Press Release
Press Release
Press Contacts: Erik Cummins, Matt Hyams, Taina Rosa, Olivia Meyer
03.25.26
In a significant appellate win, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently affirmed a nearly $40 million judgment obtained by Pillsbury on behalf of Polaris Engineering, Inc., an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor based in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in a high-stakes dispute involving the construction of a petroleum refining facility.
The ruling marks the culmination of a years-long dispute stemming from Polaris’ largest project in late 2018, which was the development of a $150 million crude oil distillation unit and related terminal and dock infrastructure in Galveston, Texas. The case involved competing breach-of-contract claims under three interrelated agreements governing the construction and operation of the facility.
Following key pretrial victories, including partial summary judgment on critical contract interpretation issues, the case proceeded to a five-week jury trial in 2024. There, Polaris prevailed on its core claims, with the jury finding that the defendant, Texas International Terminals, Ltd., committed the first material breach and awarding substantial damages.
The Fifth Circuit’s recent decision affirms that result in full, concluding that both the district court’s rulings and the jury’s verdict were supported by the record and consistent with Texas law, bringing the litigation to a decisive close and securing Polaris’ recovery.
Houston-based Litigation partner Tony Guerino led the trial team with key support from Liz Klingensmith and valued contribution from Houston-based Litigation partner Ryan Steinbrunner and Austin-based Litigation partner Ben Bernell.