Commercial Litigation
As lead and co-lead counsel, Jeff Chambers has defeated over 2 billion dollars in claims brought against clients, and has recovered over 1 billion dollars in verdicts and value for clients in complex commercial cases. Chambers has extensive trial experience in complex cases involving fraud, breach of contract, lender liability, oil and gas matters, partnership disputes, shareholder actions and securities fraud. When handling complex litigation, the firm focuses on every detail to defeat highly-skilled opponents with a combination of experience and plain hard work.
Commercial Litigation Results
Jeff Chambers, as lead counsel for two trusts, obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of his clients in the case popularly known as the Anna Nicole Smith case. Both Anna Nicole Smith and J. Howard Marshall, III brought $1.6 billion in claims against the estate of J. Howard Marshall II and various other entities, including those represented by Chambers. The jury found no liability for any of Chambers’ clients, and the Court entered a final judgment that plaintiffs take nothing on $1.6 billion in claims against Chambers' clients. In addition, the jury awarded Chambers' clients over $10,000,000 on claims for fraud and tortious interference, and the Court entered judgement for $10,000,000 in favor of Chambers’ client the Bettye B. Marshall Trust.
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As lead counsel Jeff Chambers prevailed in an ICC arbitration, after three full hearings of the matter, in London. The tribunal found that the respondent majority shareholder engaged in shareholder oppression. Based on the finding of oppression, the tribunal ordered respondents, an entity controlled by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, to sell their shareholding, which was valued at $1,100,000,000 to Chambers' clients. Chambers' clients obtained 100% control of MHTL, the largest methanol producer in the Americas, and a $250,000,000 discount in the price paid for the shares due to Chambers’ winning the issue of liquidity discounts. Click here for articles concerning the case.
In a 6 month trial that resulted in a $329,000,000 for the plaintiffs Jeff Chambers, as co-lead counsel, represented Bay, Ltd. and Gulsby Bay Plant Partners against Gulf Liquids and Williams Energy. As a result of the pleading and proof supporting the clients’ fraud and breach of contract claims, the jury awarded our clients a $329,000,000 verdict. The case subsequently settled for a confidential amount on appeal. Chambers' clients received 100 % of the settlement in this case. The clients paid $3,750,000 in fees and expenses in the case. Click here for articles concerning this case.
Jeff Chambers obtained dismissal for lack of personal jurisdiction of a claim in excess of $1 billion brought against a Caribbean conglomerate and businessman. The Appellate Court affirmed. One of the largest conglomerates in the Caribbean, CL Financial, and its Chairman, Lawrence Duprey, hired Jeff Chambers, as lead counsel to defend a claim in excess of $1 billion filed by two Canadian citizens, a Canadian company, and a Texas company. The Canadian plaintiffs asserted claims for breach of contract, fraud, and intentional interference with contract. CL Financial and Lawrence Duprey filed a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. The trial Court dismissed the $1,000,000,000 in claims against Duprey for lack of personal jurisdiction, and the plaintiffs received nothing for these claims.
As co-lead counsel, Jeff Chambers obtained a $9.25 million settlement on behalf of a large construction company. Jeff Chambers represented a large multi-national construction company in a federal Court lawsuit resulting from the failure of a general contractor to pay the client for construction services performed on an offshore rig. The case involved complex construction issues. Defendant paid the client $9.25 million in settlement, rather than proceeding to trial. The client received the full settlement payment.
As lead counsel, Jeff Chambers received a complete trial defense verdict on a $9.5 million breach of contract and fiduciary duty claim. At trial, Jeff Chambers as lead counsel represented Southern Chemical Corporation and its individual partners in a claim brought against them by former partner, Tommy Cox. Cox brought a $9.5 million claim against Chambers' clients for alleged fraud, breach of contract and tortious interference with contract. After a full jury trial, Cox was awarded nothing by the jury or Court. The Appellate Court upheld Chambers’ trial verdict.
