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Krystal Pfluger
Scott

Position
Partner
Office
Houston

Krystal Scott is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group and is co-leader of the firm’s energy and natural resources litigation team. She handles a wide range of complex commercial and energy litigation matters pending in state and federal courts across the country, as well as private national and international arbitrations.


Krystal represents and advises energy-industry clients in Texas and from coast to coast in a broad range of disputes arising from their operations, with a particular focus on enforcing contractual and property rights. She has developed a focus and regularly advises clients on legal issues originating from joint operating agreements, leases, oil and gas purchase agreements, purchase and sale agreements, development agreements, marketing and gathering agreements, and offshore drilling contracts. An experienced oral advocate, Krystal has appeared in state and federal courts across several states and in arbitrations in multiple jurisdictions.

Drawing on her experience at trial and in settlement negotiations, Krystal also provides dispute-prevention counsel that helps clients minimize risk and concentrate their resources on operational and strategic objectives. In this vein, Krystal has developed a high level of experience with cyber threats in the energy industry and assists clients in assessing and addressing cyber risk.

Krystal is actively involved in and represents the firm in industry groups such as the Institute for Energy Law and the International Disputes section for Lex Mundi, a global network of law firms. Krystal helps organize Houston pro bono efforts, including a partnership with Kids In Need of Defense (KIND). Her own community involvement centers on ensuring that children with special needs have access to fully integrated learning environments.

Co-head of Jones Walker’s energy disputes team, Krystal is deeply involved in leadership within the firm, serving on the Hiring & Recruiting Committee and as an active member of the cybersecurity team and Mentoring & Training Committee.

Prior to joining Jones Walker, Krystal served as a law clerk to the Honorable W. Royal Furgeson in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division.

Noteworthy

  • Texas Lawyer, "Lawyer on the Rise" (2017)
  • Texas Super Lawyers,"Rising Star," Business Litigation (2012-2018)
  • Co-chair, Young Lawyer Roundtable. ITA-IEL-ICC Joint Conference on International Energy Arbitration (2019)
  • Firm Representative, Lex Mundi Cross-Border Dispute Resolutions (2018)
  • Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) pro bono attorney
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

Experience

  • Won an $80 million lawsuit in a case brought by an offshore drilling contractor and raising novel issues of interpretation for private drilling contracts in relation to federal regulatory action
  • Second chair on a precedent-setting, all-female trial team comprising five women attorneys in the trial of a $160 million breach of contract case
  • Successfully defended, through trial and appeal, a multimillion-dollar intentional interference with contract claim against a major operator
  • Successfully defended a major operator in arbitration arising from an asset purchase and operational agreements in the Anadarko Basin
  • Successfully defended a foreign corporation in an international arbitral dispute related to construction of wind energy transmission lines
  • Successfully defended a major operator in an arbitral dispute arising from an asset purchase in the Barnett Shale
  • Successfully defended, through trial, a major operator in a suit related to the propriety of response and withholding of royalty payments under an ambiguous mineral deed
  • Represented several major operators in dozens of royalty disputes in Louisiana and Texas, all with success either at trial or through settlement
  • Represented several major gas operators in the Haynesville Shale Natural Gas Field; the matters resulted in dozens of precedent-setting lease cancellation lawsuits and class action lawsuits
  • Successfully defended a bet-the-company trade secret misappropriation case for an energy industry services provider

Publications

  • “Regulatory Frameworks Key to Improving Marine Cybersecurity” WorkBoat, 2018
  • Quoted: “Biggest Client Questions Following Hurricane Harvey” Law 360, (2017)
  • "Federal Contract Requirements Post Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria-National Interest Exemptions” Jones Walker Preparedness & Recovery Blog, 2017
  • "Royalty Wars" Oil & Gas Financial Journal, January 27, 2014
  • "How to Authenticate Social Networking Sites" Texas Lawyer, January 31, 2011
  • "Products Liability After House Bill 4" The Advocate, Vol. 4, October 9, 2008
  • "The Law of Electronic Discovery. It's In Most Cases Now" University of Houston School of Law Advanced Civil Evidence and Discovery CLE, September 9, 2008
  • "A Catch-22 or a Catch-All? Delaware and Texas Grasp for Certainty in Shareholder Ratification" Duquesne Business Law Journal, Vol. 8, April 9, 2006

Presentations

  • “Developing Your Maritime Cybersecurity Plan”, (2018)
  • “No Jargon: What Should Midstream General Counsel Be Doing Right Now About Cybersecurity?”, (2018)
  • Roundtable Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, (2018)

Memberships

  • The Rise School of Houston, Fundraising Committee
  • Women's Energy Network
  • Association of Women Attorneys, Houston
  • State Bar of Texas, prior member of SBoT Standing Committee: Women in the Profession
Houston
Suite 2900
811 Main St
Houston, TX 77002
D: 713.437.1816
F: 713.437.1810
Emailkscott@joneswalker.com

Education

  • University of Houston Law Center
    JD, magna cum laude, 2006
    Order of the Coif; Order of the Barons; Articles Editor, Houston Law Review; Marvin D. Nathan Fellow; Recipient, Larry M. Fultz Scholarship for #2 Class Rank; Ewer-Oren Health Law Writing Award
  • Trinity University
    BA, Business, Communication, magna cum laude, 2003
    Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society; Captain, Women's Soccer Team

Bar Admissions

  • Texas

Court Admissions

  • US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • US District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • US District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • US District Court for the Western District of Texas

Related Practices

  • Energy & Natural Resources Practice
  • Energy Litigation
  • Energy Regulatory
  • Litigation
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution

Related Industries

  • Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources
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