Overview
Jeff Potts practices in the areas of commercial disputes, health care, and intellectual property. Lawyers who have worked with Jeff have noted that doing so is "a great experience," and that Jeff is a smart strategist and a pleasure to work with on a case.
Jeff is also recognized for being extremely well prepared in each of his cases. He knows that judges and juries typically find the best-prepared lawyer to be the most credible, and they look to that lawyer as the one they can trust. If being the best prepared means mastering a new area of law, Jeff does so without additional charge to his client.
He works with his clients to continuously evaluate their objectives and the litigation end game. He has had significant successes in finding strategies to derail an opposing case before trial. In a case regarding the development of an oil and gas project, Jeff managed to exclude the plaintiffs' damages experts and damages model before trial. Not only did his client prevail in defending the case, but the client also was awarded damages for its counterclaims and attorney fees.
Jeff is tenacious in pursuing his clients' interests. In a patent case, it took four motions and a mandamus to the Federal Circuit before a case was transferred from the plaintiff's preferred court to another district. The case then settled favorably for Jeff's client.
Knowing that lawyers are in the service business, Jeff believes all clients and co-counsel should get a measured, informed response within a very few hours, and never more than 24 hours. He encourages continuous feedback from his clients and co-counsel to make sure his clients' interests are best served.
- Texas
- US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- US Court of Federal Claims
- US District Court, Western District of Texas
- US District Court, Southern District of Texas
- US District Court, Northern District of Texas
- US District Court, Eastern District of Texas
- Hon. Lee H. Rosenthal, US District Court, Southern District of Texas, 1992-1994
- J.D., Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, 1992, cum laude
- B.A., Northwestern University, 1989, with honors, Economics, Political Science
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
Bankruptcy
- Plaintiff counsel for trustee seeking recovery of fraudulently transferred funds.
Breach of Contract/Commercial Torts
- Plaintiff counsel in breach of contract and fraud cases by Houston hospital system against a number of managed care companies.
- Defense co-counsel for New York hedge fund in oil and gas partnership dispute involving claims and counterclaims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud, where final judgment awarded nothing on plaintiffs' claims and a successful settlement on the hedge fund's counterclaims.
- Plaintiff co-counsel obtaining a verdict for a working interest owner against an exploration and production company for failing to act as a prudent operator.
Patents
- Plaintiff counsel for a mail processing company.
- Defense co-counsel for an oil and gas services company in a patent infringement case regarding shearing of tubular in a blowout preventer.
- Defense co-counsel for oil and gas services company in cases involving patents relating to the offshore acquisition of seismic data.
- Defense co-counsel for oil and gas company for patents relating to drill ship configuration.
- Plaintiff co-counsel in infringement cases relating to remote control of personal computers.
Trade Secrets
- Plaintiff counsel in case involving theft of trade secrets regarding reinforced thermoplastic pipe.
- Plaintiff co-counsel for a trading company claiming trade secret theft, tortious interference with contract, and unfair competition with respect to derivatives information.
- Plaintiff counsel for companies and defense counsel for individuals in multiple cases involving trade secrets and departing employees.
Government Investigations
- Defense counsel for individuals subject to Department of Justice and Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigations.
Personal Injury, Plaintiff
- Plaintiff counsel in case involving employee death from explosion at a chemical company.
- Plaintiff counsel for person permanently injured in a rear-end collision caused by commercial truck.
News & Publications
Press Releases
Steptoe Upholds $10.3 Million Summary Judgment on Behalf of Client Black Elk
August 14, 2024
Events
Seminars & Events
Advertising and Consumer Protection Legal Forum
May 9, 2024
Speakers: Joan Baughan, Eric Berman, Daniel Blynn, Ruxandra Cana, Christopher R. Fredrich, Surya Kundu, Joseph McClure, Stephen J. Newman, Jeff Potts, Jennifer Quinn-Barabanov, Daniel C. Rubenstein, Julia B. Strickland
Noteworthy
Authored Articles
- "American Penal Institutions and Two Alternative Proposals for Punishment," South Texas Law Review, Vol. 34, 1993
- "Moore v. Regents of the University of California: Expanded Disclosure, Limited Property Rights," Northwestern University Law Review, Vol. 86, 1992
Professional Affiliations
- Master and Awards Chair, Houston Intellectual Property Inn of Court
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- Houston Bar Association