Brendan D. Cook | People | Baker McKenzie

Biography

Brendan D. Cook is a member of the Firm's Global Dispute Resolution and the North America Litigation practice groups. He is a former Chair of the North America Arbitration Group and former head of the Houston Litigation Practice Group. Brendan has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer in alternative dispute resolution, and is recommended for commercial litigation by the Best Lawyers in America in addition to being an AV Preeminent Top Rated Lawyer in Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources by Martindale-Hubbell.

Brendan is also recognized by Chambers USA, which states he "is recognized for his work on energy matters and that clients praise him as a hard headed litigator; he knows what he wants and he'll never stop until he gets it."

He has extensive experience handling international arbitration and litigation cases for oil and gas companies, real estate developers, insurers, industrial utilities, as well as companies involved in the construction, manufacturing, and the energy area. He has tried cases in numerous Texas courts and has arbitrated before the LCIA, ICC, SCC, ICDR, AAA and many other well recognized arbitral institutions.

Practice Focus

Brendan has extensive business litigation and arbitration experience. He has successfully handled a wide array of cases for major real estate developers, insurers, oil and gas companies, industrial utilities, and other clients generally involved in construction, manufacturing, and the energy arena. Clients include those ranging from individual entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 companies. He has handled domestic and cross border disputes for clients in the United States, France, Türkiye, Mexico, Spain, Kuwait, England, Canada, Thailand, and China, among others.

Representative Legal Matters

Represented a major international EPC contractor in connection with a series of ICC-DRB cases that yielded favorable awards and recommendations in excess of USD 300 million.
Obtained a USD 6 million LCIA award granting indemnification on behalf of an international oil field service company due to breach of drilling contracts in relation to an oil and gas project in Senegal.
Secured multiple awards and recommendations from Arbitral Tribunals and Dispute Review Boards on behalf of a Fortune 500 EPC Contractor involving in excess of USD 500 million in Claims.
Represented a global supplier of industrial equipment and secured USD 45 million ICC award stemming from breach of joint venture agreement.
Successfully defended a joint venture construction contractor against a USD 42 million breach of contract claim in a recent ICC arbitration involving a refinery construction dispute.
Represented a drilling contractor in an ICC hearing in Stockholm, Sweden and secured a USD 45 million award stemming from a dispute regarding the use of drilling rigs in Turkmenistan.
Represented a global supplier of rotating equipment solutions and obtained a USD 15 million ICC award arising from post M&A indemnity claims.
Obtained a multimillion dollar ICC award pursuant to a final hearing in Paris, France, on behalf of an international drilling contractor in a matter arising from the breach of a master service contract covering a coalbed methane drilling project in Türkiye.
Represented a nationally-recognized consulting firm and obtained a defense verdict in USD 15 million partnership dispute tried in Texas state court.
Secured a multimillion dollar settlement in favor of an international oil field service company in connection with an ICC proceeding about a breach of drilling contract relating to oilfield operations in the Ukraine.
Obtained a directed verdict for a major utility in connection with product liability claims stemming from an oil field explosion.
Resolved putative class action claims alleging USD 75 million in liability against a multinational telecommunications company for a nominal settlement amount.
Served as co-counsel in an intellectual property dispute involving trade secrets purloined by ex-employees that resulted in a jury verdict and judgment of USD 17.5 million.

Professional Associations and Memberships

American Bar Association
London Court of International Arbitration - European Users' Council
Houston Bar Foundation - Fellow
Houston Bar Association
Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow

Admissions

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri~United States (2018)
U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan~United States (2016)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit~United States (2011)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit~United States (2000)
Texas Supreme Court~United States (2000)
U.S. Supreme Court~United States (1999)
U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas~United States (1998)
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas~United States (1996)
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas~United States (1993)
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas~United States (1985)
Texas~United States (1981)

Education

University of Tulsa College of Law (J.D.)
State University of New York (B.A. Economics)

Languages

English