Samuel E. Masur

Member

1015 Saint John Street
Lafayette, LA 70501-6711

Main: 337.237.0132

Sam’s practice is focused on oil and gas litigation, general commercial litigation, oil and gas titles, exploration company and oil field service company acquisitions and divestitures and general business acquisitions and divestitures.

Sam litigates oil and gas and general business contract disputes involving oil and gas leases, overriding royalty interest agreements, joint operating agreements, participation agreements, IADC drilling contracts and partnership and limited liability agreements. He has participated in such actions in the state and federal courts of Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Sam has successfully defended several oilfield environmental claims and toxic tort claims related to ambient air quality and has prosecuted a major oil and gas fraud case involving the theft of corporate assets and the breach of fiduciary duties by corporate officers. He also successfully defended a publicly traded company in seven class action suits that sought to enjoin a board recommended take-private merger. Additionally, he has handled products liability litigation involving propane explosions. Sam has been deposed twice and testified at trial twice in an arbitration proceeding before a three-member arbitration panel as an expert in the customs and practices of the energy extraction industry (Texas Brine Company, LLC v. Occidental Chemical Corporation, No. 69 198 129 13), testified in a jury trial about the function and interpretation of a stock purchase agreement (Omni Energy Services Corp. v. Robert H. Rhyne, Jr. and Brent Trauth, 15th JDC, Lafayette Parish, LA Suit No. 2009-3396 c/w 2013-4316), and submitted an expert report on the custom and practice in the oil and gas industry in Louisiana, particularly as it relates to mineral leases, drilling units and oilfield exploration and production activities (Denbury Resources Inc. v. Ironshore Specialty Insurance, 157th JDC, Harris County, TX Case No. 2015-09546).

Beyond his litigation practice, Sam regularly represents clients in the start-up phase of their new businesses and manages asset-based and stock-based acquisitions and divestitures for exploration companies, chemical companies, oil field service companies and allied health businesses. He negotiates and drafts the complex purchase and sale agreements for those transactions and provides advice on corporate and financing matters to those clients.

Sam is a member of the American Arbitration Association National Roster of Arbitrators and the American Arbitration Association National Energy Panel. Sam is also listed by the Institute for Energy Law as an Energy Arbitrator.

Practice Areas

Appellate
Arbitration & Mediation
Banking & Finance Litigation
Banking and Finance
Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors’ Rights
Business Transactions & Corporate
Chemical, Industrial & Manufacturing
Commercial Litigation
Commercial Transactions
Corporate and Securities Litigation
Corporate Entity Formation, Governance and General Advice
Energy & Natural Resources
Government Regulatory & Corporate Compliance
Litigation
Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures
Oil, Gas and Energy Litigation and Arbitration
Oil, Gas and Energy Regulatory
Oil, Gas and Energy Transactions
Product Liability
Renewable Energy

Admissions

5th Circuit
Eastern District of LA
Middle District of LA
Southern District of TX
U.S. Court of Appeals
U.S. District Court
Western District of LA

Experience

Litigation:

Obtained $7.1 million award for an exploration company, through two settlements and a unanimous jury verdict, following a 5-day trial in a parted production casing claim against a pipe vendor and two pipe inspection companies.
Successfully defended an exploration company at a five-day breach of contract trial brought by another oil company claiming it was entitled to past and future production valued between $15 million and $20 million
Obtained $1.2 Million arbitration award and defeated $250,000 counterclaim for exploration company against drilling consultant in breach of contract and negligence case
Obtained $4.44 Million judgment at trial for a drilling company against an oil company in a breach of contract case

Transactions:

Represented sellers in sale of $64 million oilfield service company
Represented sellers in sale of $40 million oilfield service company
Represented exploration company in sale of $77 million of reserves
Represented seller in $95 million sale of producing oil and gas properties
Represented creditor in $75 million corporate refinance
Represented buyer in purchase of $19.75 million oil field service company
Represented buyer in purchase of $11.75 million oil field service company
Represented company in refinance of $50 million in corporate debt
Represented exploration company in acquisition of $110 million producing property package

Education

LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D. 1982
University of Georgia, B.B.A. 1979

Recognition

2026 Legal 500 New Orleans Elite Guide – Energy Law
Chambers USA – Louisiana for Litigation: General Commercial (2022-2024) and Energy & Natural Resources (2022-2023)
2026 Benchmark Litigation Guide
The Best Lawyers in America® for Energy Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil and Gas Law (listed in publication since 2010)
Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America Guide (2025 & 2026)
Acadiana Profile Magazine “Top Lawyers” List – Energy Law; Natural Resources Law; Oil and Gas Law; Commercial Litigation, (listed since 2013)
2022 Lafayette Lawyer of the Year – Natural Resources Law by The Best Lawyers in America®
Louisiana Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2009 to Present
Rated Martindale-Hubbell® A-V Preeminent™ – Top Rated Lawyer in Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources
Louisiana Bar Foundation – Fellow
Inns of Court of Acadiana – Master

Affiliations

AAA National Energy Panel
AAA Commercial Panel of Arbitrators
Emergency Food and Shelter Program Board Member – Lafayette, Vermilion, Acadia Parishes
Louisiana Bar Association
Lafayette Bar Association
Temple Shalom – Immediate Past President