Blank Rome Names New Corporate Litigation Partner in Houston
Blank Rome LLP announces that Elizabeth E. Klingensmith has joined the firm as a partner in the Corporate Litigation group and member of the Energy industry team. She is based in the firm’s Houston office and joins Blank Rome from Haynes and Boone, LLP.
Klingensmith is the latest addition to the firm’s Houston office, which has experienced steady growth since opening six years ago.
In a news release, the firm said:
Blank Rome launched its Houston presence when it combined with Abrams, Scott & Bickley in June 2011, adding leading litigation attorneys with significant energy industry experience. The firm continued its growth in Houston with the addition of the maritime lawyers of Bell, Ryniker & Letourneau, P.C., in August 2013. Two years later, Blank Rome added 23 attorneys and additional staff from the intellectual property law firm of Wong, Cabello, Lutsch, Rutherford & Brucculeri L.L.P. The Houston office continued to diversify in 2016, adding three attorneys in the labor & employment, real estate, and intellectual property and technology groups. The Firm also continues to expand its national energy team, most recently welcoming Partners Amy L. Barrette and Jeremy A. Mercer from Norton Rose Fulbright in its Pittsburgh office.
“We’re thrilled that Liz is joining us in Houston,” said Alan Hoffman, Blank Rome’s Chairman and Managing Partner. “Liz is a natural go-getter and our Houston office and energy industry team will provide her with the opportunity to further develop her already strong energy litigation practice. Liz is also passionate about engaging young and diverse professionals within the energy sector and we look forward to the mentorship she’ll provide for young attorneys at Blank Rome and beyond.”
Klingensmith’s primary focus is oil and gas litigation. She routinely represents large and small companies in disputes arising from oil and gas operations and transactions in Texas and North Dakota. She has also counseled oil and gas clients in Oklahoma and Louisiana on a pro hac vice basis. Whether in a small-town courtroom or before an arbitration panel comprised of industry experts, she comes prepared with an understanding of the law and facts, and a full appreciation of her clients’ business objectives. She capably simplifies complex issues into a persuasive story whether for judge, jury, or mediator.
“Liz is an all-around talented litigator with impressive experience in the oil and gas sector. There are natural synergies between the energy markets in Houston, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, particularly as it relates to Marcellus Shale work, and Liz will be a great asset to our teams and our clients in these regions,” said Barry Abrams, Administrative Partner of Blank Rome’s Houston office.
In addition to her energy-focused work, Klingensmith frequently handles commercial disputes in the construction, real estate, transportation, banking, and professional services industries. She has extensive experience with disputes that involve claims for breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, post-judgment enforcement, theft of trade secrets, breach of employment agreements, conversion, and declaratory judgment.
“I am very excited to join such a highly regarded and accomplished team of attorneys in Blank Rome’s Houston office,” said Ms. Klingensmith. “It was evident from my first meeting with Blank Rome just how much head and heart the Firm put into establishing and building the Houston office. I cannot wait to continue to build the Firm’s profile in Houston, and collaborate with the Firm’s deep bench of talent in other offices. I know this new chapter at Blank Rome will serve my clients well.”
Klingensmith serves as the Young Energy Professionals Committee Chair for the Institute for Energy Law, and is passionate about engaging the next generation of energy professionals. The YEP Committee held its first National Young Energy Professionals Law Conference in March 2017.
Klingensmith received her B.A. and B.M. from Rice University and her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center.