Sharon M. Beausoleil

With more than twenty-five years of experience, Sharon focuses her practice on commercial matters, involving bankruptcy and creditors' rights, supply chain, logistics, and operations, in the energy, healthcare and manufacturing sectors. 

In addition to her prior law firm experience, Sharon also served as senior legal counsel in the global supply chain group for an international exploration and production company, where shehandled procurement, transportation, and shipping matters for operations in the North Sea, West Africa, the Middle East, and the United States.  She led contract negotiations with respect to operational and production matters, engineering and construction projects, drilling matters, seismic acquisition and processing agreements, and transportation agreements (including charterparties). 

Throughout her career, Sharon has presented (both as an author and speaker) on various supply chain and bankruptcy topics.  Sharon also has provided training for in-house legal and business teams on strategies to address distressed customers and suppliers and de-mystify bankruptcy lingo. 

Sharon started her career as the law clerk to the Hon. Wesley Steen, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (retired).

Sharon’s extensive industry experience makes her a unique resource for her clients.

RESPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Distribution and Franchise / Logistics / Supply Chain

  • Represented manufacturing company with respect to development of master transportation services agreement template and warehousing services agreement template.

  • Represented major retailer in connection with ocean carrier contract negotiations.

  • Represented fuel wholesaler in contract negotiations for supply, logistics, and terminalling contracts.

  • Represented oil and gas company with respect to contract negotiations and enforcement with oilfield service providers (including consulting, software, and service agreements, confidentiality agreements, purchase orders, and equipment leases); also updated supply chain contracts, including its master services agreement and work orders.

  • Represented distributor in connection with sourcing and consolidation shipping agreement negotiations.

  • Represented information technology company in connection with the development of a new services agreement and related documents.

Energy / Upstream / Midstream / Downstream / Oilfield Services

  • Represented oil and gas company and its affiliates in various upstream and midstream matters, involving oil and gas leases, drilling obligations, joint operating agreements (including operatorship and audit issues), processing and sales agreements, and oilfield services and supply matters.

  • Represented oil and gas company and its affiliates with respect to various enforcement, collection, and bankruptcy matters related to operating agreements, drilling rig contracts, plugging and abandonment and decommissioning obligations, post-closing acquisition issues, mineral lien matters, and midstream matters.

  • Represented seismic acquisition company in connection with a dispute over seismic data ownership in the ION Geophysical bankruptcy cases and subsequent contract negotiations.

  • Represented pipeline company involving covenant running with the land issues, guaranty and contract issues, and other claims against various bankrupt oil companies.

  • Represented oil and gas operator in the Arabella Exploration and Arabella Petroleum Company bankruptcy cases in connection with nonconsent issues under a joint operating agreement, lien priority disputes, and accounting issues.

  • Represented major integrated energy company and its affiliates in various bankruptcy matters throughout the United States involving construction, distribution, franchise, petroleum marketing, and supply chain matters.

Healthcare

  • Represented not-for-profit blood supply company in connection with contract claims against Steward Health bankruptcy cases and post-sale issues, including negotiations for new supply contract.

  • Represented pathology group in connection with its contract claims in the Steward Health bankruptcy cases.

  • Represented telehealth company in connection with the negotiation of a new telehealth services agreement with a post-chapter 11 debtor.

  • Represented medical staffing company in connection with its contract claims against distressed healthcare companies.

  • Represented purchaser of two memory care facilities in The LaSalle Group bankruptcy cases.

PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS

  • Author, “Legal Risks in Outsourcing Agreements and Global Supply Chain Management” published in The National Law Review, Vol. XV, Number 224, August 12, 2025.

  • Speaker, “Strategies to Consider When Dealing with Distressed Counterparties – Supplier Side Versus Customer Side” at Foley’s 33rd Annual Law of Product and Distribution, October 2024.

  • Co-author, “Trademark Law and Bankruptcy Considerations for Emerging Companies in the Renewable Energy Sector” published in The National Law Review, Vol XIII, Number 331 on November 27, 2023.

  • Presenter, “Bankruptcy Lingo 101:  How Bankruptcy Impacts Strategies for Addressing Distressed Counterparties” at Foley & Lardner LLP’s 31st Annual Law of Product Distribution & Franchise Seminar in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (September 2022), in Dallas, Texas (October 2022), and Chicago, Illinois (October 2022).

  • Co-author, “Strategies for Addressing Financial Distress in the Supply Chain:  Checklist” in Thomson Reuters Practical Law (September 2022)

  • Co-presenter, “Protect Your Company from Financially Distressed Suppliers and Customers” webinar, National Association of Credit Management (September 2022)

  • Co-author, “Franchising and Insolvency,” in Lexology’s Franchise Practice Guide (4th ed.) (March 2022)

  • Co-panelist, “Let’s Waive COVID Goodbye” at Association of Corporate Counsel (Houston) webinar (October 2020)

  • Author, "Rejecting Late Bids for the Integrity of the Process," Asset Sales Committee Newsletter of the American Bankruptcy Institute, August 2011

  • Speaker, "The Neverending Story...Latest Bankruptcy Developments," International Energy Credit Association, Hilton Head, South Carolina, March 20-22, 2011

  • Speaker, "Bankruptcy 101 - An Introduction to Bankruptcy - Highlighting Treatment of Real Property Interests," Commercial Real Estate Women Network, 20th CREW Network Convention & Marketplace, Boston, Massachusetts, October 1-2, 2009

  • Co-panelist, "Case Study: Turnaround Motors, Inc.," Facilitator-Attorney, Turnaround Management Association, Houston Chapter, Fall 2009 Continuing Education Program, Houston, Texas, September 17, 2009

  • Co-author, "When Receiverships and Bankruptcies Collide: An Overview," Bankruptcy Litigation, Newsletter of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Committee, Section of Litigation, American Bar Association, Summer 2008

BAR & EDUCATION

Licensed in the State of Texas, 2000

Admitted to the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western District of Texas.

J.D., South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, 1999 (member of South Texas Law Review)

B.A. (with honors), Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 1991

RECOGNITIONS

Selected by her peers for inclusion in BL Rankings, LLC’s Best Lawyers in America®

  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization (2012, 2013, 2019 – 2026)

  • Litigation: Bankruptcy (2012, 2013)

  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights Law (2009 – 2011)

Recognized, Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, as published in Texas Super Lawyers Magazine

  • Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (2005, 2007 – 2009)

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