Jack Massey handles business disputes, regulatory actions and internal investigations for his clients. He has brought and defended cases in state and federal court, in multi-district litigation and before domestic and international arbitration panels. A significant portion of Jack’s practice is focused on the energy industry, where he represents exploration and production companies, offshore drilling contractors, oilfield services firms, refiners and trading companies. His cases have occurred in a variety of jurisdictions, including Texas, New York, California, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, the District of Columbia, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas and England.
Jack has substantial experience investigating frauds, disasters and bribery schemes. Clients often call on him for advice on safety litigation and post-incident investigations. He has represented clients in responding to inquiries from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and a number of state agencies. Jack also provides legal and strategic advice to defense and aerospace companies, and has handled matters related to appropriations, procurement, and regulatory compliance.
He served as counsel to Transocean’s internal investigation of the 2010 Macondo incident and advised the client on its reporting process; its approach to hearings before the Coast Guard, the Minerals Management Service, the Presidential Oil Spill Commission and several Congressional committees; and its negotiations with the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency regarding charges in connection with the incident.
On the compliance side, Jack counsels clients on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and related anti-bribery laws, the False Claims Act, and whistleblower claims. He has participated in more than a dozen corruption and whistleblower investigations, prepared reports and board presentations, advised on disclosure and collateral litigation issues, and represented clients in dealing with the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the offices of several state Attorneys General. He has defended both corporations and individuals from prosecution.
Client Tools
•Crisis Response & Incident Investigation
Awards and Rankings
Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” (2014-2015)
Recognized by The Legal 500 United States in the area of construction (2019)
Experience
“I am committed to resolving disputes reasonably and efficiently, so that our clients can focus on their businesses rather than litigation.”
Experience
Represented a pipeline company in responding to the regulatory investigation of alleged technical deficiencies in pipeline construction that resulted in a spill.
Brought suit against an exploration and production company for breaching its contract with its security consultant in Kurdistan.
Investigated allegations of a bribery scheme in a joint venture owned by a client and a state oil company.
Presented a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act briefing session to lawyers and managers for BHP Billiton.
Investigated a spill from the marine riser of a mobile offshore drilling unit the Gulf of Mexico.
Handled the internal investigation of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill for an international drilling contractor.
Represents an international drilling contractor in environmental proceedings regarding the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Represents an international drilling contractor in the joint Coast Guard/BSEE investigation of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Assisted in the BP oil spill litigation and guided the drilling contractor through crisis management and regulatory issues following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
News
In the News
Safety First, As a Rule (April 2015)
Midstream Business
Sutherland Partner Jack Massey is quoted in a Midstream Business article regarding public concern about safety regulations and standards following isolated catastrophic events such as the San Bruno ...
Punitive Damages Question Lingers in BP Oil Spill Case (September 5, 2014)
Fuel Fix
Partner Jack Massey was quoted in a Fuel Fix article regarding the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill and whether BP can be assessed punitive damages for its role. “[The Fifth Circuit] has held that ...
Press Releases
19 Eversheds Sutherland Practice Areas, 87 Attorneys Named Among Nation’s Best in 2019 Legal 500 United States (June 10, 2019)
Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that 19 practice areas and 87 attorneys have been recognized in the 2019 edition of The Legal 500 United States, a comprehensive survey of legal service ...
Four Sutherland Attorneys Named “Rising Stars” by Texas Super Lawyers (March 6, 2015)
AUSTIN and HOUSTON-Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP is pleased to announce that four of the firm’s Texas-based attorneys have been selected as “Rising Stars” by Texas Super Lawyers. The designations ...
Sutherland Lawyers Named “Rising Stars” by Texas Super Lawyers (March 7, 2014)
HOUSTON-Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP is pleased to announce that six of the firm’s Texas-based attorneys have been selected as “Rising Stars” by Texas Super Lawyers . The designations are the ...
Sutherland Attorneys, Practices Top Chambers USA 2011 Rankings (April 14, 2011)
ATLANTA and WASHINGTON (April 14, 2011) - Continuing to expand national rankings, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP today announced that 51 attorneys and 21 practices from the firm received top honors ...
Presentations
International anti-corruption and cross-border criminal investigations: How to mitigate risk and manage violations (September 24, 2019)
Join Eversheds Sutherland for a networking lunch and interactive seminar on anti-corruption and cross-border criminal investigations. Junior League of Houston Tea Room1811 Briar Oaks ...
Perfecting the Partnership: What In-House Lawyers Wish Outside Counsel Understood About Litigation and Vice-Versa (June 28, 2017)
Association of Corporate Counsel - Houston Chapter
Eversheds Sutherland (US) attorneys Jack Massey and Steve Roberts present Perfecting the Partnership: What In-House Lawyers Wish Outside Counsel Understood About Litigation and Vice-Versa hosted by ...
2016 IADC Contracts and Risk Management Conference (October 11-12, 2016)
Sutherland is a silver sponsor of the 2016 International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Contracts and Risk Management Conference, taking place October 11-12, 2016, in Houston, Texas. ...
