Overview
As an associate at Hall Maines Lugrin, Sam Dolan practices primarily in the energy sector, where he concentrates on subrogation matters. The past 8 years he focuses on energy subrogation claims, Sam advises clients on recovery issues and is involved in matters throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Sam’s primary practice involves Control of Well subrogation recovery efforts but includes all matters in the energy sector for both onshore and offshore claims. Recently his practice has seen an emergence of recovery efforts for losses in renewable projects stemming from manufacturing defects or substandard services. He primarily handles subrogation matters involving control of well and pollution incidents, as well as products liability issues involving down-hole equipment and blowout preventers used in oil and gas operations. No matter the sector, the complexity of the technical issues is welcomed and has allowed numerous successful results for Hall Maines Lugrin. While Sam's focus has been subrogation recovery efforts in the energy and insurance industry, he also has worked on non-energy insurance issues including legal malpractice claims.
Before becoming a part of Hall Maines Lugrin, Sam worked as a summer associate at the firm getting his foot in the door. In that position, he dove headfirst into the world of highly complex and technical litigation and learned to be a lawyer from the best in the business. He is now an 8-year veteran of this sector and has been privileged to work on some of the industry's most technical and high-value cases.
Sam approaches his legal career like every other facet of his life. Hard work, dedication and skill helps him resolve matters effectively. Every case Sam is involved in requires these skills to find solutions to complex problems, all while putting his client in the best possible position for success.
Experience
- Participated in highly technical cases representing insurers and E&P companies in products liability cases against manufacturer(s) of steel tubulars, blowout preventers and down-hole tools resulting in losses of wells.
- On team representing insurers and an E&P company for a multi-million dollar Texas state court subrogation case against a company involved in negligent plugging and abandonment procedures.
- Member of team representing E&P companies and their insurers in Louisiana state court subrogation case against one of the world’s largest steel producers involving products liability.
- Represented domestic insurer(s) in connection with damage claims arising from workover operations on a Texas well where the turn-key crew activated the blowout preventer on the tool joints of drill pipe.
- Represented excess insurer(s) in connection with a damage claim of $40 million dollars in a personal injury case from oil & gas operations in south Texas state court ultimately resulting in a favorable outcome following mediation.
- Represented excess insurer(s) in connection with a damage claim of $70 million dollars in a personal injury case from oil & gas operations in south Texas state court along with ancillary proceedings in the Southern District of Texas, resulting in favorable settlement following mediation.
- Monitored the status of the defense for London-based insurers in connection with damage claim of $3.2 million dollar personal injury case from oil & gas operations in West Virginia state court.
- Member of team representing London-based Insurers in connection with damage claim of $38 million dollars in a personal injury and death case from oil and gas operations involving over-fatigue of employees working on fracking operations.
Education
- South Texas College of Law, J.D., 2013
- Sam Houston State University, B.S., Political Science and Business, 2010
Admissions
- Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- Wyoming
Awards/Rankings
- Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, 2024-2025
- Texas Rising Star (2019-2024) by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers
- 2nd Best Brief Award, San Diego School of Law’s Appellate Moot Court, University of San Diego, 2013
- Quarter-finalist, J. Braxton Craven Jr. Memorial Competition, University of North Carolina, 2012
- Quarter-finalist, Evans A. Evans Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition, University of Wisconsin, 2012
- Semi-finalist, Veterans Law Moot Court Competition, George Washington School of Law, 2012
- Champion, Spurgeon E. Bell Moot Court Competition, 2011
Community Involvement
- Texas Teen Court (2003-2006; now an advisor to high school students wanting to practice law)
- Delta Waterfowl (2003-present)
- Coastal Conservation Association (2003-present; participates in beach cleanups to preserve coastal fisheries)
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Texas
- Houston Bar Association
- Texas Young Lawyers Association
Outside The Office
What I do when not practicing law
I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking new types of food, and playing golf, rugby and chess.
Favorite vacation spot
Loves fishing off the coast of Panama in Central America, catching some rays in the Bahamas and hunting in the beautiful wilderness of Canada.
Quotes I live by
“The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see though it.”
Niccolo Machiavelli
"The law is reason free from passion.”
Aristotle