What to Know (AI Generated)

Bracewell earned its 12th consecutive Band 1 ranking in Nationwide Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) and a new Band 1 in Nationwide Energy: Electricity (Finance), extending the firm’s recognized leadership across the full energy spectrum.
Texas Banking & Finance, Texas Environment and Texas Public Finance each earned Band 1 rankings for the 19th, 10th and 3rd consecutive years respectively, reflecting Bracewell’s enduring strength across the state’s most demanding practice areas.
Four new practice rankings — including Nationwide International Arbitration and New York Banking & Finance — and six lawyers elevated to Band 1 reflect the firm’s continued geographic and practice expansion.

HOUSTON – Chambers USA 2026 has recognized Bracewell LLP as a leading firm across the energy, finance and infrastructure industries, reflecting the firm’s role advising clients on complex transactional, regulatory, policy and litigation matters in some of the most demanding sectors in the US economy.

“Bracewell is our go-to for complex matters,” one client told Chambers, while another praised the firm’s “exceptional depth of knowledge, business understanding and negotiation skills.”

Bracewell received seven Band 1 practice rankings in 2026, including a new Band 1 designation in Nationwide Energy: Electricity (Finance), reflecting the firm’s standing across the full energy spectrum. Bracewell was also ranked Band 1 in the following areas:

Nationwide Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) – 12th consecutive year
Nationwide Government Relations: Specialist Energy, Natural Resources & Environment – 2nd consecutive year
Nationwide Offshore Energy – 4th consecutive year
Texas Banking & Finance – 19th consecutive year
Texas Environment – 10th consecutive year
Texas Public Finance – 3rd consecutive year

Bracewell also earned four new practice rankings in 2026: Nationwide International Arbitration (Highly Regarded), New York Banking & Finance, Washington Intellectual Property and Texas Insurance. Ten lawyers earned new individual rankings, and six were elevated to Band 1.

The 2026 results also reflect the firm’s depth in practices beyond energy and finance. Bracewell earned Band 2 rankings in both New York and Texas for Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations — with individual practitioners recognized across Houston, New York and Washington, DC — alongside continued recognition in Texas Appellate Litigation, Texas Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Texas Healthcare, Texas Intellectual Property and Texas Real Estate.

In addition, 27 Bracewell lawyers were recognized at the highest levels. Band 1 practitioners include Bucky Brannen, Heather Brown, Annie Cook, Stephen Crain, Eugene Elrod, Kevin Ewing, Jonathan Frels, Warren Harris, Jeff Holmstead, Wilson Jones, Jonathan Leatherberry, Mark Lewis, Catherine Little, Cathy McCarthy, Charley Mills, Kirk Morgan, Glenn Opel, Victoria Ozimek, Matt Paulson, Alan Rafte, Danielle Varnell, Barron Wallace, Tim Wilkins and Trey Wood. Greg Bopp and Mark Evans were recognized as Eminent Practitioners, and Barbara Jones as a Senior Statesperson.

2026 Chambers USA Results

Practice Rankings

Nationwide

Climate Change
Derivatives
Energy Transition
Energy: Electricity (Finance) – Band 1
Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation)
Energy: Electricity (Transactional)
Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) – Band 1
Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)
Environment
Government Relations: Federal
Government Relations: Specialist Energy, Natural Resources & Environment – Band 1
Intellectual Property: Patent Trial and Appeal Board
International Arbitration: Highly Regarded
Offshore Energy – Band 1
Oil & Gas Litigation
Projects: Oil & Gas
Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional
Projects: PPP
Public Finance

District of Columbia

Environment

New York

Banking & Finance
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Highly Regarded)

Texas

Banking & Finance – Band 1
Bankruptcy/Restructuring
Capital Markets: Debt & Equity
Corporate/M&A: The Elite
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Houston & Surrounds)
Environment – Band 1
Healthcare
Insurance
Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets
Labor & Employment
Litigation: Appellate
Litigation: General Commercial (Houston & Surrounds)
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
Public Finance – Band 1
Real Estate
Tax
Technology: Outsourcing

Washington

Intellectual Property

Individual Rankings

Nationwide

Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Central US

Troy L. Harder

Climate Change

Jeffrey R. Holmstead

Derivatives

Michael W. Brooks
Scott Le Bouef
Charles R. Mills

Derivatives: Enforcement

Charles R. Mills – Band 1

Energy: Electricity (Finance)

Todd W. Eckland
J. Anthony Terrell

Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation)

Michael W. Brooks
Deanna E. King
Catherine P. McCarthy – Band 1

Energy: Electricity (Transactional)

Ryan S. Holcomb

Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation)

Michelle T. Boudreaux
Michael W. Brooks
Eugene Elrod – Band 1
Mark K. Lewis – Band 1
D. Kirk Morgan II – Band 1

Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)

Jason M. Jean
Austin T. Lee
James “JJ” McAnelly III
G. Alan Rafte – Band 1

Energy: PHMSA Specialists

Annie Cook – Band 1
Catherine D. Little – Band 1
Mandi Moroz – Associate to Watch

Government Relations: Federal

E. Dee Martin
Scott H. Segal
Andrew Shaw
Joshua C. Zive

Intellectual Property: Patent Trial and Appeal Board

Christopher “Kit” L. Crumbley

International Arbitration: Counsel

James P. Duffy IV
Martin Gusy

Offshore Energy

Kevin A. Ewing – Band 1
Ty Johnson
Danielle M. Varnell

Oil & Gas Litigation

Stephen B. Crain – Band 1

Projects

G. Alan Rafte

Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional

Laura D. Sheldon – Up and Coming
Danielle M. Varnell – Band 1

District of Columbia

Environment

Kevin A. Ewing
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