Craig Haynes
Founding Partner
Craig Haynes focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation with an emphasis on energy litigation. He represents major oil companies, large and small independents, gas plant owners, and other oil and gas interest owners in royalty owner litigation, class action litigation, pricing disputes, take-or-pay issues, operational issues, development and drainage claims, pooling and unitization issues, litigation of administrative disputes, disputes between working interest owners, and litigation involving issues arising in the shale plays. He served as National Coordinating Counsel for civil royalty cases for one of the largest natural gas producers in the U.S.
Mr. Haynes has represented energy industry clients in actions in Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Alaska. He also handles a broad range of non-energy related complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts throughout Texas. In addition, Mr. Haynes also has handled and tried a number of high-profile and high-risk arbitrations.
Admissions
- Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
Clerkships/Judicial Internships
- Federal law clerk for the Hon. Jerre S Williams, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1985-86.
Education
- The University of Texas School of Law (J.D., 1985)
- With high honors
- Grand Chancellor; graduated in top one percent of class
- University of Texas Law Review
- Order of the Coif
- Texas Tech University (B.A., 1981)
- Summa Cum Laude
Memberships
- State Bar of Texas, Council of the Oil, Gas & Resources, 2024
- State Bar of Texas, Oil and Gas Pattern Jury Charge Committee Chair, 2023-2024
- American Board of Trial Advocates, Elected Member
- Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- Dallas Bar Association; Business Litigation Section, Chair, 2014; Council, 2002-2016
- Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court (Dallas, Texas); Master, 2018-Present
- Board of Trustees, Dallas Theater Center, 2014-Present
- Chair, Dallas Bar Association Judiciary Committee; Chair, CLE Committee, 2003; Vice-Chair, Bench/Bar Committee, 2003
- BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America Guide, “Lawyer of the Year: Oil & Gas Law, Energy Law, Dallas/Fort Worth,” 2025.
- Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers, “Band 1 Oil & Gas Litigation (USA),” 2024.
- BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America Guide, “Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Oil & Gas Law,” 2006-2025.
- BL Rankings, Best Lawyers, “Best Lawyers in DFW,” 2024.
- Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers, “Litigation: Energy & Natural Resources, Oil & Gas Litigation,” 2010-2024.
- D Magazine, Best Lawyers in Dallas, “Business Litigation, Energy & Natural Resources,” 2024.
- The Legal 500 USA, “Recognized Attorney, Industry Focus: Energy: Litigation,” 2015-2016, 2019-2021; “Leading Lawyer, Energy Litigation – Oil and Gas,” 2019-2023.
- BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America Guide, “Dallas Oil & Gas Law Lawyer of the Year,” 2013, 2018.
- Thompson Reuters, Texas Super Lawyers Magazine, 2003-2023.
- Dallas Business Journal, Top 15 Business-Defense Lawyers, “Defenders,” 2009.
- Texas Lawyer, Go-To Guide, “Top-Notch Lawyer (Civil Litigation – Plaintiffs),” 2002.