
Tim Bomhoff maintains one of the most active energy litigation practices in the state. His clients include energy and oil & gas companies of all sizes, including small and mid-sized independent companies as well as Fortune 500 corporations and their subsidiaries in state and federal courts, appellate courts, arbitrations and mediations.
In addition to handling complex commercial litigation at the state and federal levels, Tim routinely litigates energy industry disputes involving leases, breaches of contract, royalty and late interest payment cases and class actions, environmental and surface damages, wellhead interference, joint operating agreements, gas contracts, farmouts, drilling contracts, personal injury and products liability.
Tim’s extensive career experience also includes defense of mass torts and negligence claims, as well as the representation of companies in environmental litigation, including class actions.
Tim has previously served on McAfee & Taft’s board of directors and as co-leader of the firm’s Energy and Natural Resources Group.
Tim’s achievements as a litigator have earned him inclusion in Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (energy & natural resources), The Best Lawyers in America (commercial litigation; employment law – management; energy law; environmental litigation; labor and employment litigation; labor law – management; mass tort litigation/class actions – defendants; oil and gas law; product liability litigation – defendants; securities litigation; qui tam law) and Oklahoma Super Lawyers, where he has been named to its list of “Top 50 Oklahoma Lawyers.” He was named by Best Lawyers as “Oklahoma City Environmental Litigation Lawyer of the Year” for 2016 and 2023, “Oklahoma City Qui Tam Lawyer of the Year” for 2022, “Oklahoma City Oil and Gas Lawyers of the Year” for 2021, “Oklahoma City Securities Litigation Lawyer of the Year” for 2020, “Oklahoma City Product Liability Litigation Defense Lawyer of the Year” for 2018, “Oklahoma City Energy Lawyer of the Year” for 2017, and “Oklahoma City Mass Tort/Class Actions Defense Lawyer of the Year” for 2012.
Tim has also been selected as a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honorary society dedicated to promoting superior advocacy, professionalism and ethical standards among its fellows.
Download Bio (PDF)Representative Experience
- Obtained dismissal in federal court of putative bilateral class action in which plaintiff landowners sought monetary damages and the invalidation of all oil and gas leases held by energy companies in Osage County, Oklahoma. Judgment affirmed on appeal to the Tenth Circuit.
- Obtained summary judgment in favor of a subsidiary of a Fortune 500 company in a lawsuit alleging violation of the Oklahoma Production Revenue Standards Act.
- Obtained summary judgment in favor of oil and gas producer in a quiet title breach of contract action to determine ownership of leases arising out of a purchase and sale agreement.
- Obtained summary judgment in favor of a subsidiary of a Fortune 500 company in a preferential rights claim on the defense of laches.
- Successfully represented Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association (OKOGA) in filing original jurisdiction action in Supreme Court of Oklahoma challenging the regulatory authority of Kingfisher County Commissioners to ban the use of produced water in temporary lines within the county. The Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down the Kingfisher County Commissioners’ ban on the use of produced water in temporary lines.
- Obtained dismissal for oil and gas operating companies following removal under the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 (CAFA) to federal court in a putative class action where the plaintiffs alleged tort claims relating to the alleged release of toxic substances from disposal facilities. Judgment affirmed on appeal to the Tenth Circuit.
- Obtained summary judgment for oil and gas company in federal putative class action where plaintiffs alleged violations of Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, because a registration statement for an offering was alleged to be materially false and misleading. Affirmed by Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Obtained dismissal of client as a defendant in a lawsuit alleging liability for indemnification and contribution for cleanup of an abandoned bulk oil station and above-ground storage tank system.
- Obtained dismissal of federal court putative class action alleging underground injection of produced water from oil and gas operations caused earthquake insurance premiums to increase. Continuing to represent injection well operators on appeal.
- Obtained dismissal of claims asserted against two oil and gas producers in federal court putative class alleging disposal of produced water from oil and gas operations caused certain earthquakes.
- Defended oil and gas producer in federal lawsuit alleging client’s predecessor in interest damaged the plaintiffs’ producing vertical oil and gas well in the course of drilling and completing a horizontal oil and gas well in the adjacent section. Was first-chair attorney in two-day jury trial. The two plaintiffs sought damages in excess of $ 1 million. Obtained judgment as a matter of law as to one plaintiff, and the jury came back with a verdict awarding damages of only $220,000 to the other plaintiff.
