Bracewell & Giuliani LLP successfully defended energy investment bank Mueller Chen & Co LLC (Mueller) in a $46.5 million fraud and breach of contract case in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which completely affirmed the August 2014 dismissal of all claims against Mueller.

Mueller represented Hong Kong-based United Energy Group Ltd. (UEG) in its 2011 acquisition of BP’s oil and gas assets in Pakistan for $775 million. A consulting group, International Energy Ventures Management LLC (IEVM), assisted in the evaluation of the BP assets. IEVM then claimed it was owed a $46.5 million success fee following the acquisition.

UEG challenged the fee claimed by IEVM, which prompted IEVM to file suit against both Mueller and UEG in July 2013. In the trial court, Mueller’s counsel, current Bracewell Partner Sean Gorman, obtained a complete dismissal of the claims asserted against Mueller, arguing the claims were fundamentally flawed. UEG, represented by separate counsel, also obtained the dismissal of the claims asserted against it, arguing the court did not have personal jurisdiction.

Today, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals completely affirmed the dismissal of the claims against Mueller, and reversed the dismissal of the claims against UEG. The case will now proceed only against UEG.

www.bracewellgiuliani.com