Travis Torrence is an accomplished lawyer, leader of global legal teams, board member, and philanthropist with a reputation for being a collaborative problem solver, strong communicator, and an inclusive strategic advisor to senior executive teams. As U.S. Head of Legal for Shell, he leads the U.S. Legal function, which is comprised of over 150 employees. Travis is also Shell USA, Inc.’s Vice President-Legal and sits on its board of directors. In addition, Travis serves as the Executive Sponsor of Shell USA’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group. Travis also leads the team handling disputes for Shell’s U.S. Downstream, Trading & Supply, and cross-business matters. Travis joined Shell in 2013 as Legal Counsel – Bankruptcy, Credit and Treasury for Downstream, and subsequently served as Vice President – Legal for Jiffy Lube, where he sat on that entity’s executive leadership team. In 2018, as Team Lead, he spearheaded the creation of the Bankruptcy & Credit Team in Global Litigation, where he managed a team of attorneys and legal support professionals who handled all bankruptcy and credit legal issues for all of Shell’s business units in the United States and Canada. In 2023, Travis became Managing Counsel – Litigation U.S. DS/TS/RES, where he managed a team of attorneys and allied legal professionals who handled litigation for Shell’s U.S. Downstream, Trading & Supply, and Renewables businesses. Travis previously was a member of the Board of Directors of Premium Velocity Auto LLC, a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Shell that owns and operates nearly 400 Jiffy Lube service centers.
Travis graduated from Yale Law School in 2005 and received his undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, in Communication and Political Science from Tulane University. Before joining Shell, Travis was a senior associate at Fulbright & Jaworski LLP (now known as Norton Rose Fulbright). He began his career as a law clerk for the Honorable Edward C. Prado of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Travis currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Foundation, Chair of the Yale Law School Fund Board, Vice-Chair of the Hollyfield Foundation, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and the Alley Theatre. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Yale Alumni Fund and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for Tulane University’s School of Liberal Arts. He is the 2022 Grand Marshal of Houston’s LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration, a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, and a former Chair of the Houston Bar Foundation, member of the executive committee of the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas, President of The Arthur L. Moller/David B. Foltz, Jr. American Inn of Court, President of the Bo’s Place Board of Directors, member of the Board of Trustees of the Texas Bar Foundation, and Chair of the Texas Minority Counsel Program.
Travis is a former champion of Dancing With The Houston Stars and an honoree in the Houston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” and has chaired numerous philanthropic events, including the World AIDS Day Luncheon, the Victory Fund Champagne Brunch, the Montrose Center’s Out For Good Gala, Dining Out for Life, the Camp For All Gala, and the Houston Boychoir Luncheon. Travis previously worked as an on-air personality for B-97 FM; New Orleans’ #1 Hit Music Station.