Biography
Deva Solomon is the trial lawyer trusted with the cases that matter most to the firm’s clients. He confidently manages complex, high-stakes litigation, discovery, and negotiations to provide clients with peace of mind when confronted with lawsuits. He often serves the role of outside general counsel to the firm’s clients and is seen as a trusted advisor. He earns clients’ trust by listening to them, understanding their businesses, and developing their strategy as a team. Over his career, he has successfully won cases at trial with more than $100 million at stake.
Deva is the Practice Group Leader for the firm’s Energy Litigation Team, which is one of the largest and most diverse industry-specific litigation practices in the United States. He has extensive experience representing energy companies in multiple shale plays and has taken a variety of cases to trial to protect the interests of energy companies for royalty, contract, tort, and operational issues. In addition to his trial work, Deva is also often called to accident scenes or to other incidents for emergency response.
In addition to his energy litigation work, Deva defends nursing homes and those dedicated individuals who work in them against liability and licensing claims. He has first chair trial experience representing this industry as well.
When he is not at the office, Deva loves to ski, mountain bike, hike, run (if something dangerous is chasing him), and enjoy the outdoors with his wife, two children, and dog Mac.
Court Admissions
- U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Courts of Appeals for the DC Circuit
- U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
Representative Experience
- Served as lead trial counsel in cases worth a total of more than $100 million to clients
- Won jury trial as lead counsel for large international metal manufacturing client in dispute over indemnification responsibilities worth over $1 million from late 1980s acquisition agreement and successfully defended verdict on appeal before Colorado Court of Appeals in Continental Holdings v. Ball Corporation and Ball Metalpack, 24CA0822
- Won bench trial as lead trial counsel for energy client in dispute with two other energy companies over ownership of oil and gas interests in North Dakota and successfully defended verdict on appeal before North Dakota Supreme Court in Zavanna, LLC v. GADECO, LLC et al. 994 N.W.2d 133 (ND 2023)
- Defended employee as lead trial counsel in six-day jury trial of oil field service provider in case involving double thumb amputation on well pad
- Won summary judgment on behalf of energy company in quiet title involving in excess of 65 parties and resolving the distribution of over $15 million in revenue
- Achieved victory in lawsuit on behalf of energy company defending it against allegations of improper deduction of post-production expenses
- Defended long term care facility in arbitration proceeding (through verdict) in premises liability case
- Defended nursing home in wrongful death jury trial to verdict
- Defended long term care facilities in COVID 19 litigation in State, Federal District Court, and Appellate Courts involving claims of immunity under the PREP ACT
- Won motions to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction for parent companies of nursing facilities in three different states
- Successfully defended long term care facilities in wrongful death and resident care litigation in three different states
- Secured a verdict following trial for client of $1.5 million plus in breach of contract dispute over Joint Operating Agreement obligations between two energy companies
- Represented company in wrongful death litigation involving workplace accident in coal mine
- Secured a verdict for client in excess of $1 million in dispute over contract to purchase bitcoin
- Argued on behalf of government agency before Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
Licensed In
- Colorado
- Pennsylvania (inactive)
- West Virginia (inactive)
Education
- J.D. West Virginia University College of Law
- B.A. West Virginia University
Memberships
- Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law
- Committee Denver Petroleum Club
- Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Health Care
- Leadership West Virginia (2014)
- Colorado Defense Lawyers Association
- Defense Research Institute
- University of Virginia Trial Advocacy College
Achievements
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars®, Personal Injury – General: Defense Law, E-Discovery Law, Business Litigation Law, Personal Injury – Medical Malpractice: Defense Law, Professional Liability: Defense Law, Denver, CO (2017, 2018-2019)
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars®, Personal Injury – General: Defense Law, E-Discovery Law, Business Litigation Law, Personal Injury – Medical Malpractice: Defense Law, Professional Liability: Defense Law, Bridgeport, WV (2015-2016)
- The Order of the Coif, WVU College of Law
- Phi Beta Kappa
Speaking Engagements
- “Developments in Colorado, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana Law, Which Could Impact Lease and Title Analysts,” National Association of Lease and Title Analysts’ National Conference (September 2018)
- Co-Presenter, “To Speak with the Lawyers, Press 2: An Interactive Discussion Introducing the Litigation Process, Current Hot Topics, and How Engineers Can Help Reduce Risk,” Society of Petroleum Engineers International, Denver Chapter (May 2017)
- Co-Presenter, “The Lawyers are at it Again: How to Save Your Lease when Operations are Shut Down and Associated Issues,” Denver Association of Lease and Title Analysts Spring Seminar (May 2017)
- “An Introduction to Nuisance Law Across the Country as Applied to Large Industrial Facilities,” National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel (February 3, 2017)
- Co-Presenter, “Litigation 101 for Lease and Title Analysts,” Denver Association of Lease and Title Analysts (April 2016)
Webinar