Teshia Judkins brings the skills she learned as a senior consultant in technology and business to her practice as a litigation associate. Before law school, she worked to creatively solve her clients' business problems. As a lawyer, the context has changed but not her goal - creative resolution for her clients whether through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or litigation.
Teshia represents clients in a variety of industries with a focus on energy. Her experience covers contract and employment disputes, defective products, insurance coverage, property rights, and chemical exposure. She works as a part of trial teams to manage cases from dispute origination through discovery to resolution drawing on skills first developed as a consultant.
Outside of serving her clients, Teshia also serves her community. She is a member of the board of directors of New Hope Housing, Inc. New Hope is a Houston non-profit that builds and manages quality apartment homes for adults living alone on a limited income. She also is an enthusiastic supporter of Rice University, her alma mater.
Selected Experience
- Obtained multi-million dollar arbitration award for pipeline owner because of defective valves installed during construction of onshore pipeline, acting as second chair during arbitration.
- Mediated to resolution on behalf of pipeline construction contractor neighboring property owners' allegations of property damage and lost profits from construction.
- Defended offshore pipeline construction contractor against subcontractor's allegations of breach of contract and fraud to resolution.
- Procured payment of alleged amounts owed under crude oil buy/sell contracts.
- Negotiated resolution of contract dispute involving equipment lease.
- Mediated to resolution on behalf of employer alleged workplace injury dispute.
- Defeated at trial allegations of personal property damage as first chair.
- Defended energy companies against allegations of personal injuries from benzene exposure.
- Stopped infringing use of company's trademark.
- Managed discovery in multiple complex commercial disputes involving electronic and physical documents.
Speeches and Articles
- Panelist, "How to Get Hired and Succeed at a Firm," Judicial Intern Opportunity Program Orientation, American Bar Association Section of Litigation, June 1, 2011.
- Co-contributor, "Annual Review of Litigation, Chapter 3: Appellate Practice," with Kendyl T. Hanks and Mark Trachtenberg, American Bar Association, Section of Business Law, April 2011.
- Co-author, "Ethical Witness Preparation: Stepping Back from the Line for the Lecture," The Houston Lawyer, July/August 2010.
- Co-contributor, Energy Law and Transactions, Cleantech Financing Chapter, 2009-2010.
- Speaker, "Summary Judgments in Debt Collection Cases," University of Houston CLE, 2006.
Selected Professional and Community Service Activities
- Board Member, New Hope Housing, Inc. Board of Directors, 2006-present.
- Fellow, Houston Young Lawyers Foundation, Class of 2008.
Selected Representative Experience
Surface Owner Nuisance Suit
Represent operator in nuisance case brought by surface owner.
Benzene Exposure
Represent midstream company in benzene exposure personal injury claim of truck driver.
Petroleum Trading Company Facing Underpayment Claims
Represented petroleum trading company in claims for underpayment of crude purchases in California. Obtained favorable settlement after filing suit.
Arbitration Over Breach of Warranties
Obtained a $4.3 million arbitration award for supermajor pipeline company affiliate after 2 weeks of arbitration hearings and collected 100 percent of the award against an international manufacturer of defective valves. The respondent vigorously contested liability and damages, which arose from a defective valve trapping an in-line-inspection tool and caused interruption in shipments on a major products pipeline in the southeastern United States. The award represented the pipeline company’s actual damages, attorneys’ fees, expert fees, and costs, as well as pre-award and post-award interest. Most of the award was for consequential damages that far exceeded the purchase price of the defective valves.
Pipeline Construction Dispute with Subcontractor
Resolved litigation based on contractual rights and obligations defined in multiple instruments executed over time between offshore pipeline construction contractor and its subcontractor involving theories of breach of contract, breach of warranty, and fraud.
Pipeline Construction Dispute with Neighboring Land Owners
Negotiated favorable resolution to litigation brought by neighboring land owners alleging damages and lost profits from pipeline construction on behalf of contractor.