
Lauren Varnado
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Office Managing Partner
Energy
Commercial & Business Litigation
Houston
Bar & Court Admissions
- State Bar of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth and Ninth Circuits
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia
Professional Affiliations
- Women’s Energy Network, member
- Energy Mineral Law Foundation, member
- Institute for Energy Law, member
Education
- South Texas College of Law, J.D.
- Texas A&M University, B.A.
Lauren Varnado is the Managing Partner of M&R’s Houston office and member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group. Lauren is an experienced trial lawyer, representing oil, gas and petrochemical clients in high-stakes, “bet the company” lawsuits in state and federal courts, including contract cases, fraud and tort actions, lawsuits alleging environmental contamination, international and domestic arbitrations between energy producers, class action royalty litigation, and market manipulation disputes related to trading in energy and commodity markets.
Beyond the courtroom, Lauren routinely advises private and public E&P companies about rights and obligations under upstream, midstream, power and LNG contracts; litigation avoidance and risk mitigation; climate change litigation; and investments and contractual rights and obligations in renewable energy (solar and wind). Clients also frequently seek guidance from Lauren on matters concerning the acquisition and divestiture of oil & gas properties and midstream assets; oil & gas production and business operations; oil & gas leases; accounting obligations to interest owners; and royalty payment practices.
Lauren has litigated and/or advised clients in oil & gas operations in Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, California, North Dakota, New Mexico, Kentucky, Louisiana, Colorado, and Oklahoma.