

Argentina Freeze Order Devastating for Chevron, Gibson Dunn

Amazon Defense Coalition

19 November 2012 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Karen Hinton at +1.703.798.3109

New York, NY – A court order freezing Chevron assets in Argentina represents yet another devastating setback for the oil giant and its lead American law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, according to a new blog posted on The Chevron Pit.

The blog explains how the assets of two Chevron subsidiaries in Argentina that were frozen produce $600 million in annual revenue and could finance most of the $19 billion Ecuador clean-up.

It also states that the cost to Chevron could be far greater in terms of lost investment opportunities in Latin America given international treaties in the region allowing for reciprocal enforcement of judgments.

"Countries where Chevron should be investing on equal footing with its peers are falling off the map because of the added risk created by Gibson Dunn's utter failure to contain the Ecuador liability," asserted the blog.

The blog blamed the Gibson Dunn law firm and its lead litigators – Randy Mastro, Ted Boutrous, Scott Edelman, and Andrea Nuemann – for bungling the case for Chevron. Just recently, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Gibson Dunn's attempt to block enforcement of the Ecuador judgment and the company has lost ten major legal actions over the last two years.

Chevron's recent legal problems around the world represent "a monumental failure for Gibson Dunn's scorched-earth defense strategy" on behalf of its main client, according to the blog. This strategy has led various courts to find the law firm committed ethical violations on behalf of Chevron.