Christopher V. Popov
Texas Tower
845 Texas Avenue
Suite 4700
Houston, Texas 77002
Chris serves as Co-Head of Vinson & Elkins’ Complex Commercial Litigation practice and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Chris is a trial lawyer who practices before courts and arbitration panels across the United States. He has litigated, arbitrated, and tried a range of commercial cases involving merger disputes, environmental matters, antitrust, corporate governance, licensing disputes, intellectual property, constitutional rights, Internet media, class actions, and other commercial matters.
Experience Highlights
(Tex.) – Obtained 8-0 ruling that local taxing unit did not have statutory authority to retain private attorney on contingent fee to pursue a taxpayer for an alleged $60 million in unpaid property taxes
(E.D. La.; W.D. La.) — Defending an international mining company against environmental claims brought by the state of Louisiana involving the erosion of the Louisiana coast
(La. Dist. – Orleans Parish) — Secured $125 million judgment following a jury verdict for Huntsman Corporation in its contract dispute with gas supplier, Praxair, Inc.
(W.D. Tex.) — Defended a Fortune 500 company against federal and state antitrust claims involving the allergy testing and allergy immunotherapy markets
(AAA Arbitration) — Represented an international oil and gas production and exploration company in an arbitration related to an indemnity dispute arising from extensive property damage caused by a collapsed well
(AAA Arbitration) — Obtained a $15.6 million (net) arbitration award for a global biotechnology tools company against a major competitor in connection with a breach of a licensing agreement involving DNA-based identity testing; we were lead trial lawyers
(U.S.); (5th Cir.); (W.D. Tex.) — Obtained the complete dismissal of a landmark suit filed against a social networking website involving a sexual assault committed against one of its users; successfully defended the trial court’s dismissal in the Fifth Circuit and United States Supreme Court
(AAA Arbitration) — Obtained complete defense award on behalf of a global biotechnology tools company in a US$100 million dispute involving a shareholder dispute over earnout provisions in a merger agreement
(AAA Arbitration) – Won a complete defense award for the owner of a midstream bulk liquids terminal after a two-and-a-half week arbitration against the former operator of the terminal; the operator sought $27 million in lost profits damages, plus attorneys’ fees, after our client terminated its contract for performance issues. The operator recovered nothing on its claims, and was ordered to pay damages our client incurred in connection with the operator’s performance.
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Obtained seven figure (net) settlement for an international temporary staffing company in a breach of contract and tortious interference suit against a local IT-infrastructure contractor
(Tex. Dist. − Harris County) — Assisted in obtaining the dismissal of a multimillion dollar shareholder dilution case on behalf of an independent offshore oil and gas company
(W.D. Tex.) — Obtained declaratory and injunctive relief against the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission prohibiting it from enforcing statutes which prohibited out-of-state entities from operating as wholesalers in Texas (second chair)
(AAA Arbitration) — Obtained a settlement on behalf of a silicon gas manufacturer in a breach of contract dispute with a major competitor (monetary damages)
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Obtained a fraud verdict against the former officers and directors of a heavy equipment company in connection with the sale of the company’s assets through a merger (monetary damages) (second chair)
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Obtained favorable settlement and assignment of patent rights for a global oilfield services company in a theft of trade secret dispute
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Obtained a temporary restraining order and favorable settlement on behalf of an international oilfield services company in connection with a former employee’s theft of trade secrets
(AAA Arbitration) — Defeated certification and obtained a favorable settlement in a class action filed by certain limited partners against management of gas compression services company for alleged mismanagement and failure to pay tax distributions
(D.N.M.) — Defeated certification of a nationwide class action filed against an insurance company involving the proper calculation and payment of lost wage claims (second chair)
(S.D. Miss.) — Won complete dismissal for an e-commerce retailer in a suit involving the alleged sale of recalled products by third parties on website
(Tex. Dist. − Bexar Cnty.) — Assisted in obtaining the complete dismissal of a suit filed against an on-line dating service which sought to hold the dating service responsible for a sexual assault committed against one of its subscribers (second chair)
Credentials
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. with high honors, 2001 (Chancellor; Order of the Coif; Texas Law Review)
- Louisiana State University, B.S., Economics summa cum laude, 1998 (University Medalist)
- Judicial clerk to The Honorable James L. Dennis, U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, 2001–2002
- Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial (Houston), 2022 and 2023
- Legal 500 U.S., Energy Litigation: Oil and Gas, 2018 and 2023; Dispute Resolution: General Commercial Disputes, 2022 and 2023
- Selected to the 500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon, 2023 and 2024
- Selected to the 500 Leading Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, 2022–2024
- Selected to the 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2023 and 2024
- Selected to the Texas Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2005, 2008–2016
- Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2020–2023
- President-Elect: Houston Bar Association
- Treasurer: Houston Volunteer Lawyers
- Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation; Houston Bar Foundation
- Member: American Bar Association, Houston Bar Association
- Texas
- United States Supreme Court
- U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
- U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- Deals & CasesApril 19, 2024
- InsightOctober 16, 2023
V&E+ Ventures
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 18, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 11, 2023
- InsightJune 29, 2023
V&E Corporate Update
- Deals & CasesJune 26, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 12, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 17, 2023
- InsightMarch 6, 2023
V&E Energy Update
- Rankings & AwardsJanuary 17, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 4, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsJune 16, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2022
- InsightMay 23, 2022
V&E Litigation Update
- Deals & CasesMay 5, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 29, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsFebruary 21, 2022
- Deals & CasesJanuary 18, 2022
- Deals & CasesSeptember 7, 2021
- Deals & CasesApril 20, 2021
- “Maintaining Privilege in a Merger and Other Business Transactions,” State Bar of Texas Corporate Counsel Section Newsletter, Spring 2013 (co-author)
- “Protecting the In-House Attorney Client Privilege,” Texas State Bar Conference, June 14, 2012 (co-presenter with Jennifer Poppe)
- “How to Ethically and Efficiently Manage Litigation Costs,” Corporate Counsel Section of the State Bar of Texas, November 2011 and May 2012 (co-presenter)
- “How to Respond to Cease and Desist Letters in the Patent and Trade Secret Context,” University of Texas Corporate Counsel Institute, April 2012 (co-author with Chris Ryan)
- “U.S. Supreme Court Goes Back to Basic on Materiality Under Federal Securities Laws,” V&E Securities Litigation and Enforcement E-communication, April 5, 2011 (co-author with David Woodcock)
- “The Practical Implications of Twombly, Iqbal, and the New Federal Pleadings Standards,” Texas State Bar’s 33rd Annual Advanced Civil Trial Course, October 20, 2010 (presenter)
News & Insights
V&E+ Ventures