Kenneth Klemm

Kenneth M. Klemm is an experienced litigator who primarily defends clients in marine, energy, oil and gas, and commercial motor carrier related litigation. Mr. Klemm is a shareholder in the Firm’s New Orleans office and is co-chair of the Firm’s Oil and Gas Industry Service Team.

Mr. Klemm’s clients range from local businesses and individuals to oil and pollution clean-up companies, to the U.S.’s second largest independent natural gas producer, one of the world’s largest oil field services companies, regional and national transporters and national insurance companies.

Mr. Klemm’s litigation career is just as varied as his clients. His marine, energy, oil and gas, and commercial motor carrier experience typically concerns personal injury and property damage defense, breach of contract issues, blowouts and down-hole well damage, and related insurance issues.

His litigation experience includes environmental and toxic tort issues, commercial disputes, intellectual property defense, white collar criminal cases and insurance litigation issues as they relate to general property claims and maritime and oil and gas litigation.

EDUCATION:

• Fordham University School of Law, J.D., 1990
• Dartmouth College, B.A., 1986
• Distinguished Military Graduate from Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Norwich University

ADMISSIONS:

• Louisiana, 1993
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1994
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1994
• U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of New York, 1993
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, 1990
• U.S. District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, 2010

Representative Matters:

• Represented an energy corporation in a suit for the recovery of more than $20 million in damages resulting from defective coiled tubing and check valves in equipment supplied and manufactured by other entities, after the client incurred significant expense in remedial operations and lost profits due to production delays arising from the equipment’s malfunction.
• Defended an energy corporation in a suit for the recovery of more than $15 million in damages and expenses resulting from a natural gas well blowout, involving claims for negligence, breach of warranty and products liability arising from a defective gate valve and casing.
• Successfully defended against claims for brain-related and other personal injury damages arising from a motor carrier accident.
• Defended a national insurer in multimillion dollar property damage claims resulting from hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana.
• Obtained a $2 million judgment for a natural gas transportation company in a case involving an explosion at oil and gas terminal facilities during construction.
• Represented an international metals trading firm in a maritime seizure action, obtaining an expeditious release of cargo and an award of attorneys’ fees and costs against the party seizing the property.

Professional Honors & Activities:

• Member – American and Federal Bar Associations
• Councilor – Dartmouth College Alumni Council (2014 – present)
• Member – Energy Editorial Advisory Board, Law360 (2011)
• Co-Chair – Pretrial Practice & Discovery Committee, American Bar Association (2015 – present)
• Member – Louisiana, New Orleans, New Jersey and New York Bar Associations
• Member – Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation