Rick Shelby

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

Awards

Experience

https://www.kellyhart.com/attorney/rick-shelby/

Industry Sector Expertise

https://www.kellyhart.com/attorney/rick-shelby/