Jeff Chambers obtained a $3.25 million settlement for a client in a complex legal malpractice claim. The client was a prominent Texan. After the client’s relative died, the client was convinced by lawyers to disclaim his interest in real property left to the client under the deceased relative’s will, so that the property would pass to another relative. The lawyers were supposed to be working exclusively for Chambers’ client, but evidence showed that they were influenced by the beneficiary of the disclaimer. As a result of evidence gathered against the lawyers, the two firms involved in the proposed disclaimer transaction paid a total of $3.25 million to the Chambers' client. The client received $2,000,000 after deduction of $1,350,000 in fees and expenses.
As co-lead counsel Jeff Chambers, defeated a $7,000,000 claim brought against his client by Haverford College. Chambers represented the estate of a wealthy and prominent Texan when Haverford College sued the estate to collect on alleged pledges and promises by the deceased to provide money to Haverford. The college’s evidence included signed pledges. Our evidence included an extensive file that the college kept on our client, including our client’s drinking habits, and communicating other intimate details about our client’s personal life. In the end, despite the college’s evidence of pledges, we received a verdict from the jury that defeated Haverford’s multi-million dollar claims in their entirety.
As co-lead counsel Jeff Chambers obtained a $19 million settlement in a complex construction arbitration on behalf of a Texas-based construction company in an international arbitration, as co-lead counsel, Jeff Chambers, obtained a $19 million settlement against the project owner based on breach of contract, productivity impairment, and misrepresentation claims. The case settled only days before hearing and after full briefing. The total initial claim was for approximately $19,000,000
Jeff Chambers, obtained as trial co-counsel, a verdict of $5,200,000 on behalf of two partners in a partnership to sell oil and gas equipment. When credit dried up in the oil field, these partners got the wealthy owner of an oil and gas equipment company to partner in development wells by contributing equipment, rather than cash. Chambers’ clients were supposed to receive ten percent of all profits from the wells for completely organizing the deal, but their partner, who made more than a $50 million profit, decided to keep all of it. Our clients sued for breach of contract, and the jury awarded $5.2 million of which our clients received $3,000,000, and fees and expenses were $2,200,000.
Jeff Chambers, led a team that successfully defended against a Department of Justice antitrust price-fixing investigation. The Department of Justice obtained a grand jury subpoena against one of Chambers’ clients based on allegations of price fixing of a product. Thereafter, Chambers led an internal investigation of the allegations, as well as defending the Department of Justice investigation. The investigation involved production and review of over one million document pages concerning distribution of billions of dollars in product volume, as well as extensive witness interviews. After 18 months, the Department of Justice delivered a letter to Chambers’ client stating that the investigation was concluded, and there was no evidence of wrongdoing.
Click here for articles concerning the case.
As lead counsel Jeff Chambers prevailed in an ICC arbitration, after three full hearings of the matter, in London. The tribunal found that the respondent majority shareholder engaged in shareholder oppression. Based on the finding of oppression, the tribunal ordered respondents, an entity controlled by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, to sell their shareholding, which was valued at $1,100,000,000 to Chambers' clients. Chambers' clients obtained 100% control of MHTL, the largest methanol producer in the Americas, and a $250,000,000 discount in the price paid for the shares due to Chambers’ winning the issue of liquidity discounts. Click here for articles concerning the case.
In a 6 month trial that resulted in a $329,000,000 for the plaintiffs Jeff Chambers, as co-lead counsel, represented Bay, Ltd. and Gulsby Bay Plant Partners against Gulf Liquids and Williams Energy. As a result of the pleading and proof supporting the clients’ fraud and breach of contract claims, the jury awarded our clients a $329,000,000 verdict. The case subsequently settled for a confidential amount on appeal. Chambers' clients received 100 % of the settlement in this case. The clients paid $3,750,000 in fees and expenses in the case. Click here for articles concerning this case.
