Kenneth O. Corley

Managing partner of Kelley Drye’s Houston office and a skilled and seasoned trial attorney, Kenny Corley brings more than 18 years of deep and varied litigation experience to his representation of private companies and government entities in environmental, business, and energy disputes.

Kenny’s nationwide practice in federal and state courts is both broad-based and intensely focused, with his advocacy equally effective in contentious commercial matters and those involving allocating responsibility for natural resource contamination, remediation, or other liability for both plaintiffs and defendants.

Kenny’s clients span industries and jurisdictions across the country, including state governments and agencies, ports, energy sector companies, major transportation corporations, terminal railways, landowners, and businesses ranging from large multinational companies to start-ups and early-stage enterprises.

In his environmental litigation practice, Kenny represents states in public nuisance litigation arising from polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination and serves governmental and industry clients dealing with challenges resulting from PFAS, PFOS, and AFFF contamination.

His government representation includes establishing liability against responsible parties following complex corporate restructurings. He has served as lead litigation counsel for states or other governmental entities in connection with environmental contamination and natural resource damages, resulting in favorable court rulings and settlements worth tens of millions of dollars.

Kenny also played an instrumental role in litigation concerning dioxin contamination of a major waterway, resulting in a settlement worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Kenny has also achieved positive outcomes in various land use and lease disputes involving land and water contamination.

Kenny’s extensive commercial litigation experience includes actions involving complex contract disputes, energy-related litigation and royalty disputes, fraudulent transfer and alter ego claims, negligence, personal injury, fraud, tortious interference, defamation, trade secret and noncompetition disputes, partnership disputes, director and officer liability, and real estate disputes, including jury verdicts in favor of his clients. He has done substantial work representing parties in a broad array of land use-related litigation and counseling matters, including arbitrations and settlements involving tens of millions of dollars awarded to his clients.

Consistently recognized by his peers for his professional accomplishments, integrity, and work ethic, Kenny is active in his community, volunteering his time and efforts to several religious, educational, and charitable organizations.