Courtney D. Scobie represents businesses, institutional clients, and individuals in complex commercial litigation, arbitration, and government investigations. She handles high-stakes disputes in federal and state courts involving antitrust, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, intellectual property, trade secrets, contracts, insurance, and other complex business claims.

Courtney has substantial experience representing clients in the financial services industry, including financial advisors in numerous FINRA arbitrations and related federal litigation involving deferred compensation plans and ERISA. She has represented advisors in significant disputes against major financial services firms involving the forfeiture of deferred compensation and complex questions concerning the application of ERISA.

Her practice also includes complex antitrust and competition matters, intellectual property disputes, and sensitive estate and fiduciary litigation involving substantial assets. Courtney represents clients in government investigations and regulatory matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and other federal agencies.

Courtney has obtained significant results for clients at trial, in arbitration, and through dispositive motions and negotiated resolutions. Her experience spans the technology, energy, transportation, financial services, and healthcare industries.

Distinctions

• Texas Super Lawyer
• Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers

Court Admissions

• All Texas and Connecticut State Courts
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit

Representative Matters

• Represents Weskan Grain LLC and Colorado Pacific Railroad in federal antitrust litigation against Union Pacific Railroad and Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad involving alleged anticompetitive conduct affecting rail transportation and competitive freight service in western Kansas.
• Represents BCS Consulting in complex, multi-jurisdictional disputes arising from the estate of Chantal Burnison and the ownership, control, and commercialization of intellectual property related to Ethocyn. The litigation involves intellectual property rights, fiduciary duties, alleged fraudulent transfers, estate administration, and related proceedings in multiple jurisdictions.
• Represented financial advisors in numerous FINRA arbitrations and related federal litigation against Morgan Stanley involving deferred compensation plans and significant questions concerning whether the plans are governed by ERISA.
• Represented financial advisors in ERISA litigation and arbitration involving Merrill Lynch deferred compensation plans and the forfeiture of compensation following advisors' departure from the company.
• Represents the executors of a substantial New York estate in confidential probate and fiduciary matters involving valuable artwork, personal property, and real estate. The representation includes investigating the disposition and ownership of estate assets and potential claims involving fraud, financial exploitation, and other misconduct occurring before the decedent's death.
• Successfully defended an international fashion house in antitrust inquiry by the United States Department of Justice.
• Won a $12.2 million judgment, including full damages and attorneys' fees, on behalf of a multinational computer technology company against former employees and contractors involved in a false-invoice and bid-rigging scheme. Two defendants were later sentenced to federal prison on fraud-related charges.
• Won dismissal of antitrust and common-law claims brought by Prime Healthcare against a hospital operator in New Jersey. The plaintiff sought damages potentially reaching hundreds of millions of dollars based on allegations that the client conspired with others to prevent Prime from competing in the state.
• Successfully represented an expert witness in proceedings challenging adverse federal district court findings concerning the expert's causation testimony in a securities arbitration, resulting in a Fifth Circuit decision vacating the adverse findings.
• Successfully moved to dismiss a trade secret misappropriation action against a major enterprise software company and one of its subsidiaries in Texas federal court.
• Defended a major software company and its subsidiaries in copyright infringement litigation in California federal court.
• Represented a multinational chemical company in breach-of-contract litigation in Texas federal court.
• Represented a major energy company in a U.S. Department of Justice investigation, Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigation and enforcement action, and related class action litigation concerning alleged manipulation of the propane market.
• Represented a major computer corporation in a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation and related securities class action involving alleged accounting irregularities.
• Served as legal counsel to the Super Bowl LI Houston Host Committee, advising on risk management, contract negotiation, liability prevention, and other legal issues associated with events leading up to and including Super Bowl LI.

Publications, Speeches, and Presentations

• "Litigation: Law and Practice (USA)," Chambers and Partners Global Practice Guides 2024-2026
• "TEXAS: An Introduction to Litigation: General Commercial," Chambers and Partners USA Guide 2023-2026
• "An Interview with Courtney D. Scobie," Best Lawyers, July 13, 2018
• Co-author, Expert Witnesses, Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts,Fourth Edition
• Co-Author, "Benefits of Preventative Legal Counselling," BUSINESS RESOURCE: Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution 2016
• “The Keystone XL Pipeline Faces a New Challenge,” ABA Energy Litigation Website, October 22, 2013
• “Houston Appeals Court Overturns Oil and Gas Royalty Verdict,” ABA Energy Litigation Website, June 28, 2012
• “Protecting Against an FCPA Violation Through a Third-Party Agent,” ABA Energy Litigation Website, June 28, 2012
• Co-Author, “Will Rule 10b-5 Go Global? The Status of Private Rights of Action after Morrison v. National Australia Bank,” The Advocate, State Bar Litigation Section Report, Vol. 59, Summer 2012

Memberships & Community

• State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association (CLE Committee 2014-2015, AIDS Outreach Committee Chair 2016-2017, President's Award Recipient 2017-2018)
• Houston Young Lawyers Association, including the Leadership Academy and the Adopt-an-Angel Committee

Other Attorney Experience

• Jones Day