James Cowan

Head of Legal US and Associate General Counsel Litigation US & Canada

Shell Oil Company

As US Head of Legal and AGC Litigation—US & Canada, Jim leads the US Legal Coordination Team and the team handling disputes for Shell’s US Downstream, Trading & Supply, and cross-business matters and for its Canadian businesses.  From January 2020 to August 2021, as AGC Litigation—Americas, based in Houston, Jim was responsible for arbitration and litigation for Shell companies in North and South America.  As AGC Litigation – International from 2015 to 2020, based in London, Jim was responsible for arbitration and litigation for Shell companies in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.  From 2012 to 2015, he was Managing Counsel Litigation--Latin America & Caribbean, based in Rio de Janeiro.  From 2003 to 2012, based in Houston, Jim was responsible for a variety of commercial litigation matters for Shell companies in the United States. Before joining Shell Oil Company in 2003, Jim was a trial lawyer in private practice in Houston, handling a variety of matters including commercial, class action, appellate, toxic tort, trademark, and environmental litigation.  He earned his BA (Plan II honors program) and his JD at the University of Texas at Austin.