People

Laura Shoemaker
Laura Shoemaker McGonagill
Senior Associate

Overview

Trial lawyer Laura Shoemaker McGonagill handles energy and tort disputes in state and federal courts, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations. She has taken and defended dozens of depositions, including expert and corporate representative depositions, argued dispositive motions, and cross-examined and presented multiple witnesses at trial and in arbitration hearings, giving her more hands-on trial skills experience than most of her peers.

Laura recently second-chaired a trial in Texas state court in the summer of 2021, where she cross-examined multiple Plaintiffs and fact witnesses and argued various pre-trial motions and objections. She was the lead associate on the matter, responsible for drafting substantive motions and gearing the case up for trial, culminating in a jury verdict.

Laura also has an active pro bono practice. Each week, partnering with Houston Volunteer Lawyers, Laura defends a tenant in Harris County facing eviction at eviction trials in the County Courts at Law.

Admission & Affiliations

  • State Bar of Texas
  • J.D., The University of Texas School of Law 2017
    cum laude
  • B.A., Communication Studies, University of California, Los Angeles 2014
    cum laude
    College Honors

Experience

Energy Litigation

  • Secured multi-million arbitration award entirely in energy client’s favor, including full recovery of attorneys’ fees, in breach of contract dispute regarding offshore FPSO
  • Secured arbitration award entirely in renewable energy client’s favor, including full recovery of attorneys’ fees, in breach of contract dispute arising out of Winter Storm Uri
  • Represented non-operator in two international arbitrations (before ICC and UNCITRAL tribunals) against foreign operator on claims for improper charges to the joint account and various other accounting abuses in connection with onshore gas project in Africa
  • Defeated class certification in putative royalty class action involving nearly 4,000 royalty owners in Eagle Ford Shale (Regmund v. Talisman, No. 4:16-CV-02960, Southern District of Texas)
  • Represented national, publicly traded exploration and production corporation in dispute over ownership of produced water (CWS II Delaware, LLC v. Occidental Petroleum Corporation et al., No. 21-08-1041, 143rd Judicial District Court, Loving County, Texas)

Tort Litigation

  • Obtained summary judgment for publicly-traded upstream operator and its subsidiaries in multi-plaintiff consolidated case arising out of alleged community exposure to BTEX compounds (Cause No. C2017244; Josue Berlanga, et al vs. Barnett Gathering, LLC, et al., 355th Judicial District Court, Hood County, Texas)
  • Second-chaired arbitration hearing securing arbitration award entirely in client’s favor, including full recovery of attorneys’ fees, against contractor arising from fraudulent invoices (arbitration award confirmed in Shell Oil Company v. Innovative Turnaround Controls Ltd., No. 2020-74108, 189th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas)
  • Lead associate in various personal injury matters with punitive damages at stake (e.g. Veronica Stephenson v. Southwestern Bell Telephone et al., No. 2018-45220, 133rd Judicial District Court, Harris County, Texas)

Diversion of Water/Flooding

  • Obtained summary judgment in Texas State court for global pipe manufacturer, defeating claims for trespass, negligence, nuisance, fraud, and water code violations related to construction of facility. (Winnie O’Connell et al. v. Tenaris Bay City Inc., Cause No. 19-E-0464, in the 130th Judicial District Court, Matagorda County, Texas)
  • Second-chaired trial to jury verdict in Texas state court in a negligence, nuisance, and breach of Texas water code lawsuit (Story et al. v. Tenaris Bay City Inc. et al., No. 2018-71970, 195th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas)
  • Lead associate defending multi-defendant Class Action Lawsuit regarding various water diversion claims (Evans v. Enterprise Products Partners, LP et al., No. 2019-57694, 165th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas)
  • Lead associate defending multi-plaintiff lawsuit alleging negligence, fraud, and breach of Texas water code (Garza et al. v. Magellan Midstream Partners LP, et al., No. 2021-25159, 189th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas)
  • Lead associate defending Hurricane Harvey flood case, where plaintiffs allege breach of contract and breach of warranties due to flooding in construction of partially underground building in downtown Houston (Harris County, Texas v. Hoar Construction LLC, et al., No. 2020-57015, 157th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas)

Pro Bono

  • Co-chaired bench trial to verdict in adverse possession case, securing judgment resulting in full victory for client (Will Jones, Jr. v. William Archie Armstrong et al., No. 2017-29377, 270th Judicial District Court, Harris County, Texas)
  • Represented tenants facing eviction in Harris county at weekly bench trials


Awards and Community

Recipient, Judge Thomas Gibbs Gee Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service, 2023

Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer - Rising Star (Thomson Reuters), 2024