Veronica Manning

Veronica Manning is a Principal in the Houston office of McKool Smith.  She practices primarily in complex commercial litigation, with significant experience in the chapter 11 restructuring space and bankruptcy litigation.  She has represented debtors, creditors’ committees and creditors in complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, and litigation trustees in post-confirmation D&O litigation.  In recent years, she has focused her practice on disputes within the energy industry, particularly oil and gas disputes between and among the various industry players.  She currently represents both operators and landowners in lease interpretation and royalty disputes in Texas, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Prior to joining McKool Smith, she was a judicial intern for the Honorable Edith H. Jones in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She also interned for Chief Justice Sherry Radack in the Texas First Court of Appeals. 

During law school, Veronica was the Director of Communications for the North American Consortium on Legal Education (NACLE).  She also served as a casenote and comments editor for the Houston Journal of International Law and research and editing assistant to Professor David Kwok on the Civil False Claims Act. 

Veronica was also a speaker on the UHLC Moot Court team, where she participated as a semifinalist in the John J. Gibbons Moot Court Competition and regional semifinalist in the American Bar Association Appellate Advocacy Competition.

• Defending the largest natural gas producer in the United States in multiple matters involving claims for underpayment of oil and gas royalties, including putative class action alleging failure to properly calculate and pay royalties on natural gas liquids.

• Representing electric power cooperative debtor in Chapter 11 proceedings on matters involving finance and banking agreements.

• Representing elite breeder of Akaushi cattle in dispute with breed association, resulting in $30 million jury verdict and findings of fraud, alter ego, conspiracy, and breach of contract.
• Representing developer of consumer vehicle financial service products in breach of contract litigation against subprime automobile lender.  
• Represented mineral interest owner against Sanchez Energy in breach of contract and gas royalty underpayment litigation.
• Represented the Office Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Lockwood Holdings, Inc. in Chapter 11 proceedings.
• Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Sneed Shipbuilding, Inc. in Chapter 11 proceedings.
• Represented liquidating trustee of Buccaneer Resources in breach of fiduciary duty claims exceeding $100 million against former directors and officers of Australian E&P company and its US subsidiaries.
• Represented the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in two RICO class actions defending against alleged involvement in the Allen Stanford $8 billion Ponzi scheme and related bankruptcies.  Obtained favorable ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on foreign sovereign immunity defenses.
• Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Linc Energy in Chapter 11 proceedings and related 363 sale of real property. Investigated post-bankruptcy litigation claims, including breach of fiduciary duty claims and fraudulent transfer and preference actions against former insiders
• Represented Freddie Mac in its $1.75 billion lawsuit against Deloitte, asserting auditor liability and negligent misrepresentation claims.

• Recognized among the "40 & Under" by Benchmark Litigation (2024)
• Recognized in Best Lawyers in America as "Ones to Watch" for Commercial and Bankruptcy Litigation, 2021-2025

• Houston Young Lawyers Association
• International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation
• Houston Young Bankruptcy Lawyers
• American Bankruptcy Institute