Carolyn P. Courville

Carolyn Courville is an attorney at Jackson Gilmour & Dobbs, PC in Houston, Texas. Dr. Courville is licensed to practice in all state courts in Texas and the United State District Courts for the Northern, Western, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas.  Dr. Courville has a background in the earth sciences, and worked as a research scientist in the area of exploration geophysics before attending law school. Before joining Jackson Gilmour & Dobbs, PC in 2008, Carolyn spent ten years with Susman Godfrey, LLP, where she represented clients in complex commercial litigation with an emphasis on oil and gas law.

Practice Areas/Experience

Dr. Courville has a broad base of experience in complex commercial litigation, with a special emphasis on complex oil and gas cases. After completing her Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of Cambridge in 1990, Dr. Courville conducted geophysical research at the Houston Advanced Research Center. She began law school in 1995, graduating 7th in her class at the University of Houston in 1998. She joined Susman Godfrey's Houston office, where she spent the next 10 years in their complex commercial litigation practice. For the past several years, Dr. Courville's practice focused on the oil and gas industry, with matters including exploration and midstream contract disputes, royalty disputes, oil and gas accounting disputes, business torts and pipeline and gas processing contamination disputes. She also has experience in environmental litigation, insurance litigation, antitrust litigation and commercial contract disputes. Dr. Courville joined Jackson Gilmour & Dobbs, PC in April 2008. Her representative experience includes:

• Represented multi-state class of gas royalty owners in state court case that resulted in settlement of 100% of damages for limitations period for all class members.
• Prepared for arbitration of multi-million dollar contract claim against gas pipeline for breach of dedication provision.  The case settled prior to arbitration.
• Participated in arbitration of claim against client E&P company by fertilizer plant for breach of gas supply agreement.  The arbitrator awarded a small fraction of the original claim.
• Represented midstream client in dispute with city where assets were located.  Successfully resisted attempt by city to restrain further development of asset. The parties settled.
• Represented subrogation vendor in nation-wide class action suits alleging ERISA violations and violations of state law, obtaining dismissal of claims or favorable settlements.
• Represented pipeline company in pipeline contamination incident.  Case settled after investigation.
• Represented gathering company in arbitration of antitrust claims against gas processing plant.  Client prevailed in the arbitration.
• Represented drug manufacturer as plaintiff in antitrust suit based on drug rebates.  Client settled on favorable terms.

Professional Background

• 1998 - J.D Magna cum laude. University of Houston Law Center.
• 1990 - Ph.D. (Geophysics). University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England.
• 1984 - M.Sc. (Geophysics). Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
• 1978 - B.A. cum laude. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.