USA
Practice Areas
Rick focuses his practice in:
Bankruptcy
Restructuring
Oil and Gas Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Corporate Governance
He represents secured and unsecured creditors, trustees, committees and debtors. He has handled virtually all aspects of bankruptcy work from complex chapter 11 cases representing debtors, creditors’ committees and secured creditors to consumer bankruptcy cases in chapter 7 and 13.
Professional Memberships
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
Louisiana State Bar Association
New Orleans Bar Association
Turnaround Management Association
Career
Rick Shelby specializes in bankruptcy, corporate restructuring, and commercial litigation. His bankruptcy representation includes corporate debtors, lienholders, guarantors, insurers, leaseholders, contract counterparties, secured and unsecured creditors. Mr. Shelby represents chapter 11 clients in Louisiana, Texas and Florida, and his experience includes the following cases: Port Aggregates, Inc., Harvest Oil & Gas, LLC, Pel-Tex Oil Company, LLC; FEC Lafayette, LLC; Advocate Financial, LLC; New Orleans Paddlewheels, Virgin Offshore USA, Whistler Energy, LLC, Edgewater Construction, Vertex Energy, Zachry Industrial, Fieldwood Energy, Cox Oil, Nautical Solutions, and Conn’s Appliances. Mr. Shelby also represents clients in all aspects of oil and gas litigation including the Louisiana Oil Well Lien Act (LOWLA), master service agreements, permitting, adjudication, lease renewals, work orders, and decommissioning offshore projects.
Over 15 years, Rick has been a first or second chair lawyer with experience in depositions, expert preparation, mediation, and all related pleading requirements in both state and federal court. Mr. Shelby’s years of bankruptcy and litigation experience have made him a specialist on numerous claims, including contracts, bonding, insurance coverage, open accounts, receiverships, foreclosures, security devices, title disputes, and note enforcement litigation. Rick has appeared before federal and bankruptcy courts in Louisiana, Texas and Florida. He is licensed in all three states, which has proven beneficial for his clients. Mr. Shelby’s experience has been recognized by Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and numerous local New Orleans attorney reviews.
Publications
Speaker, “Bankruptcy Issues in the Oil and Gas Industry,” The 67th Mineral Law Institute
Speaker, Bankruptcy Industry Panel, 2022 Professional Landmen’s Association of New Orleans Conference Author, “Contingency and Hybrid Fee Arrangements in Bankruptcy,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, January 2025
Speaker, "A Trending Risk and Liability on the OCS: What Happens When a Party Can No Longer Pay to Play? Gordon Arata Oil & Gas Seminar, "Louisiana Issues," April 2014
Speaker, "Trending Risks and Liabilities on the OCS," The 61st Annual Institute on Mineral Law, April 2014
Author, “McGee v. A C & S, Inc: Loss of Enjoyment of Life as a Compensable Category of General Damages”, Loyola Law Review, Spring 2008
Author, Field Evaluation of Passive Capillary Samplers for Estimating Groundwater Recharge, Water Resources Research Journal, 2000
Contributing Author, LSU Law Center 15th - 19th Annual Bankruptcy Law Seminar
Work Highlights
Represented a privately held oil and gas company in an asset purchase agreement dispute against a reorganized Fortune 500 company
Represented a major international exploration and production company in offshore royalty litigation against another major exploration and production company
Represented a privately held oil and gas company in Louisiana state court in connection with an insurance coverage matter that was ultimately resolved in a successful reorganization of that company
Represented a large financial client in oil and gas lease dispute and foreclosure proceeding in Louisiana state court
Represented a title insurer in lien subordination action and purchase agreement dispute
Represented an international construction supply company in federal court open account litigation
Represented high net worth individuals in loan rearrangements and guarantee litigation in both federal and state courts
Expert in these Jurisdictions
State Bar of Florida
State Bar of Louisiana
State Bar of Texas
Education
Loyola University
Juris Doctorate
2008
Oregon State University
M.S.
1995
Auburn University
B.C.E., cum laude
1992
Awards
Chambers USA, Band 3, 2023-2025
Chambers USA
Louisiana Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2019-2025
Thomson Reuters
Best Lawyers in America®, U.S. News & World Report, 2019-2025
Best Lawyers in America®, U.S. News & World Report
New Orleans Magazine “Top Lawyers”, 2013, 2022-2024
New Orleans Magazine
New Orleans CityBusiness Leadership in Law Award, 2015, 2019
New Orleans CityBusiness
Louisiana Rising Star Super Lawyer, 2014-2018
Thomson Reuters
Experience
https://www.kellyhart.com/attorney/rick-shelby/
Industry Sector Expertise
https://www.kellyhart.com/attorney/rick-shelby/