Jeff Chambers obtained dismissal for lack of personal jurisdiction of a claim in excess of $1 billion brought against a Caribbean conglomerate and businessman. The Appellate Court affirmed. One of the largest conglomerates in the Caribbean, CL Financial, and its Chairman, Lawrence Duprey, hired Jeff Chambers, as lead counsel to defend a claim in excess of $1 billion filed by two Canadian citizens, a Canadian company, and a Texas company. The Canadian plaintiffs asserted claims for breach of contract, fraud, and intentional interference with contract. CL Financial and Lawrence Duprey filed a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. The trial Court dismissed the $1,000,000,000 in claims against Duprey for lack of personal jurisdiction, and the plaintiffs received nothing for these claims.
As co-lead counsel, Jeff Chambers obtained a $9.25 million settlement on behalf of a large construction company. Jeff Chambers represented a large multi-national construction company in a federal Court lawsuit resulting from the failure of a general contractor to pay the client for construction services performed on an offshore rig. The case involved complex construction issues. Defendant paid the client $9.25 million in settlement, rather than proceeding to trial. The client received the full settlement payment.
As lead counsel, Jeff Chambers received a complete trial defense verdict on a $9.5 million breach of contract and fiduciary duty claim. At trial, Jeff Chambers as lead counsel represented Southern Chemical Corporation and its individual partners in a claim brought against them by former partner, Tommy Cox. Cox brought a $9.5 million claim against Chambers' clients for alleged fraud, breach of contract and tortious interference with contract. After a full jury trial, Cox was awarded nothing by the jury or Court. The Appellate Court upheld Chambers’ trial verdict.
Jeff Chambers obtained a $3.25 million settlement for a client in a complex legal malpractice claim. The client was a prominent Texan. After the client’s relative died, the client was convinced by lawyers to disclaim his interest in real property left to the client under the deceased relative’s will, so that the property would pass to another relative. The lawyers were supposed to be working exclusively for Chambers’ client, but evidence showed that they were influenced by the beneficiary of the disclaimer. As a result of evidence gathered against the lawyers, the two firms involved in the proposed disclaimer transaction paid a total of $3.25 million to the Chambers' client. The client received $2,000,000 after deduction of $1,350,000 in fees and expenses.
As co-lead counsel Jeff Chambers, defeated a $7,000,000 claim brought against his client by Haverford College. Chambers represented the estate of a wealthy and prominent Texan when Haverford College sued the estate to collect on alleged pledges and promises by the deceased to provide money to Haverford. The college’s evidence included signed pledges. Our evidence included an extensive file that the college kept on our client, including our client’s drinking habits, and communicating other intimate details about our client’s personal life. In the end, despite the college’s evidence of pledges, we received a verdict from the jury that defeated Haverford’s multi-million dollar claims in their entirety.
As co-lead counsel Jeff Chambers obtained a $19 million settlement in a complex construction arbitration on behalf of a Texas-based construction company in an international arbitration, as co-lead counsel, Jeff Chambers, obtained a $19 million settlement against the project owner based on breach of contract, productivity impairment, and misrepresentation claims. The case settled only days before hearing and after full briefing. The total initial claim was for approximately $19,000,000
Jeff Chambers, obtained as trial co-counsel, a verdict of $5,200,000 on behalf of two partners in a partnership to sell oil and gas equipment. When credit dried up in the oil field, these partners got the wealthy owner of an oil and gas equipment company to partner in development wells by contributing equipment, rather than cash. Chambers’ clients were supposed to receive ten percent of all profits from the wells for completely organizing the deal, but their partner, who made more than a $50 million profit, decided to keep all of it. Our clients sued for breach of contract, and the jury awarded $5.2 million of which our clients received $3,000,000, and fees and expenses were $2,200,000.
Jeff Chambers, led a team that successfully defended against a Department of Justice antitrust price-fixing investigation. The Department of Justice obtained a grand jury subpoena against one of Chambers’ clients based on allegations of price fixing of a product. Thereafter, Chambers led an internal investigation of the allegations, as well as defending the Department of Justice investigation. The investigation involved production and review of over one million document pages concerning distribution of billions of dollars in product volume, as well as extensive witness interviews. After 18 months, the Department of Justice delivered a letter to Chambers’ client stating that the investigation was concluded, and there was no evidence of wrongdoing.