Awards & Rankings 06.04.26
Pillsbury’s Standout Performance in 2026 Chambers USA Rankings Underscores Continued Excellence Across Industries and Disciplines
Firm Earned Recognition Across 60 Practice Areas, Including 26 National Rankings
Charles is a great litigator. It is amazing how he manages to explain complex matters. He has an amazing memory and is great at connecting dots, and is a very good strategist for complex matters.
Charles Conrad focuses on complex commercial disputes in the construction and energy industries, both domestically and cross-border.
Charles leads Pillsbury’s Texas Construction practice, and his practice includes assisting owners, EPC contractors and other contractors in potential and actual construction disputes involving petrochemical refineries, infrastructure, heavy industrial process facilities, pipelines, commercial and multifamily buildings, offshore platform construction and vessel construction. He also has extensive trial experience litigating commercial disputes involving oil and gas, renewable energy and insurance recovery issues, as well as catastrophic personal injury litigation in both state and federal courts. Charles has also represented parties before the International Chamber of Commerce, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes and the American Arbitration Association. Charles operates as a true business advisor to his clients, “distinguish[ing] himself through his ability to combine deep legal expertise with practical, business-minded judgment” (Chambers USA) to achieve successful outcomes.
Representative Experience
Construction Industry Experience
- Counsel to an EPC contractor that provided consultancy services to an owner of a mega-project refinery modernization and upgrade located in South America.
- Lead counsel to a member involved in a joint venture who constructed a large highway construction infrastructure project.
- Counsel to a general contractor involved in the construction of the Walter Tower of the Houston Methodist Hospital.
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- Defended vessel construction claim in excess of $45 million in damages arising from a fire that occurred during a jackup rig’s modernization and upgrade. Client granted summary judgment and awarded all defense costs after appeal. The Offshore Drilling Co. v. Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corp., 604 F.3d 221 (5th Cir. 2010).
- Defended multimillion-dollar breach of contract claim by successfully establishing owner’s delay, impact and differing-site-condition claim by the general contractor and its subcontractor.
- Counsel to several nationwide homebuilders and developers for all types of litigation ranging from breach of contract, liens, construction defect, insurance coverage, real estate, toxic tort and catastrophic personal injury and death claims.
- Defended a general contractor multimillion-dollar construction defect claim brought by developer of a $100 million+ commercial building project. The client paid nothing out-of-pocket and recouped most of its attorneys’ fees and expenses from its subcontractors and their insurers.
- Defended a general contractor in large scale, multimillion-dollar construction defect claim brought by developer of a $40 million commercial building project. The client paid nothing out-of-pocket and recouped most of its attorneys’ fees and expenses from its subcontractors and their insurers.
- Successfully compelled Developer’s claims to arbitration in the Texas Supreme Court’s decision in G.T. Leach Builders, LLC v. Sapphire V.P., LP, 458 S.W.3d 502 (Tex. 2015).
- Energy Industry Experience
- Represented Inner Mongolia Yitai Coal in its $1.7 billion acquisition of a 51% stake in Shandong Xinchao Energy, a deal honored as Cross-Border Dispute Resolution Deal of the Year by China Business Law Journal.
- Obtained directed verdict for client during a jury trial as to the plaintiffs’ breach of contract claims arising out of hundreds of oil and gas wells located in Oklahoma.
- Defended client in $12 million+ offshore construction dispute involving the horizontal drilling of multiple wells off the Louisiana coast. Case dismissed via summary judgment, with subsequent award of defense costs to client. Energy XXI, GoM, LLC v. New Tech Eng'g, L.P., 787 F.Supp.2d 590 (S.D.Tex.2011).
- Defended client in $10 million+ offshore construction dispute involving the horizontal drilling and multiple side tracks of a well off the Louisiana coast. Case dismissed via summary judgment and obtained reimbursement for all defense costs.
- Defended environmental company in a multimillion-dollar pipeline explosion case in East Texas. After a two-week jury trial, client received a unanimous 100 percent defense verdict. Defended client against wrongful death claim arising out of explosion that occurred during the construction of interstate pipeline, obtaining a summary judgment dismissal for his client.
- Represented clients in the prosecution of numerous claims arising out of oil and gas contracts and catastrophic personal injury claims. Repeatedly successful in enforcing contractual indemnification rights and additional insured status with no monetary impact to the clients.
- Admiralty Maritime Industry Experience
- Represented client in prosecution of property damage claim following a vessel-platform collision following Hurricane Rita. Obtained a favorable settlement for client.
- Defended owner of a fleet of vessels in an intellectual property dispute alleging misappropriation of trade secrets, negligence, business disparagement and conspiracy, seeking over $15 million in damages. Obtained dismissal for client.
- Defended against personal injury claim arising out of vessel capsizing off the coast of Trinidad. Client received 100 percent defense verdict, which was affirmed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Successfully defended against numerous claims under the Jones Act, the Longshore Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and state law claims under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
Professional Highlights
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Chambers USA (2022–2026) as a top-ranked attorney in the category: Construction - Texas and District of Columbia (2024–2025).
- Recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for Construction (2021–2023) and as a Next Generation Partner in Construction (2024–2025).
- Recognized by Best Lawyers (published by BL Rankings LLC), Construction Law (2021–2026); Litigation – Construction (2022–2026); Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (2023–2026).
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- Named as a Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer (2025–2026).
- Texas Super Lawyers (published by Thomson Reuters), Business Litigation, Construction Litigation: Business and Transportation/Maritime (2014–2025).
- Named Acritas Star for Outstanding Client Service, 2021.
- Texas Rising Stars (published by Thomson Reuters), Business Litigation, Construction Litigation: Business and Transportation/Maritime (2009–2014).
- AV-Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
- Texas Lawyer magazine, “Litigator of the Week” in November 2012.
- Supports his alma mater as a volunteer judge of mock trial and moot court competitions at South Texas College of Law.
- Associations
- Texas Bar Foundation – Sustaining Life Fellow
- Houston Bar Foundation – Sustaining Life Fellow
- Construction Law Section of the State Bar of Texas
- American Bar Association (Litigation and Insurance sections)
- Houston Bar Association
Education
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J.D., South Texas College of Law, 2003
B.B.A., The University of Texas at Austin, 2000
Admissions
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Texas
Courts
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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas