Seth E. Bagwell joined Looper Goodwine as a shareholder in 2024, practicing in the firm’s Baton Rouge and New Orleans offices. He has over twelve years of experience in the oil and gas industry, representing onshore and offshore operators, mineral lessees, and landowners in a wide variety of disputes. These include claims over unpaid mineral revenue, compliance with decommissioning obligations, IBLA appeals, ownership of mineral rights, environmental contamination (“legacy lawsuits”), severance taxes, royalty payments, joint interest billing, joint operating agreements, mineral leases, and servitudes.
Seth frequently negotiates master service agreements, distribution contracts, bonding and financial assurance agreements, drilling contracts, non-disclosure agreements, and similar contracts for oil and gas operators and service companies. His clients appreciate his attention to detail and practical approach to getting deals done.
While Seth’s primary focus has been oil and gas, he enjoys advising clients in all aspects of their business. For example, he handles commercial lease disputes (including evictions), business formations, dissolutions, and acquisitions, shareholder/member disputes, non-compete agreements, drafting subcontracts, employee/independent contractor classifications, and construction contract litigation. Mr. Bagwell has obtained success for his clients in court, arbitration, mediation, and the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals, but he also has an eye for creative settlement solutions. Clients also entrust Seth to handle their estate planning goals and succession disputes, including will challenges.
Seth received his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2008 and received his J.D. from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University where he graduated cum laude in 2011. While attending LSU, he served as Treasurer for the Trial Advocacy Board and completed an externship with Judge Eugene Davis of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Seth is an avid outdoorsman and was the Founding Chairman and Treasurer of Delta Waterfowl Foundation’s New Orleans Chapter, an organization that promotes waterfowl conservation and hunting across North America.
Representative Matters
- Obtained summary judgment for oil and gas operator on significant Louisiana severance tax law issue; client refunded all severance taxes, with interest. Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal affirmed. Louisiana Supreme Court denied writs.
- Represented landowner in concursus proceeding involving competing claims to mineral rights. Obtained summary judgment, dismissing one prior landowner. Reached settlement with other prior landowner, resulting in client retaining all mineral rights and 50% of funds in concursus.
- Represented clients in IBLA appeals involving disputes with BOEM and BSEE over OCS decommissioning obligations and alternate use rights.
- Defended oil and gas operator in open account suit in federal court. Obtained dismissal of suit and award of attorney’s fees to client.
- Represented oil and gas operator in arbitration before retired federal judge in dispute with working interest owner. Obtained favorable post-arbitration settlement.
- Represented oil and gas operator in multimillion dollar “legacy suits” involving claims of soil and groundwater contamination.
- Routinely represent oil and gas companies in negotiating MSAs with oil and gas operators and various independent contractors.
- Represented landowner against pipeline companies in lawsuit for breach of pipeline servitude, trespass, and related claims. Obtained favorable settlement of cash payment to client.
- Represented numerous landowners in lawsuit for unpaid mineral revenue. Obtained four partial summary judgments involving significant issues of property law.
- Successfully defended multiple clients from claims of violating non-compete agreements; plaintiff’s request for preliminary injunction denied and case ultimately abandoned.
- Successfully defeated landlord’s attempt to evict client, commercial lessee. Also obtained preliminary injunction for client, prohibiting landlord from continuing numerous lease violations.
- Obtained reversal of summary judgment on significant issue of mineral rights and surface use restrictions.
- Represented client in sale of business; negotiated and drafted purchase agreement and related documents.
- Drafted and negotiated several multi-million dollar onshore and offshore drilling contracts and MSA’s for oil and gas operator.
- Represented family members and succession representative of deceased shareholder in multi-million-dollar dispute with other shareholders over validity of will and enforcement of shareholder agreements. Obtained settlement favorable to clients.,/li>
- Represented investment company that acquired loans from failed bank in multiple lawsuits and in enforcement of security interest in commercial lease.
- Frequently negotiate and draft purchasing, distribution, and non-disclosure agreements for oil and gas chemical products suppliers.
Court Admissions
- U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- All Louisiana State and Federal Courts
Education
- Louisiana State University,J.D.,cum laude 2011
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette, B.S.,Business Administration, 2008
Presentations
- Contract Workers – Are they Actually My Employees? (Co-Presenter), Management Update, Baton Rouge
November 2023 - Motions for Summary Judgment (Co-Presenter), LSBA New York, Multi-Topic CLE Seminar
November 2022 - Matthew Fantaci and Seth Bagwell Obtain Favorable Decision at Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (Co-author)
April 2019 - Recent Developments in Oil and Gas Law, 66th Mineral Law Institute
March 2019 - Louisiana Supreme Court Denies State’s Writ Application in Oil Severance Tax Dispute
October 2018 - Effective Estate Planning for Louisiana Married Couples (Co-author)
November 2017 - New State Lease Form (Co-author)
July 2017 - Servitude Descriptions, Prescription, and Co-Ownership Issues – Resolutions for Landmen, Professional Landmen’s Association of New Orleans, Annual Seminar and Executive Night
2014