Leah B. Nommensen

Leah is an experienced trial lawyer who represents clients in complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts, as well as in alternative dispute resolution settings. She focuses particularly on energy litigation, having completed a six-month secondment for a major international oil and gas company, and over the past several years, Super Lawyers and Texas Monthly magazine has recognized her as a Rising Star for Energy & Natural Resources (2022-2025). She also frequently handles landlord/tenant litigation, banking litigation, construction litigation, insurance recovery, and business disputes. Leah has a decade of experience that includes jury and bench trials, class action lawsuits, arbitration, mediation, motion practice (drafting and arguing), amicus briefing, all aspects of discovery (including taking depositions, arguing discovery hearings, and responding to subpoenas), conducting white collar and FCPA investigations, and managing large-scale discovery projects. .

In her most recent bench trial win, the judge praised Leah’s trial skills in his opinion awarding attorneys’ fees, stating: “The Court will specifically note the representation of Leah B. Nommensen, one of the plaintiff’s trial counsel, who did a particularly expert job in this case.”

• Obtained dismissal of putative class action lawsuit seeking over $100 million in damages for alleged natural gas overcharges during Winter Storm Uri.
• Trial counsel for global energy trader to defend multimillion-dollar arbitration award in federal court.
• Trial counsel for oilfield services client in lawsuit alleging breach of contract and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty.
• Counsel for publicly traded petroleum and natural gas exploration and production company in title dispute.
• Trial counsel for an oil and gas investment firm in arbitration concerning breach of a joint operating agreement.
• Successfully prosecuted breach of contract, trespass, and unfair practices dispute on behalf of leading global technology research and advisory firm as second chair in bench trial.
• Trial counsel for largest Texas municipality in action to validate city ordinance adopting increase in water and sewer service rates pursuant to the Texas Expedited Declaratory Judgment Act.
• Successfully defended publicly traded national retailer as second chair in landlord-tenant dispute involving property damaged by casualty in two-week jury trial.
• Obtained dismissal of personal injury and product defect dispute for national plastic manufacturer.
• Trial counsel for lender in breach of promissory note dispute.
• Trial counsel for municipality in breach of lease dispute.
• Trial counsel for commercial real estate developer in breach of lease dispute.
• Advising global agricultural company in mass tort, nuisance, and toxic exposure litigation.
• Trial and appellate counsel for global social media company in actions alleging statutory and common law liability for content published by user of platform.
• Trial counsel for Texas county in Section 1983 action alleging sexual harassment, sexual battery, violation of equal protection for loss of bodily integrity, and retaliation.
• Lead trial counsel for national bank in fraudulent wire transfer dispute.
• Lead trial counsel for international chemical supplier and distributor in breach of contract dispute.
• Trial counsel for national retailer in trademark infringement dispute.
• Trial and appellate counsel for municipal police officers’ union in action to invalidate unconstitutional city charter amendment requiring “parity” between the compensation of firefighters and police officers, in conflict with state law.
• Advised on numerous COVID-19 business interruption insurance claims.
• Advised on and settled insurance coverage lawsuit on behalf of financial institution that incurred significant business interruption losses and extra expense resulting from Hurricane Maria.
• Obtained summary judgment and settled insurance coverage lawsuit on behalf of law firm that incurred significant business interruption losses and extra expense resulting from Hurricane Harvey.
• Trial counsel for a hospital in a dispute regarding breach of contract, products liability, and DTPA claims arising out of the construction of a hospital facility.
• Coverage counsel for manufacturer in products liability disputes.
• Trial counsel for property owner in materialman’s lien dispute.
• Trial counsel for the board of directors in a shareholders litigation dispute.
• Negotiated settlement in DTPA dispute.
• Represented property and casualty insurer in multiple coverage disputes under commercial general liability policies with insureds and related disputes with co-insurers over allocation, contribution, and subrogation.

• Selected as a Rising Star for Energy & Natural Resources, Super Lawyers and Texas Monthly magazine, 2022-2025

• Houston Young Lawyers Association
  • Board of Directors (2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020)
• Houston Young Lawyers Foundation
  
  • Board of Trustees
• University of Houston Law Center Young Alumni Committee Member
• Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program
• Crime Stoppers of Houston Young Professional Group
  • Board of Directors (2019-2020)