Kristi Belt

Kristi Belt

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Construction Lawyer and Arbitrator in Houston TX, Litigation & ADR – Kristi Belt

Kristi Belt is an experienced trial attorney who has earned a reputation for handling high stakes litigation, having successfully represented contractors, subcontractors, engineering firms, manufacturers, and oil and gas developers in a multitude of complex commercial and construction disputes. Kristi has represented clients in matters involving construction defects, construction management, delay and disruption, as well as professional liability for specially manufactured equipment. She has counseled Owners, Construction Managers and Project Engineers in large-scale projects involving comprehensive development agreements, EPC, EPCM, fast track, design-build, and design-bid-build delivery methods. While her practice is focused in the area of construction, Kristi has handled, tried and/or appealed commercial cases in state and federal courts, arbitration and international arbitration in a wide array of areas.

America's Top 100 Bet-The-Company Litigators 2021American Arbitration Association Panel Member 2023Kristi’s representative industries are broad providing her with the knowledge, experience and versatility to handle the most complex matters.  She has successfully represented clients in the fields of hydraulics and hydrology, industrial plants and pipelines, infrastructure and highway system design and construction, oil and gas, geophysical and geological seismic imaging and data analysis, and commercial and industrial building products, among others. Kristi’s legal acumen is complimented by experience with a major oil and gas company, where she worked within the exploration and production division. This distinctive combination allows her to navigate between oil and gas and construction industries with ease.

Kristi has also represented major oil and gas companies in matters related to toxic tort, personal injury claims involving oil field machinery, and premises liability disputes, as well as royalty, leasing and other contract disputes between companies.

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Education

  • South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas
    • J.D. – 2000
  • University of Houston, Houston, Texas
    • B.S. (magna cum laude) – 1997

Representative Experience

  • Representing industrial subcontractor in prosecution and defense of competing claims resulting from non-payment and schedule delays in construction of LNG facility
  • Representing homeowner in residential construction defect action
  • Representing major subcontractor in prosecution of claims for non-payment in construction of state-of-the-art e-commerce distribution center
  • Representing mechanical equipment fabricator in prosecution of claims for non-payment in construction of batch plant
  • Represented major subcontractor in prosecution of and defense of claims resulting from schedule delay and scope creep in construction of LNG facility
  • Represented Owner of industrial facility in prosecuting and defending competing delay claims against EPC Contractor
  • Represented General Contractor of multi-family housing project on successful $5.2 million award, zeroing out defendant’s $4 million counterclaim.
  • Represented EPCM Contractor of cogeneration plant in prosecuting and defending competing claims against Owner
  • Represented subcontractor on successful $4.8 million award, defeating counterclaim in its entirety, involving construction delays and payment disputes related to multi-billion dollar petrochemical construction project
  • Represented mechanical contractor on successful $12.87 million award, defeating counterclaim of $15 million with only $300,000 in recoverable costs
  • Represented EPC contractor in defense of $20 million schedule delay claim arising from among other things allegedly late and erroneous engineering of a Superfund water treatment facility
  • Represented General Contractor in prosecution of claims arising from constructive change, schedule delay and forced acceleration in construction of steel manufacturing plant with damage in excess of $45 million
  • Represented materials supplier in prosecution of claims resulting from extensive schedule delays
  • Represented General Contractor in disputes with Owner and subcontractors related to construction delays arising from extreme weather events
  • Represented General Contractors of multi-family housing and educational facilities in disputes with Owners and landowners involving issues related to prompt payment violations, storm water prevention and TCEQ requirements, and the Clean Water Act
  • Represented EPC Contractor in dispute with subcontractors related to construction delays, poor quality workmanship and cost overruns
  • Represented General Contractor in disputes with subcontractors involving commercial and retail construction
  • Represented General Contractor in dispute with architect/engineer in cost overrun dispute
  • Represented General Contractor in pipeline construction disputes involving defects and delays
  • Represented EPC Contractor related to construction for the supply of several cryogenic gas processing facilities
  • Represented engineering firm involving defect claims related to design of cellular towers
  • Represented EPC contractor in international dispute involving breach of contract and alleged United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations by foreign agent
  • Represented Owner in dispute with general contractor related to project abandonment
  • Represented Owner in dispute with geotechnical engineers involving the collapse of project improvements
  • Repreesented design/manufacturer of oil and gas storage devices in international dispute involving product liability
  • Represented EPC contractor in dispute relating to the design and manufacturing of fracking/distillation towers
  • Represented commercial design and engineering firm in construction management, construction defect and professional liability disputes
  • Represented manufacturers of residential and commercial building products, including fire suppression and detection systems in multi-unit facilities
  • Represented manufacturers of industrial, pharmaceutical and medical device products in products liability disputes
  • Represented oil and gas manufacturers in contract, employment, toxic tort, and royalty and premises liability disputes
  • Represented national engineering firm in defense of construction management and professional liability claims related to design of flood control systems
  • Represented national engineering firm in defense of construction defect claims in connection with highway infrastructure developments
  • Counseled general contractor on matters related to contingent payment clause of contract in connection with the construction of a hotel
  • Counseled general contractor on matters related to contingency payment clause of contract and owner’s bankruptcy in connection with construction of condominium complex
  • Represented national engineering firm in defense of construction management claims in connection with drainage systems
  • Represented state agency in defense of takings claim in connection with design and construction of toll road
  • Represented national engineering firm in defense of construction defect claim in connection with water detention pond
  • Represented homeowners in construction defect, breach of contract and fraud action related to construction of vacation home
  • Represented subcontractor in defense of water damage subrogation claim in connection with construction of apartment complex
  • Represented subcontractor in defense of water damage subrogation claim in connection with renovation of hospital
  • Represented subcontractor in defense of water damage subrogation claim in connection with construction of several new buildings at a University health science facility

