People / Morgan Haenchen

Morgan Haenchen

Associate Houston

T +1 713.547.2166

F +1 713.236.5494

morgan.haenchen@haynesboone.com

Biography

Morgan Haenchen is an associate in the Crisis Management and Energy Litigation Practice Groups in the Houston office of Haynes Boone. Morgan has wide-ranging experience representing clients in a variety of crises, including catastrophic industrial accidents, energy operations, local and national disasters, and matters for high-profile individuals. Relying on her training in Incident Command (both ICS-100 and ICS-200), mediation, and litigation, Morgan oversees routine emergencies and unprecedented incidents with a goal of avoiding liability for her clients.

She also has significant hands-on experience as a trial lawyer, with high-exposure personal injury and wrongful death matters, complex commercial and multi-district litigation disputes, and alternative dispute resolution matters under her belt. A proud and native Houstonian raised by Texan lawyers, Morgan has a unique understanding of Texas state court practice and procedure, and utilizes that background for the benefit of her clients.

In recognition of her advocacy skills, Morgan was selected to the 2024 American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) National Trial College and was named the 2024 recipient of the Outstanding Young Litigator Award by the State Bar of Texas. Morgan continues to be recognized as “One to Watch” by Best Lawyers in America and a Texas Super Lawyers “Rising Star” and “Women's Edition Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters.

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Selected Client Representations

Crisis Response

Member of emergency response teams for multiple global energy companies.
Frequent coordination of legal, regulatory, and communications strategy for energy companies following explosions and environmental releases.
Represented one of the largest global players in renewable energy in a matter related to a collapse of a wind turbine.
Represented a public-facing recreational company in the immediate aftermath of a highly publicized accident on their property involving injuries to children.
Facilitated immediate crisis response for school regarding a student disappearance.
Representation of executives and public officials in civil litigation and litigation avoidance.

Litigation

Represented a telecommunications company in connection with high-profile personal injury and premises liability claims.
Successfully achieved dismissal for waste renewable company in special appearance contesting personal jurisdiction.
Represented map application company in high-profile lawsuit alleging wrongful death.
Represented a chemical supplier in multi-district litigation alleging personal injuries and wrongful death arising out of chemical exposure.
Represented a large oil and gas company in multiple suits regarding refinery explosion, resulting in complete dismissal of two cases and favorable settlement of four others.
Represented chemical and energy companies in connection with wrongful death, negligence, and premises liability claims and government investigations arising out of explosions, fires, and other industrial accidents.
Represented energy companies, including exploration and production companies and pipeline operators, against nuisance claims related to alleged loss of use and enjoyment of property and alleged water, soil, and air contamination.
Successfully represented construction company through appellate briefing to defend against mandamus petitions, successfully contesting emergency stays in Texas appellate courts.
Successfully briefed and argued the merits of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and Asylum on behalf of a half-dozen pro bono clients.

Professional Affiliations and Engagements

ABOTA Trial College Member, 2024
Higginbotham Fellow, American Arbitration Association, 2023
AAA Energy Advisory Committee, Co-Chair, 2023 - present
WEWILL (non-profit supporting minority women lawyers in Houston), Co-Chair, 2022-present
Garland Walker Inn of Court, 2016-present
Impact100 Houston (non-profit awarding transformative grants to support under-served populations), Inaugural Member
Houston Young Lawyers Foundation, Fellows, Class of 2018
Houston Bar Association, Fellows, Class of 2023
Texas Bar Foundation, Fellows, Class of 2023
Houston Young Lawyers Association, Board Member (2021-2022); Committee Chair (2018-2022)
Houston Legal Referral Services, Board Member & Membership Committee Chair, 2018-2021
State Bar of Texas Pro Bono College, Member since 2018

Awards and Recognitions

Recipient of the Outstanding Young Litigator Award, State Bar of Texas (SBOT), 2024
Recognized in "Ones to Watch" of Best Lawyers in America, Woodward/White, Inc., 2023-2026
Included in Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars directory, Thomson Reuters, 2022-2025
Listed in Texas Super Lawyers Women's Edition Rising Stars directory, Thomson Reuters, 2023

Publications and Speaking Engagements

Young Presidents’ Organization (Dallas), Crisis Management for Young Presidents, speaker, March 27, 2025
“Preparing a Crisis Management Plan – Lessons from the U.S. Capitol Security Team,” Crisis Management Academy, speaker, Nov. 26, 2024
State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, Texas Legal Legends, moderator, June 20, 2024.
Association of Continuity Professionals, San Francisco Bay Chapter, Legal Pitfalls in Crisis Management, co-presenter, June 26, 2024.
"PFAS Prognostication? Recent SCOTUS Decision Leaves Climate Change Case Analysis Open to Lower Courts," co-author, The Energy Dispatch, Institute for Energy Law - The Center for American and International Law, March 2024.
"Hidden Crises – Looking at the Forest Through the Trees," Crisis Management Academy 2024, Dallas - speaker Jan. 25, 2024, Houston - moderator Feb. 29, 2024, Denver - moderator March 21, 2024.
"Crisis Management Beyond Emergency Response: Attorney Ethics, Candid Communications, and Adaptable Guidelines,” co-author, State Bar of Texas 15th Annual Business Disputes, Chapter 19, Sept. 2023.
“Advanced Anatomy of an Energy Arbitration Claim: Notice Through Award,” speaker, American Arbitration Association Energy Conference, Sept. 19, 2023.
"Arbitration: Compelling, Resisting, Confirming, and Vacating,” Texas Bar College 25th Annual Summer School, author and speaker, July 21, 2023.
“A Warning from the Fifth Circuit of Appeals to Insurance Companies: Delay Tactics Will Not Suffice,” author, South Texas College of Law Corporate Counsel Law Review, May 2016.