Jim Wetwiska is a trial lawyer and business advisor who handles high-stakes complex business disputes in the areas of energy, trade-secret, product liability, infrastructure, technology and software disputes in federal and state courts and in arbitrations. Representing plaintiffs and defendants, he has tried cases across the United States, securing multimillion-dollar verdicts and defending against significant damage claims.
His representations also include waste and recycling, transportation and logistics and heavy equipment industries. He also advises health care entities in antitrust and complex commercial matters. His work spans business torts, venture agreements, breach of contract, breach of sale agreements, intellectual property disputes and antitrust.
Mr. Wetwiska has handled arbitrations around the world, including disputes in Australia, South Korea, South America and West Africa, and has litigated substantial oil and gas matters arising out of transactions in Europe, the U.S. and West Africa. He is experienced in intellectual property litigation within the chemical, oil and oil services industries.
His personal injury work ranges from single-plaintiff exposure cases to mass tort litigation involving thousands of plaintiffs, including matters tied to chemical complexes, hazardous waste facilities, disposal sites, oil and gas operations, industrial facilities and equipment operators.
- Obtained jury verdict for Lufkin Industries, an oil and gas services company, for US$29.8 million against defendant International Business Machines Corporation for fraudulent inducement, fraud, negligent misrepresentation and breach of contract in a software implementation case.
- Obtained jury verdict for Jewelry Television for US$39 million in a fraud claim arising from failed business software.
- Represented Tellurian, Inc. and its Board of Directors in the 2024 merger with Woodside.
- Successfully represented an international oil and gas exploration and production company in a confidential arbitration arising from the breach of a gas gathering and processing agreement.
- Obtained significant arbitration award for a client in a confidential ICC construction arbitration involving the construction of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) power plants in the Virgin Islands. Contractor asserted numerous delay-based claims and our client asserted numerous counterclaims for breach of contract.
- Obtained settlement for Vital Energy in a state court dispute against Shell Trading involving a crude oil purchase agreement.
- Represents Tellurian, Inc. in a state court action defending fraudulent transfer and tortious interference claims asserted by Cheniere Energy.
*Includes matters handled prior to joining the firm.
- Litigation: General Commercial, Chambers USA, 2020 – 2025.
- Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Defendants, Best Lawyers in America, 2011 – 2019.
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- University of Oklahoma, B.A., 1989, with distinction
- University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., 1992
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- Texas
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- Member, American Board of Trial Advocates
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation