Kelly Ransom

BIOGRAPHY

Kelly Ransom’s practice is focused on patent litigation, energy and environmental litigation, and other high-stakes, complex litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. Ms. Ransom represents some of the world’s largest technology companies in patent litigation cases in two of the nation’s busiest patent venues, the Western and Eastern Districts of Texas, as well as others. She also represents oil and gas companies in cases involving environmental damage claims, gas storage and migration issues, royalty disputes, and mineral lease termination claims, and she has defended clients in dozens of high stakes “legacy litigation” cases involving claims of coastal land loss and damaged hydrology in wetlands.

Ms. Ransom has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America® in numerous practice areas and honored as a Rising Star in Energy Litigation by Louisiana Super Lawyers. She was recognized as one of the top performing patent litigators in the U.S. by Patexia’s 2024 Patent Litigation Intelligence Report, achieving an overall performance score of 95.06%. After serving as the Managing Editor of the Energy Law Advisor, the Institute for Energy Law’s longest running publication, from 2019 to 2023, she was appointed Practice Committee Director and continues to serve on the Institute’s Executive Committee. Ms. Ransom is also active in her local community and is on several local non-profit boards. From 2018 to 2022, she was President of 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.

ADMISSIONS

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

AFFILIATIONS

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

HONORS

• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Best Lawyers®, U.S. News & World Report, 2022-2025
  • Energy Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Oil and Gas Law
• Top 100 U.S. Patent Litigators, Patexia’s 2024 Patent Litigation Intelligence Report
  • Most active patent litigators representing defendants (No. 33) 
  • Best performing patent litigators representing defendants (No. 44)          
  • Best performing patent litigators overall (representing plaintiffs and defendants) (No. 72)
• Leadership in Law Honoree, New Orleans CityBusiness, 2020, 2022, 2023
• Leadership in Law Hall of Fame, New Orleans CityBusiness, 2023
• Louisiana Super Lawyers Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2021
  • Energy & Resources Law
• 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

SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS

• Author, “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
• Author, “Fifth Circuit Affirms Remand of Louisiana Coastal Zone Lawsuits . . . Again,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 16, No. 3, December 2022
• Moderator, General Counsel Panel at Institute for Energy Law’s 73^rd Annual Energy Law Conference, February 2022
• Author, “Fifth Circuit Reverses 2020 Decision on Timeliness of Removal of Louisiana Coastal Zone Lawsuits,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 15, No. 2, August 2021
• Speaker, “Environmental Litigation – Trends and Coming Threats,” Institute for Energy Law’s 2nd Energy and Environmental Law Virtual Conference, March 2021
• Author, “Fifth Circuit Affirms Remand Orders in Louisiana Coastal Zone Lawsuits,” Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 14, No. 3, September 2020
• Author, “Professional Lessons I Learned Outside of My Actual Profession,” The Energy Dispatch, Issue 8, January 2020
• Author, “Expert Interview of Kathleen Magruder Hiersche,” The Energy Dispatch, Issue 7, October 2019
• Editor, The Energy Dispatch, Institute for Energy Law, Issue 7, October 2019
• Editor, The Energy Dispatch, Institute for Energy Law, Issue 6, July 2019
• Author and Speaker, “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
• Moderator, “Developing an Energy Network – Fuel for a Career,” Institute for Energy Law, National Young Energy Professionals’ Law Conference, April 2018
• Author, “Young Lawyers Corner: Advising Clients on Their Duty to Preserve Evidence,” ABA Section of Litigation, Mass Torts Journal, Vol. 9, No. 2, Winter 2011