Jared LeBlanc represents corporate and high net-worth individual clients across several industries including oilfield services, directional drilling, exploration and production, construction, commercial real estate, non-destructive testing, capital investment, software and the hospitality industry.

Jared is proud to have several clients that he has represented for more than a decade. Some of those he has grown up with professionally. From a client starting a business out of a briefcase to having more than 700 employees across the globe, to an upstart oil exploration company that is now traded on NASDAQ, those long term relationships provide valuable insight into a client’s business and a substantial value-add when it comes to getting the client’s desired result.

Jared began his career trying cases. The day after passing the Texas bar exam, he was sworn in by a trial judge and gave his first opening statement to a jury ten minutes later, in what would be his first jury trial victory. Since then, Jared has tried several commercial and injury cases to verdict in state and federal courts, represented claimants and respondents in arbitrations, written briefs and argued before federal and state courts of appeals. In addition to verdicts, Jared has a strong record of getting favorable settlements, many of which are in the millions.

After several years of trial work, and several client requests, Jared drew upon his litigation experience to start working on deals, particularly in the energy industry. Jared’s time as a commercial trial lawyer gives him a rare, first-hand working knowledge of what happens when deals go south, a skill he regularly employs in his transactional work. Simply put, “I’ve tried this case before . . .” This approach is especially helpful when balancing a lawyer’s wordsmithing with the business risk a client is willing to accept to get to the closing table.

Community involvement is important, too. Jared has been a longtime supporter of the Houston arts scene. Since 2014, he has served on the board of directors of Fresh Arts and has been the president of the organization for the last two years. Fresh Arts is 501(c)(3) dedicated to helping local artists and creative entrepreneurs to succeed in the business of art, and it also manages Arts District Houston, a state-appointed arts and cultural district.

In law school, Jared received the Bodman Foundation Award for Excellence in Legal Writing and served as assistant articles editor of the South Texas Law Review. He was also a judicial intern for Judge Harold R. DeMoss, Jr., on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

• Texas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of TX
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of TX
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of TX
• U.S. District Court, Western District of TX
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court

• South Texas College of Law, J.D. cum laude 2004
• University of St. Thomas, B.A. magna cum laude 2001

• Successfully defended clients in fraudulent transfer and fraud claims arising from a distressed asset purchase.  The jury’s verdict in the high-stakes case was unanimous in clients’ favor.
• Engineered a multi-million dollar settlement for industrial construction client relating to a dispute over the construction of a jet fuel refinery.
• Was hired on the eve of death penalty sanctions in a AAA complex construction case over a recycling plant in Corpus Christi, avoided the sanctions, and obtained a seven-figure recovery for client.
• Hired by an attorney-owner of a waste disposal company in a trademark dispute after being adverse to the attorney in another, unrelated matter.  Won summary judgment on several Lanham Act claims allowing client to settle for a virtual walk away.
• Negotiated a highly lucrative intellectual property settlement for clients in West Virginia federal court against Dutch competitor.  The case involved issues over the sale of robotics technology for use in energy infrastructure inspections.
• Won an ex parte temporary restraining order for client in a medical trade secrets case.  The federal court also granted a temporary injunction after a three-day evidentiary hearing. Successfully defended the temporary injunction at the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  The Fifth Circuit’s published opinion has been cited multiple times for its findings and analysis of trade secret misappropriation.
• During the real estate crisis, stopped the foreclosure by a “vulture fund” of a marquee asset hotel property for a client, even though the client was in technical default of a debt-service covenant.
• Won a seven-figure judgment against a hospital for breach of a laundry services contract in a case involving a liquidated damages provision.
• Represented prevailing parties in multi-district oil and gas dispute over ownership of Hockley Dome property.  The case involved two competing state court lawsuits and an involuntary bankruptcy proceeding.
• Represented developer entities and individuals in a construction defect/fraud suit brought by a condo HOA.  Through a carefully planned and multi-faceted strategy, settled the 25+ party case for a virtual nuisance payment by client.  The plaintiff’s demand was for $50 million.
• Won summary judgment on the eve of federal trial for an NFL coach being sued by former player for fraud and conspiracy.  Because of the allegations the player was making, losing would have had catastrophic impact on coach’s NFL career.
• Won a trial against the manufacturer of a defective filter press that caused the failure of a calcium chloride processing plant.  Got the manufacturer’s vice president to admit on cross-examination that the company had knowingly shipped a defective product, which resulted in enhanced damages for client.
• One day after being licensed, assisted in voir dire, delivered opening statements & cross-examined witnesses at trial resulting in a favorable verdict for client.  Was listed as the Verdict Search Texas Verdict-of the-Week.

• Represented energy company in the purchase of Eagle Ford assets and then through operational phase including disposal and land management issues.
• Negotiated and closed mission-critical forbearance and workout agreements with banks and related acquisitions.
• Conducted multiple reverse-triangular mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures for NASDAQ-traded oil company.
• Managed asset purchases and divestures across several industries.
• Represented limited partners in sale of business to equity fund.

• Selected to Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2011 – 2018
• Rated Martindale-Hubbell® A-V Preeminent™

PUBLICATIONS

• Fee Agreements: Best Practices and Pitfalls, September 2013, University of St. Thomas Law Alumni
• Arbitration Insights from a Panel of Practitioners, April 2014, University of St. Thomas Law Alumni
• How to Wear Two Hats: In-House Privilege, August 2014, Association of Corporate Counsel Symposium