Law firm Haynes Boone defended The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), now known as Renaissance Africa Energy Company (RAEC), against a $58 million lawsuit, securing a complete dismissal in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Nigerian contractor Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited sued SPDC under the Alien Tort Claims Act (Case: 1:24-cv-07629), claiming SPDC owed over $58 million in processing fees related to a contract between Forstech and the Bayelsa State government.
The court dismissed the suit for lack of personal jurisdiction. The court found that the claims, which focused entirely on conduct in Nigeria, lacked a sufficient connection to New York to establish jurisdiction.
Haynes Boone Associate Rebecca Schwarz led the litigation team and crafted the successful motion to dismiss. Litigation Partner Michael Mazzone and Appellate Partner Mark Trachtenberg provided additional support.
“We’re proud to have secured a clean dismissal for our client,” Schwarz said. “The court’s analysis reinforces important jurisdictional boundaries that prevent U.S. courts from becoming a forum for every international business dispute.”
