defense and prosecution of claims in breach of contract action in both trial court and court of appeals.
- Anthony Equipment Corp. v. Irwin Steel Erectors, Inc., 115 S.W.3d 191 (Tex. App. – Dallas Aug. 20, 2003); successfully reduced jury verdict against insurance company and upheld ruling on appeal that an implied warranty to perform in a good a workmanlike manner would not be imposed on rental contract.
- Successfully defended oil and gas company through trial and appeal in surface damage case (March 2006).
- Successfully defended arbitration against operator of various oil wells for removal as operator under the joint operating agreement, as well as other causes of action for forfeiture of property interests and fraud (April 2005).
- Successfully obtained directed verdict for national bank association in action against it for deceptive trade practices and unfair collection practices (April 2005).
- Successfully obtained temporary restraining order for landowner after condemnation proceeding, prohibiting a pipeline company from hooking up a line on protected property (April 2007).
- Successfully obtained temporary restraining order for landowner in condemnation proceeding, prohibiting the pipeline company from condemning landowner’s property (Feb. 2005).
- Successfully obtained several temporary restraining orders, injunctions, and judgments for national bank association against various leasing companies, financial institutions, and dealerships for various causes of action (2004-2007).
Professional and Community Involvement:
Board of the Petroleum Engineer’s Club of Dallas
Adjunct Professor on Ethics, Brookhaven College
Dallas Bar Association
Texas Bar Association
Steering Committee of BRAINS for Autism at UT Southwestern
|
|
|