Long-Term Risks and Liabilities Affecting Shale Plays in the Current Market (April 28, 2016)
Association of Corporate Counsel - Houston Chapter
Sutherland attorneys Jack Massey and Joshua Belcher present Long-Term Risks and Liabilities Affecting Shale Plays in the Current Market at theAssociation of Corporate Counsel - Houston Chapter ...
Gulf of Mexico Update (October 1, 2015)
Sutherland, the ACC Houston Chapter Energy Practice Group and the ACC Energy Committee co-host Gulf of Mexico Update on October 1, 2015. Sutherland Partner Jack Massey moderates the panel comprised ...
Perils of Communication: When Bad Documents Happen to Good People (October 8, 2014)
Presentation to an In-house Legal Department
Sutherland attorneys Jack Massey and Stephany Olsen LeGrand present “Perils of Communication: When Bad Documents Happen to Good People” to BHP Billiton's legal department on October 8, 2014.
In-house Counsel's Role in Governmental Affairs: Silent Spectator and Vocal Advocate (March 27, 2014)
ACC Houston Chapter's Best Practices Luncheon
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP will be presenting “In-house Counsel’s Role in Governmental Affairs: Silent Spectator and Vocal Advocate” at ACC Houston’s Best Practices Luncheon on Thursday, March ...
The Oilfield in a Post-Macondo World (Multiple presentations to in-house legal groups)
Sutherland attorneys David Baay, Steve Roberts, Daniel Johnson, Jack Massey, Juan Garcia and Stephany Olsen LeGrand regularly provide in-house legal groups with the presentation “The Oilfield in a ...
Publications
Legal Alerts
Corrupt but not criminal: US Supreme Court tosses Bridgegate convictions (May 14, 2020)
Corrupt? Yes. An abuse of power? Yes. But criminal? Not quite. On May 7, 2020, the US Supreme Court unanimously overturned the convictions of two former New Jersey public officials responsible for ...
CARES Act loans and related programs come with increased oversight and risk of False Claims Act prosecution: Borrowers beware (May 4, 2020)
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (CARES Act) came into effect as part of an ongoing effort to combat the financial crisis arising from the COVID-19 ...
Force Majeure Clauses in Texas (April 9, 2020)
The confluence of COVID-19 and the drop in crude prices warns of hard times in Texas. As firms grapple with economic uncertainty and financial stress, many will look to claims of force majeure, ...
The DOJ takes its first enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud (March 23, 2020)
The US Department of Justice has taken its first enforcement action against COVID-19 fraud, illustrating its previously stated commitment to prosecute “bad actors” attempting to exploit the global ...
You or your counterparty cannot perform your contract, now what? An examination of US Courts’ treatment of force majeure (March 20, 2020)
By now, you have seen countless commentaries about potential supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19. Most tell you to review your contracts, including any force majeure provisions, to determine ...
The DOJ’s response to COVID-19 (March 17, 2020)
As we all respond to COVID-19 (the coronavirus), we should keep an eye on the responsive measures being taken by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), and consider how those measures might impact ...
Crisis management for in-house counsel-The 50 fundamentals for confronting post-incident drivers of exposure (March 12, 2020)
Merriam-Webster defines “crisis” as “an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending” or “a situation that has reached a critical phase.” An organization ...
Legal Alert: DOJ further aligns Export Control and Sanctions Enforcement Policy with FCPA enforcement practices (January 14, 2020)
On December 13, 2019, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a revised Export Control and Sanctions Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations (Revised EC/S Policy),1 clarifying its prior ...
Legal privilege of corporate internal investigations under US law-2019 caselaw update (December 19, 2019)
Understanding the boundaries of legal privilege in corporate internal investigations is critical. When counsel, either internal or external, misunderstands these boundaries, the result can be ...
The Hoskins conviction and the implications of the DOJ’s success in using the money laundering statute to police bribery (November 12, 2019)
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is increasingly using the money laundering statute to prosecute individuals in corruption and bribery cases. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is the primary ...
Articles
Double Jeopardy Defense for International Corruption Cases Struck Down: What Does this Mean for Houston? (November 9, 2018)
Corporate Counsel
Multinational companies face many legal challenges with cross-border bribery investigations. Over the last several years, countries, including the United States, have increased their scrutiny and ...
The Aftermath of Deepwater Horizon: Responding to a Catastrophe (October 7, 2016)
Texas Lawyer
The movie “Deepwater Horizon” recently hit theaters where the action-packed disaster movie is Hollywood’s version of the horrific offshore oil rig explosion that happened April 20, 2010. Left ...
2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (November 24, 2015)
The Litigation Practice Group of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP has published “2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.” This publication reflects important changes to the Federal ...
Newsletters
Eversheds Sutherland Corporate Crime and Investigations Global Newsletter (September 2018)
Eversheds Sutherland's quarterly Corporate Crime and Investigations Global Newsletter provides our clients and colleagues with updates from around the world. The newsletter aims to highlight ...
Eversheds Sutherland Corporate Crime and Investigations Global Newsletter (May 2018)
Eversheds Sutherland's quarterly Corporate Crime and Investigations Global Newsletter provides our clients and colleagues with updates from around the world. The newsletter aims to highlight ...