Professional Recognition

  • Arbitrator – American Arbitration Association
  • America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators, 2021
  • Voted a “Texas Rising Star,” as presented by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters Business, in Texas Monthly, 2007 – 2010

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • State Bar of Texas, Construction Law Section
  • Houston Bar Association, Litigation and Construction Law Sections
  • American Bar Association, Forum on the Construction Industry Member
  • American Bar Association, Litigation Section and Woman’s Advocate Committee Member
  • Women’s Energy Network

Speeches and Publications

  • Disaster Law… Facing Increased Scrutiny in the Wake of Disasters, Build Houston, June/July 2013
  • Presenter of “Ethics Refresher 2007: Lying Witnesses, Inadvertent Disclosures and Other Thorny Ethical Issues,” Chevron U.S.A., Inc., Houston, September 26, 2007
  • Jim Hurd and Kristi Belt (contributing author), What’s Left? Dilemmas and Options in Attorney-Client Privilege and Waiver (2007), 57th Annual Conference on Oil and Gas Law, (Institute for Energy Law), Feb. 15, 2007
  • TRCC Rules: March 1 Deadline for Residential Builder is Just Around the Corner, Houston Business Journal, (Feb. 27–Mar. 4, 2004)
  • Presenter and co-author of “Ethics: Conflicts and Confidences,” Houston, Galveston & Fort Bend Young Lawyers CLE, February 20, 2004
  • Presenter and co-author of “The Lawyer’s Role in Corporate Governance,” El Paso Corporation CLE Seminar, Houston, August 13, 2003
  • K. B. Battaglini and Kristi Belt, Settlement Credits: What is the Current State of the Law? (2003)
  • Did Congress Really Intend to Give Investigative Officers Free Reign with Your Personal Electronic Mail?, Steve Jackson Games, Inc. v. United States Secret Service, 36 F.3d 457 (5th Cir. 1994), 41 South Texas Law Review 1457 (2000)
  • Recommendations of the Working Group on Confidentiality and the Limits of Attorney-Client Privilege, 41 South Texas Law Review 33 (1999)
  • Report of the Working Group on Confidentiality and the Limits of Attorney-Client Privilege, 41 South Texas Law Review 37 (1999)