Ann Ryan Robertson

Ann Ryan Robertson’s principal areas of practice include international and domestic arbitration, federal and state civil trials and appeals, breach of contract, securities regulation, business torts, partnerships, personal and subject matter jurisdiction, and Uniform Commercial Code. She is a seasoned litigator with nearly 30 years of trial and appellate experience.

Ms. Robertson has represented clients in federal and state courts across the country. Her experience spans a number of industries, among them banking and finance, insurance, oil and gas, manufacturing, real estate and automotive.

Well-versed in the intricacies of international arbitration, Ms. Roberson serves as a member of the U.S. delegation to the NAFTA Advisory Committee on Private Commercial Disputes, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Commission on Arbitration and Chair of the North American Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She is highly regarded in the legal profession, most recently being named one of only 30 Extraordinary Women in Texas Law by Texas Lawyer, and a Texas Super Lawyer by Law & Politics.

Representative Matters

• Co-counsel in an ERISA class action alleging that plan fiduciaries breached their duties of loyalty and prudence by selecting and maintaining inappropriate Putnum mutual funds for the defendant company's 401(k) plan.
• Defended a major Swedish company and three of its domestic subsidiaries in a $48 million contract dispute with a Norwegian national and a British Virgin Islands company. She obtained dismissal of the entire case, which was then appealed. After remand by the Fifth Circuit, she filed a petition for writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court granted certiorari and remanded the case to the Fifth Circuit, which affirmed the District Court's decision in its entirety.
• At the trial and appellate level, successfully defended an African oil company in a $100 million suit.
• Obtained a take nothing judgment for an independent exploration company in a gas-balancing dispute. The verdict was affirmed on appeal.
• Represented a major oil company in a $50 million lawsuit involving claim of property damage from Hurricane Alicia. Negotiated a settlement of the suit.  Subsequently represented the client's insurer against the subcontractor and obtained a favorable settlement.
• Won a $2 million settlement for an independent oilman in a lawsuit for breach of contract brought by a California power company. Filed a counterclaim alleging numerous business torts, resulting in the favorable settlement.
• Represented a trustee in a bankruptcy proceeding involving more than $20 million of oil and gas properties. The properties were transferred back to bankruptcy estate.
• Obtained summary judgment for a major New York insurance company in a $25 million lawsuit claiming that the insurance company was liable for an agent's alleged fraud.
• Successfully defended a major New York insurance company in a $25 million lawsuit brought by one of the nation's largest banks.  The suit alleged fraudulent transfer and fraud. Obtained a dismissal based on failure to state a claim.
• Obtained summary judgment for a "Big Four" accounting firm headquartered in New York in a $20 million lawsuit.  The lawsuit alleged that a diagnostic review was erroneous, and that the firm had engaged in a civil conspiracy. The suit also alleged that the client was a co-conspirator.
• Represented one of the nation's largest fertilizer companies, headquartered in Illinois, in a lawsuit arising from a plant explosion. Plaintiffs sought $250 million in actual damages, plus punitive damages for wrongful death, personal injury, and property damage. After settlement was ultimately reached, served as special counsel to an English barrister in a London arbitration involving a coverage dispute with the client's excess insurance carrier.
• Successfully defended a well-known real estate developer in a case brought by three plaintiffs alleging fraud in a real estate transaction.
• Defended a major savings and loan in a multi-defendant case alleging fraud in a real estate transaction. Client was non-suited during trial.
• Recovered a more than $2 million judgment for a large bank on a counterclaim in a lender liability lawsuit.
• Successfully defended a Colorado bank in a suit for unpaid invoices. Counterclaimed for usury. Recovered penalty judgment for the bank.
• Represented one of the nation's largest grocery suppliers in a more than $2 million contract claim. Obtained a judgment in the client's favor.
• Advised a major bank on a question of first impression. Obtained a favorable ruling and mandatory injunction requiring a judgment to be released. Successfully defended the court's order on appeal.
• Represented an insurance company headquartered in Massachusetts in a lawsuit brought by a former agent seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions. Settlement reached during trial.
• Successfully defended one of Houston’s oldest car dealerships against claims brought pursuant to the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act. Obtained a take nothing judgment.
• Successfully defended a Texas Partnership and its two partners in a class action securities fraud case brought in a California state court. Filed a challenge to personal jurisdiction on behalf of partners. Prevailed on appeal in a case of first impression. Subsequently settled the claim against the partnership for nuisance value.

