Michael Lennon is described as “extremely thorough, very focused and to the point," noting that "he is quick on his feet in hearings to meet arguments and is very responsive." Michael is “the consummate professional–he's always reachable, very patient and understanding, full of good ideas and knows exactly how to handle all the parties on a case." Clients note, “he has an impressive command of the facts and the law, and it shows in his cross-examinations. He is truly an amazing advocate.”Chambers USA, Chambers UK and Chambers Global
Overview
Michael P. Lennon Jr. is a partner in Mayer Brown's Litigation & Dispute Resolution and International Arbitration practices. He is an experienced arbitration and trial lawyer with an outstanding track record for handling a wide variety of arbitration and litigation matters, particularly in the energy, natural resources and construction sectors. Mike also has substantial experience handling patent, trademark, copyright and other commercial disputes.
Mike acts on behalf of clients before the leading international arbitral institutions, including ICSID, ICC, ICDR, LCIA and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre, as well as national courts. He has tried numerous cases before arbitral tribunals, courts, and juries, as well as enforcement, annulment and appellate proceedings arising from his matters. He also acts as an arbitrator and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Mike's energy and natural resources experience covers a wide range of arbitrated and litigated matters, including disputes involving production sharing agreements, licenses, concessions and other host state agreements, oil and gas royalty disputes, pricing and other disputes under short and long-term commodity agreements, disputes arising out of joint operating and joint venture agreements, disputes concerning the design, operation and management of drilling rigs, disputes involving nuclear and conventional power plant design, construction and operation, and other arbitration and litigation matters arising out of commercial disputes in the energy and natural resources sectors.
Recent examples of his work in the energy and natural resource areas include representing LUKOIL Pan Americas, LLC in the bribery, corruption and antitrust action filed by the PDVSA US Litigation Trust in the Southern District of Florida, representing an Asian state-owned oil and gas company in a $1.8 billion ad hoc arbitration arising from a coal bed methane production sharing contract, representing an E&P company in an LCIA arbitration arising out of a services agreement; advising a crude trading company in disputes with buyer and seller under back-to-back crude oil contracts, advising a Brazilian bio-ethanol company in a dispute arising from technology and equipment contracts, advising a South American state-owned oil and gas company in a post-M&A representation, warranty and indemnification dispute, advising a Middle Eastern gas company in LNG price review arbitrations involving Southern and Western European buyers, advising an international oil company on contractual and international law issues arising out of the Middle East, North Africa and South America, and representing a major international engineering and construction company on a dispute arising from a mining project in Africa.
Areas of Focus
Experience
Representative Energy and Natural Resource Matters
- Representing LUKOIL Pan Americas, LLC in the bribery, corruption and antitrust action filed by the PDVSA US Litigation Trust in the Southern District of Florida and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Representing an Asian state-owned oil and gas company in a $1.6 billion UNCITRAL ad hoc arbitration arising from termination of a coal bed methane productions sharing contract.
- Represented lenders in bankruptcy proceeding of two E&P companies.
- Representing an E&P company in an LCIA arbitration arising from a Service Agreement for the supply of drilling personnel.
- Representing large international oilfield services company.
- Advising a crude trading company in disputes with buyer and seller in back-to-back crude oil trades.
- Advised gas gathering and compression facilities operator in relation to threatened diversion of gas supplies.
- Advised crude trader on force majeure claims arising from Brazilian truck driver strike.
- Advised IOC in relation to counter-party defaults concerning Brazilian oil and gas project.
- Advised a Brazilian bio-ethanol company in a dispute arising from technology transfer and equipment supply contracts with Southern European supplier.
- Representing a South American state-owned oil and gas company in a post-M&A representation, warranty and indemnification arbitration under ICDR Rules and in related federal court litigation.
- Advising Middle Eastern gas company in LNG price review arbitrations involving Southern and Western European buyers.
- Represented Korean steel manufacturer in federal court litigation arising from alleged breach of a distributorship agreement for oilfield tubulars.
- Advised international oil and gas company on variety issues arising under government agreements and joint operating agreements relating to oil and gas blocks in Angola in anticipation of potential arbitrations.
- Advised international oil and gas company on variety of issues under Gulf of Mexico leases, unit agreements, operating agreements and AMI agreements in anticipation of potential disputes.
- Represented an international oil and gas company by advising on rights, remedies and protections arising under licenses, investment agreements and investment treaties in relation to a potential adverse action by a South American government against a fully integrated oil and gas project.
