Kelly Ransom

BIOGRAPHY

Kelly Ransom’s practice is focused on intellectual property litigation, energy and environmental litigation, and other high-stakes, complex litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. Ms. Ransom defends a range of clients in patent infringement cases, including banks, a leading global payment and financial technology solutions provider, and some of the world’s largest technology companies. She was recognized as a top performing patent litigator in the U.S. by Patexia’s 2024 Patent Litigation Intelligence Report, with an overall performance score of over 95%.

Ms. Ransom has extensive experience defending oil and gas companies in high stakes “legacy litigation” cases involving claims of environmental damage, coastal land loss, and damaged hydrology in wetlands, as well as in cases involving gas storage and migration issues, royalty disputes, and mineral lease termination claims.

Ms. Ransom serves on the Executive Committee of the Center for American and International Law’s Institute for Energy Law and was the Managing Editor of its longest running publication, the Energy Law Advisor, from 2019 to 2023. She is also active in her local community and has chaired several local, non-profit boards, including the Board of Directors of New Harmony High, a state-chartered public high school in New Orleans, Louisiana that has received national recognition for educating students through the lens of coastal restoration and preservation.

AFFILIATIONS

• Southwest Association of Bank Counsel, 2023-Present
• Center for American and International Law’s Institute for Law & Technology 62nd Annual Conference, Patent Litigation Module Co-Chair, 2024
• Center for American and International Law’s Institute for Energy Law
  • Executive Committee, 2019-Present
  • Practice Committees Director, 2024-Present
  • Managing Editor, The Energy Law Advisor, 2019-2023
  • Vice Chair, Communications Committee, 2022-2023
  • Vice Chair, Young Energy Professionals Programs Sub-Committee, 2020-2021
• New Harmony High, XQ Super School, President of Board of Directors, 2018-2022
• Krewe of Red Beans, Board of Directors, 2020-Present

HONORS

• Top 100 U.S. Patent Litigators, Patexia’s 2024 Patent Litigation Intelligence Report:
  • Most active patent litigators representing defendants
  • Best performing patent litigators representing defendants
  • Best performing patent litigators overall (representing plaintiffs and defendants)
• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Best Lawyers®, U.S. News & World Report, 2022-2025
  • Energy Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Oil and Gas Law
• Louisiana Super Lawyers Rising Star, Energy & Resources Law, Thomson Reuters, 2021
• Leadership in Law Hall of Fame, New Orleans CityBusiness, 2023
• Leadership in Law Honoree, New Orleans CityBusiness, 2020, 2022, 2023
• Woman of the Year, New Orleans CityBusiness, 2016, 2020

EDUCATION

• Cumberland School of Law, J.D., 2007
  • Moot Court National Team Member, 2006-2007
  • Moot Court Executive Board Member, 2006-2007
  • Certificate in Trial Advocacy
  • Scholar in Merit Awards for highest grade in Pre-Trial Practice and Procedure; Wills, Trusts, and Estates; Real Estate Transactions; and Domestic Relations
  • National Order of Barristers Honors Society
  • Dean’s List, 2004-2007
• Rhodes College, B.A., Political Science, 2003

ADMISSIONS

• State Bar of Texas, 2018
• State Bar of Louisiana, 2008
• State Bar of Alabama, 2007
• United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana

SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS

• “Louisiana Coastal Zone Litigation Update: Cameron Parish District Court Grants Summary Judgment on Solidary Liability Issue,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 17, No. 3, September 2023
• “Fifth Circuit Affirms Remand of Louisiana Coastal Zone Lawsuits . . . Again,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 16, No. 3, December 2022
• General Counsel Panel Moderator at Institute for Energy Law’s 73^rd Annual Energy Law Conference, February 2022
• “Fifth Circuit Reverses 2020 Decision on Timeliness of Removal of Louisiana Coastal Zone Lawsuits,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 15, No. 2, August 2021
• “Environmental Litigation – Trends and Coming Threats” Panelist, Institute for Energy Law’s 2nd Energy and Environmental Law Virtual Conference, March 2021
• “Fifth Circuit Affirms Remand Orders in Louisiana Coastal Zone Lawsuits,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 14, No. 3, September 2020
• “Professional Lessons I Learned Outside of My Actual Profession,” The Energy Dispatch, Issue 8, January 2020
• “Expert Interview of Kathleen Magruder Hiersche,” The Energy Dispatch, Issue 7, October 2019
• “Extinction is the Rule, Survival the Exception: Maintaining the Lease During the Secondary Term in the Absence of Producing in Paying Quantities,” 66 Mineral Law Institute, March 2019
• “Developing an Energy Network – Fuel for a Career” Moderator, Institute for Energy Law, National Young Energy Professionals’ Law Conference, April 2018
• “Young Lawyers Corner: Advising Clients on Their Duty to Preserve Evidence,” ABA Section of Litigation, Mass Torts Journal, Vol. 9, No. 2, Winter 2011