Reported Cases

• Cerbone v. Farb, 225 S.W.3d 764 (Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.], 2007, no pet.).
• Moni Pulo Ltd. v. Trutec Oil & Gas, Inc., 130 S.W. 3d 170 (Tex. App. [14th Dist.] 2003, pet. denied).
• Alpine View Co. v. Atlas Copco AB, 205 F. 3d 208 (5th Cir. 2000).
• IMC Fertilizer, Inc. v. O'Neill, 846 S.W. 2d 590 (Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 1993, orig. proceeding).
• TransAmerica Natural Gas Corp. v. Powell, 811 S.W. 2d 913 (Tex. 1991, orig. proceeding).
• United States v. Federal Deposit Ins. Corp., 881 F.2d 207 (5th Cir. 1989).
• Smith v. White, 695 S.W. 2d 295 (Tex. App. - Houston [1st Dist.] 1985, orig. proceeding).
• Driscoll v. Harris County Commissioners' Court, 688 S.W. 2d 569 (Tex. App. -Houston [14th Dist.] 1985, writ ref. n.r.e.).
• Houston Pipe Coating Co., Inc. v. Houston Freightways, Inc., 679 S.W. 2d 42 (Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 1984, no writ).
• Shindler v. Harris, 673 S.W. 2d 600 (Tex. App. - Houston [1st Dist.] 1984, writ ref. n.r.e.).

Publications, Speeches and Presentations

• Faculty, 21st Annual Institute for Transnational Arbitration (June 2010) 
• Speaker, "Four Top Errors to Avoid When Drafting a Reasoned Arbitration Award," American Bar Association (ABA) Dispute Resolution Section's Annual Meeting (April 2010)
• Co-Author, "Changes for the Better?  Knowing the Arbitration Rules," The Resolver, News from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (March 2010)
• Observer, United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Working Group II (Arbitration and Conciliation), Fifty-second session, Revision of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (February 2010)
• Keynote Speaker, "Arbitration Fairness Act of 2009," The International Law Section of the State Bar of California's Fourth Annual Arbitration Conference (October 2009)
• Moderator, “Navigating the Waters of Recent Federal Arbitration Legislation,” Center for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR) Annual Meeting (2009)
• Author, "The Arbitration Fairness Act of 2009," Alternative Resolutions, State Bar of Texas Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Fall 2009)
• Author, "The Arbitration Fairness Acts of 2009: The United States Anti-Arbitration Bills," Asian Dispute Review, Published by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (July 2009)
• Author, "International Commercial Arbitration and the Arbitration Fairness Acts of 2009," Texas Transnational Law Quarterly, Vol. 22, No. 3 (June 2009)
• Co-Author, "The Law on Overturning Arbitration Awards for Partiality is Confused," Commercial & Business Litigation, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Spring 2009)
• Author, "Manifest Disregard of the Law – Unsettled Waters," The Resolver, News from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (May 2009)
• Speaker, "Arbitration Fairness Act of 2009," East Asia Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Hong Kong (March 2009)
• Author, "Fifth Circuit Holds Lawsuit was an Improper Collateral Attack on a Foreign Award," Newsletter of the Arbitration Committee of the International Bar Association (September 2008)
• Speaker, "Techniques for Controlling Time and Costs in International Commercial Arbitration," ICC Conference on International Construction Contracts and the Resolution of Disputes (June 2008)
• Author, "Evident Partiality Based on Nondisclosure: Betwixt and Between," Texas Transnational Law Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 2 (March 2008)
• Author, “Fifth Circuit Reexamines Standard For Finding ‘Evident Partiality’ Under The Federal Arbitration Act,” Newsletter of Alternative Resolutions, State Bar of Texas Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Vol. 16 No. 1 (Winter 2007)
• Author, "International Arbitration in the U.S.: Evident Partiality Based on Nondisclosure," The Houston Lawyer, Vol. 45, No. 2 (September/October 2007)
• Author, “Fifth Circuit Rejects Challenge to Large Arbitral Award in Apache Bohai Corporation LDC v. Texaco China BV," Newsletter of Alternative Dispute Resolutions, State Bar of Texas Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Spring 2007)
• Speaker, "Jurisdiction and the Internet," National Association of Women Judges' Conference (October 2005)
• Panelist, "Advanced Skills for Resolving International Cases," American Bar Association (ABA) Alternate Dispute Resolutions Section's Annual Meeting (2004)
• Moderator, "Independence and Impartiality of International Arbitrators," ABA Alternate Dispute Resolution Section's Annual Meeting (2003)
• Speaker, "Jurisdiction and the Internet: The U.S. Perspective," International Bar Association (IBA) World Women Lawyers' Conference (2001)
• Author, "Hague Convention on Jurisdiction and Judgments," Newsletter of Committee 12 (Civil Litigation) of the IBA (August 2001)
• Speaker, "Cultural Do's and Taboos in International Business Transactions," IBA Annual Meeting (2000)
• Author, "First Circuit Creates New Jurisdictional Test for Foreign Defendant," Newsletter of Committee 12 (Civil Litigation) of the IBA (July 2000).