- Defended oil and gas producer in two federal court cases where the plaintiff alleged client’s drilling and completion of horizontal oil and gas wells damaged the plaintiff’s nearby vertical wells. Obtained favorable settlements in both cases.
- Defended oil and gas operator in state court lawsuit alleging client’s operation of saltwater disposal well contributed to earthquakes near Oklahoma City and Edmond. Litigation strategy caused plaintiffs to dismiss client from case prior to responding to a motion for summary judgment and to ultimately settle their claims on terms favorable to client.
- Obtained dismissal of a publicly traded oil and gas exploration and production company in a quiet title lease cancellation for a non-commercial production case in which the plaintiff asserted a claim for slander of title and sought actual and punitive damages.
- Obtained summary judgment in favor of wind farm developer in federal court anticipatory nuisance action in which the plaintiffs sought to enjoin construction and operation of the farm.
- Successfully represented a Fortune 500 company in a declaratory judgment action seeking to determine the rights and obligations of the parties under an Environmental Indemnification Agreement concerning two Superfund sites.
- Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of two exploration and production companies in a quiet title, lease cancellation, trespass and conversion case involving a section of land in Canadian County, Oklahoma.
- Obtained a favorable settlement for two subsidiaries of a Fortune 500 company in a lawsuit alleging surface damages, nuisance and trespass.
- Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of a Fortune 500 company‘s subsidiary in a quiet title/adverse possession dispute in Coal County, Oklahoma, involving mineral rights owned by the client.
- Defended major oil and gas exploration and production corporation in a purported statewide class action in which plaintiffs alleged oil and gas operators failed to pay for the use of bar ditches to lay temporary water lines.
- Currently defending multiple oil and gas producers in putative class actions alleging underpayment or late payment of royalties. Was primarily responsible for removing several of these cases to federal court under the Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA).
- Currently defending several oil and gas injection well operators in more than two dozen cases in state and federal courts alleging the underground injection of produced water has caused an increase is seismicity in certain parts of Oklahoma. Some cases are putative class actions and others are actions where several individual plaintiffs have joined together in the same lawsuit. The plaintiffs generally seek to recover property damages and damages for alleged interference with use and enjoyment of property.
- Currently defending several oil and gas producers in more than 15 cases pending in state and federal courts in which the plaintiffs allege clients’ use of hydraulic fracturing treatment during completion of horizontal oil and gas wells have caused damages to plaintiffs’ oil and gas wells.
- Currently defending several publicly traded independent oil and natural gas companies against claims for quiet title, lease cancellation, failure to pay revenues and production, accounting fraud, and fraudulent misrepresentation.
- Currently defending a subsidiary of one of the world’s largest independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in an action where plaintiffs are claiming damages under the Oklahoma Production Revenue Standards Act as well as claims for breach of the reasonably prudent operator standards.
- Currently defending a major exploration company in a quiet title action involving the interpretation of a private election letter.
- Currently defending a Fortune 500 company in a federal putative class action case alleging environmental contamination in Blackwell, Oklahoma.
- Currently representing a subsidiary of a Fortune 500 company in a CERCLA (Superfund) contribution lawsuit.
Honors & Awards
- Listed in the Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
- Named a “Local Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation
- Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (commercial litigation; employment law — management; energy law; environmental litigation; labor and employment litigation; labor law — management; mass tort litigation/class actions — defendants; oil and gas law; product liability litigation — defendants; securities litigation; qui tam law)
- Named “Oklahoma City Environmental Litigation Lawyer of the Year” for 2016 and 2023, “Oklahoma City Qui Tam Lawyer of the Year” for 2022, “Oklahoma City Oil and Gas Lawyers of the Year” for 2021, “Oklahoma City Securities Litigation Lawyer of the Year” for 2020, “Oklahoma City Product Liability Litigation Defense Lawyer of the Year” for 2018, “Oklahoma City Energy Lawyer of the Year” for 2017, and “Mass Tort/Class Actions Defense Lawyer of the Year” for 2012 by The Best Lawyers in America.
- Listed in Oklahoma Super Lawyers
- Named to Oklahoma Super Lawyers’ list of “Top 50 Oklahoma Lawyers”
- Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings
Professional Organizations and Memberships
- Oklahoma County Bar Association (Board of Directors)
- Oklahoma Bar Association (Environmental Section)
- Federal Bar Association
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (Local Rules Committee)
- Robert J. Turner American Inn of Court (Master)
- Litigation Counsel of America (Fellow)
- Mineral Lawyers Society of Oklahoma City (President, 2017 – 2018)