Professionals

Jeffrey Elkin is a partner in the litigation practice group of Porter Hedges. He has extensive experience representing clients in litigation matters involving complex commercial disputes, federal and state securities laws, and business torts. He serves as trial counsel for publicly-held corporations, private companies, individuals, lenders, investment advisors, and registered broker/dealers before federal and state district courts throughout the United States and before arbitration panels of the International Chamber of Commerce, American Arbitration Association, and FINRA. Mr. Elkin also provides crisis management advice to clients in a variety of industries.

Mr. Elkin is also a certified mediator, having successfully completed Mediation Training at the University of Houston Law Center, and is a member of the Association of Attorney-Mediators.

Mr. Elkin has been selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers in the area of business litigation since 2009, Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition in the area of Business Litigation in 2010, and Super Lawyers Business Edition in 2011. Prior to joining Porter Hedges, Mr. Elkin was an attorney in the Houston office of a full-service international law firm.

Litigation Matters:

• Secured summary judgments for international reservoir engineering firm in $26 million fraud, negligence, and conspiracy actions in federal and Texas state courts.
• Won directed verdict for oilfield tool and services company in Texas state district court lawsuit against claims for fraud, conspiracy, and successor liability.
• Secured take-nothing jury verdict for international energy company employee-defendants in defamation action arising out of Houston Chronicle newspaper articles.
• Represented lenders to Enron in $120 million action against agent banks and securities affiliates.
• Trial counsel for international drilling rig manager in $17 million I.C.C. arbitration involving breach of contract, agency, force majeure, and liquidated damages claims.
• Successfully represented plastics and composites manufacturer in complex breach of contract and business torts disputes.
• Trial counsel for consumer affairs membership organization in $24 million copyright infringement dispute.
• Represented former energy-industry CFO in parallel state and federal derivative actions arising out of FCPA investigations.
• Defended Special Committee of hospitality and entertainment company in $15 million shareholder going-private class action litigation.
• Represented Internet-based information distribution company in $5 billion federal DPPA class action lawsuit.
• Represented oil and gas investment company in fraud action against drilling program general partner and operator.
• Trial counsel for national brokerage firms and individual financial advisors in FINRA arbitrations.
• Represented start-up bio tech company in federal securities fraud class action litigation.
• Successfully defended big four accounting firm in federal securities fraud litigation.
• Advised Audit Committee of seismic data company following shareholders' derivative lawsuit.
• Legal counsel to the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Houston, Inc.

Representative Cases:

• In re Sioux Ltd., Sec. Ltig. v. Coopers & Lybrand, 914 F.2d 61 (5th Cir. 1990)
• Prudential Securities Inc. v. Banales, 860 S.W.2d 594 (Tex. App. – Corpus Christi 1993, no writ)
• Howell v. Sears, Roebuck and Co., No. 14-94-00432-CV, 1995 WL 360233 (Tex. App. –Houston [14 Dist.] June 15, 1995, no writ)
• Abraham v. Exxon Corporation, No. 14-98-00888-CV, 2001 WL 894261 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Aug. 9, 2001, no pet.)
• Highland Capital Management, L.P. v. Ryder Scott Company, L.P., 212 S.W.3d 522 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006, pet. denied)
• Amco Energy, Inc. v. Tana Exploration Co., 455 B.R. 584 (S.D. Tex. 2011)
• In re Capco Energy, Inc., 669 F.3d 274 (5th Cir. 2012)
  

• Martindale Hubbell AV Rated Attorney
• State Bar of Texas, Member of Litigation and ADR Sections
• Houston Bar Association, Member of Litigation and ADR Sections
• American Bar Association, Member of Litigation and ADR Sections
• Lawyers for Literacy Committee of the Houston Bar Association, Member 
• Association of Attorney-Mediators, Member 
• Harris County Dispute Resolution Center, Pro Bono Mediator 
• City of Southside Place, Texas, Former Mayor Pro Tem and Council Member (1999-2007)
• Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce, Citizen of the Year (2007)
• Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts, Member