Ray Torgerson is a partner in the litigation section of Porter & Hedges and is involved in a wide variety of litigation in state and federal courts on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants. He has been named a “Texas Rising Star” in surveys conducted by Texas Monthly magazine from 2004-2008.  Mr. Torgerson has first- and second-chair jury trial experience in both state and federal court. Mr. Torgerson's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation. His clients include businesses in the environmental, construction, retail, and oil and gas industries. He has represented foreign and domestic individuals, corporations, partnerships, and small companies. He has extensive experience in:

• business torts such as fraud and breach of fiduciary duty;
• breach of contract claims;
• oil and gas matters; and
• intellectual property disputes.

Mr. Torgerson also has litigated numerous cases involving issues of patent and trademark infringement, alter ego, insurance coverage, U.C.C. questions, the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, personal injury, and securities law. 

In addition, Mr. Torgerson has extensive experience in American Indian law issues, having worked for several tribes across the United States over the past decade.  He continues to consult with tribes and private businesses on a variety of topics, including sovereignty, jurisdiction, environmental, tax, and economic development.  Mr. Torgerson also teaches an American Indian law course at the University of Houston Law Center, where he has served as an adjunct professor since 2002.

Representative Experience

• Representation of a real estate development and home construction company in a negligence action related to a wetland consultant's failure to timely secure appropriate wetlands permits, leading to a favorable jury verdict.
• Representation of the manufacturer of downhole geophysical equipment in a breach of contract action related to a customer's failure to pay in full for seismic cables and defense of claims of fraud and breach of warranty, leading to a favorable jury verdict.
• Representation of international oil and gas reserve engineering firm in actions for federal securities and common law fraud.
• Representation of a Texas partnership in a breach of contract action related to the sale of pipe to a Russian joint venture whose letters of credit were dishonored when the issuing Russian bank failed, leading to a favorable jury verdict.
• Representation of inventors of a device used to enhance the manufacture of electronic circuit boards against a multinational company resulting in a jury verdict of willful infringement.
• Representation of several mezzanine lenders in the oil and gas industry in lawsuits involving fraud and breach of contract claims arising out of disputed financing transactions.
• Representation of Houston-based oil and gas reserve engineering company in defending against claims of securities and common law fraud arising out of estimated reserve reports issued by the company.
• Representation of a Canadian environmental products company alleging the infringement of 4 of its patents relating to degradable plastic film and the mechanical device used to deposit the film onto a landfill, and the defense of related securities fraud and alter ego counterclaims.
• Representation of a national retail chain and regional fast food franchises in non-subscriber workers' compensation issues.
• Representation of a large construction materials supplier in a variety of construction, breach of contract, Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and negligence matters.
• Representation of a national architectural firm in commercial disputes and collection matters.

Professional / Civic Affiliations

• Chairman of the State Bar of Texas, American Indian Law Section (2007)
• Member of the American Bar Association
• Member of the Federal Bar Association, American Indian Law Section
• Member of the Texas Minority Council Steering Committee
• Member of Houston Bar Association
• Member of Native American Bar Associatiom
• Member of the American Trial Lawyers Association
• Adjunct Professor for the University of Houston Law Center

News

• Porter & Hedges' Attorneys Selected as 2008 Texas Rising Stars (3/18/2008)
• 26 Porter & Hedges' Attorneys Selected as Rising Stars in 2007 Survey (3/1/2007)
• Ray Torgerson Elected Chair of the American Indian Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (7/24/2006)
• Recent Porter & Hedges Leadership Appointments (4/27/2006)
• Ray Torgerson Appointed as Member of TMCP (3/1/2006)
• 22 Porter & Hedges’ Attorneys Selected as Rising Stars in 2006 Survey (3/1/2006)
• Ten Porter & Hedges' Lawyers Named Rising Stars in 2004 Survey (7/1/2004)

Publications

• “Sword Wielding and Shield-Bearing: An Idealistic Assessment of the Federal Trust Doctrine in American Indian Law (1/1/1996)

Events

• "Gender Issues in American Indian Law and Tradition" (6/22/2007)
• "Environmental Issues in Construction Litigation," 20th Annual Construction Law Conference, State Bar of Texas (3/2/2007)
• "Encouraging Economic Development in the Indian Community," State Bar of Texas, American Indian Law Section Annual Conference (11/3/2006)
• "Opportunities in American Indian Law," 14th Annual Texas Minority Counsel Program (9/28/2006)
• "American Indian Law 101," State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting (6/16/2006)
• “Civil and Criminal Jurisdiction in Indian Country,” “The Federal Trust Responsibility Owed to Tribes,” and “Trial Advocacy in Tribal, Federal, and State Courts,” National Legal Aid and Defender Association 2003 Substantive Law Conference (7/1/2003)