- Represented an international oil and gas company by advising on contractual and international law rights, remedies and protections in relation to civil unrest, international economic sanctions, regime change and political succession affecting investment in the MENA region.
- Represented PT KaltimPrima Coal, Sangatta Holdings Limited, and Kalimantan Coal Limited in an ICSID arbitration brought by the Provincial Government of East Kalimantan claiming entitlement to interest in a coal mining operation in the eastern coastal area of the province.
- Represented an international engineering and construction company in a dispute arising from termination of an engineering and construction contract involving an iron ore mine in West Africa.
- Advised a Caspian region oil and gas company concerning a take-or-pay and gas price review disputes under long-term gas sales contract governed by ICSID and ICC dispute resolution provisions.
- Represented the largest US independent oil and gas company in an ICC arbitration concerning shareholder rights in a Caribbean ammonia plant.
- Represented Middle Eastern and Norwegian oil companies in LCIA arbitrations arising out of the termination of interests in oil production sharing arrangements in Kurdistan.
- Represented a UK oil and gas company in LCIA arbitration arising from the termination of a rig management agreement.
- Represented a South African gas company in disputes arising under a joint operating agreement concerning an asset in West Africa subject to AAA arbitration provision.
- Represented an Indonesian E&P company in an International Centre for Dispute Resolution arbitration relating to an oil and gas joint operating agreement concerning a mud volcano near the drilling site.
- Represented Wärtsilä Finland and Wärtsilä Guatemala in ICC arbitration arising out of the construction and operation of a power plant near Puerto Quetzal, Republic of Guatemala.
- Represented a large US petrochemical company in an AAA arbitration of claims arising out of a 50-year joint venture with a major German petrochemical company.
- Represented SRW Cogeneration Limited Partnership in an AAA arbitration filed by PG&E Energy Trading-Power LP concerning a gas tolling agreement and parent company guarantee.
- Longtime counsel for Wagner & Brown, Ltd. in upstream litigation matters in East and South Texas.
Other Representative Matters
- Representing multinational chemical company in litigation with refinery company concerning property damages associated with use of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) at refineries.
- Representing two individuals and financial advisory firm in litigation and arbitration arising from merger agreement and fundraising engagement in dental sector.
- Represented Swiss and Middle Eastern claimants in a Dubai International Arbitration Centre arbitration concerning a share sale under put option in a shareholders' agreement governed by UAE law.
- Represented a Middle Eastern development company by advising on a portfolio of construction arbitrations and litigations arising out of numerous projects in the GCC region.
- Represented Helnan Hotel International A/S in the Danish hotel group's ICSID arbitration and annulment proceedings in the Arab Republic of Egypt under the Danish-Egyptian Bilateral Investment Treat arising out of the Egyptian government's violation of Helnan's rights, inter alia, to fair and equitable treatment and compensation for expropriation under the treaty.
- Represented Belgian and American diary companies in ICC arbitration and Dutch enforcement proceedings concerning a post-acquisition claim for breach of reps and warranties.
- Represented Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., and Samsung Electronics America in a patent infringement claim involving circuit and signal processing patents.
- Represented plaintiff in John R. Brune v. HBO concerning an individual's trademark infringement claim concerning the slogan "The Heart and Soul of Boxing" tried to a jury in SDNY.
- Represented Dell Computer Corporation in a patent infringement claim involving power management functions in computers and monitors.
- Represented Ulterra Drilling Technologies LP in defense of a trade secret claim involving drill bit technology and prosecution of a post-closing adjustment claim against former owners.
- Represented a Romanian journalist and family in obtaining political asylum.
- Representing Honduran and Guatemalan minors in pro bono SIJS proceedings.
Perspectives
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September 062023
Events
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October 192023
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September 222021
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November 2018
In-House Counsel Roundtable, IEL Energy Litigation 101
News
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January 032021
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December 152020
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July 2020
International Arbitration Experts Discuss The Future Of Arbitration
Mealey's International Arbitration Report
Education
University of Iowa College of Law, JD, with high distinction
Member, Iowa Law Review, Symposium Editor, Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems
University of Iowa, BS, with honors
Admissions
- Texas
- Iowa
Court
- US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- US District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- US District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Activities
- Senior Vice Chair, Institute for Energy Law (2020-2022)
- Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- Member of the advisory board of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration
- Member of the executive committee and advisory board of the Institute for Energy Law (IEL) of The Center for American and International Law
- London Court of International Arbitration
- Co-chair of IEL’s 2015 and 2016 Annual Oil & Gas Law Conference
- International Bar Association
- Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit
- Houston Bar Association
- Houston Intellectual Property Law Association