Steve Roberts, resident in the Houston office, has more than 40 years in courtrooms litigating environmental, energy, commercial, international insurance, maritime and professional services matters. Recognized nationally for his litigation, insurance and maritime knowledge, Steve tries cases in state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate levels. Steve concentrates much of his practice on complex legal issues surrounding offshore drilling rigs, platforms and vessels of all types including, most recently, representation of the drilling contractor involved in the BP Macondo Oil Spill litigation.
Steve represents both plaintiffs and defendants in commercial lawsuits, including shareholder disputes, breach of contract, fraud, qui tam and intellectual property controversies. His experience also includes matters involving offshore oil and gas deferred and lost production, downhole blowouts and other energy sector casualty claims, congressional and administrative regulatory matters.
Before receiving his undergraduate degree, Steve served as a communications specialist in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service. After completing active duty, he served in the Reserves until 1977. While in college, Steve was a correctional officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Awards and Rankings
“The honor is in the ability to represent clients, a profession and a firm....the rest is gravy.”
Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated
Recognized by Chambers USA: Guide to Leading Business Lawyers in the area of insurance law (2010-2020)
Named to The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of admiralty & maritime law and personal injury litigation - defendants (1995-2020)
Selected for inclusion among Texas Super Lawyers (2003-2004, 2007-2019)
Selected as a Texas Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation (2010-2017)
Selected for inclusion in the Houston Edition of Texas’ Best Lawyers (2008-2012)
Named to The American Lawyer’s 2012 Top Rated Lawyers Guide in the areas of Energy & Environmental and Natural Resources Law
Experience
“My experience in offshore matters began while in the Navy and has continued for the past 35 years in the practice of law. Practical knowledge coupled with decades of legal experience in oilfield related matters is what I hope to bring to the client’s table.”
Experience
Served as lead counsel in the BP oil spill litigation and guided the drilling contractor through crisis management and regulatory issues following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Represented London insurers in litigation involving $30-plus million business interruption and loss of production income (LOPI) under an energy package policy.
Resolved favorably a $400 million insurance coverage dispute and rigs-to-reef applications after five rigs sunk in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Represented London Market insurers in subrogation matters following extensive offshore pipeline damages arising from a drilling rig loss of station.
Defended Hercules Offshore Drilling, Inc. in Jones Act and unseaworthiness claims arising from maritime and offshore-related activities.
Represented a major provider of international and domestic contract drilling services in connection with environmental damage recovery.
Represented an oil and gas producer in a dispute involving loss of oil production and insurance policy damage provisions.
Appealed and argued a matter before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit involving indemnity and additional insured issues.
Defended successfully a major provider of international and domestic contract drilling services against marine and environmental pollution claims.
Prosecuted product liability claims on behalf of an international offshore drilling company involved in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Handled the internal investigation of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill for an international drilling contractor.
Represents an international drilling contractor in environmental proceedings regarding the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Represented an international drilling contractor in a presidential commission investigation of a Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Represents an international drilling contractor in the joint Coast Guard/BSEE investigation of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Served as monitoring counsel for a London Market excess insurer in litigation in Texas and New Mexico arising from a multi-fatality accident in Texas.
News
In the News
Judge Asked to Rethink Deepwater Reporting Exclusion (October 13, 2015)
Law360
Sutherland Partner Steven Roberts is mentioned in this Law360 article for representing Transocean.
Mexican States Ask High Court to Allow Deepwater Spill Suit (August 11, 2015)
Law360
Partner Steven Roberts is mentioned in this Law360 article for representing Transocean.
Press Releases
24 Eversheds Sutherland Practice Areas, 63 Attorneys Named Among Nation’s Best in 2020 Chambers USA (April 23, 2020)
Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that 24 practices and 63 attorneys have earned recognition in the 2020 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Chambers USA, a ...
19 Eversheds Sutherland Practice Areas, 55 Attorneys Named Among Nation’s Best in 2019 Chambers USA (April 25, 2019)
Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that 19 practices and 55 attorneys have earned recognition in the 2019 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Chambers USA, a ...
Four Eversheds Sutherland Attorneys Recognized by Texas Super Lawyers (September 7, 2018)
AUSTIN and HOUSTON-Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP is pleased to announce that four Texas-based attorneys have been selected as top attorneys in the state by Super Lawyers. Eversheds Sutherland’s 2018 ...
19 Eversheds Sutherland Practice Areas, 59 Attorneys Named Among Nation’s Best in 2018 Chambers USA (May 3, 2018)
Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP is pleased to announce that 19 practices and 59 attorneys have earned recognition in the 2018 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Chambers ...
Six Eversheds Sutherland Attorneys Ranked by Benchmark Litigation (September 29, 2017)
Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that six of its attorneys will be listed in the latest Benchmark Litigation guide of America’s leading business litigation firms and attorneys. In ...
Three Eversheds Sutherland Attorneys Recognized by Texas Super Lawyers (September 14, 2017)
AUSTIN and HOUSTON-Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that three Texas-based attorneys have been selected as top attorneys in the state by Super Lawyers. Eversheds Sutherland’s 2017 Texas ...
Four Eversheds Sutherland Attorneys Named Lawyer of the Year; 80 Lawyers Recognized in 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America (August 15, 2017)
Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that four attorneys have been selected as “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective fields by The Best Lawyers in America, and 80 attorneys have been ...
20 Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP Practice Areas, 56 Attorneys Named Among Nation’s Best in 2017 Chambers USA (May 26, 2017)
Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP is pleased to announce that 20 practices and 56 attorneys at the firm earned recognition in the 2017 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. ...
Seven Sutherland Partners Ranked by Benchmark Litigation (October 26, 2016)
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP is pleased to announce that seven of its partners will be listed in the Benchmark Litigation guide of America’s leading business litigation firms and attorneys. In ...
Texas Super LawyersRecognizes Three Sutherland Partners (September 6, 2016)
AUSTIN and HOUSTON-Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP is pleased to announce that three of the firm’s Texas-based partners have been selected as top attorneys in the state by Super Lawyers. Sutherland’s ...
Recent Presentations
“The law is not static and clients deserve lawyers who know the law and try to shape the law.”
Presentations
Perfecting the Partnership: What In-House Lawyers Wish Outside Counsel Understood About Litigation and Vice-Versa (June 28, 2017)
Association of Corporate Counsel - Houston Chapter
Eversheds Sutherland (US) attorneys Jack Massey and Steve Roberts present Perfecting the Partnership: What In-House Lawyers Wish Outside Counsel Understood About Litigation and Vice-Versa hosted by ...
Gulf of Mexico Update (October 1, 2015)
Sutherland, the ACC Houston Chapter Energy Practice Group and the ACC Energy Committee co-host Gulf of Mexico Update on October 1, 2015. Sutherland Partner Jack Massey moderates the panel comprised ...
ACC Annual Meeting 2014 (October 28-31, 2014)
Sutherland is proud to be a returning Gold Sponsor of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Annual Meeting, taking place October 28-31, 2014, in New Orleans. The ACC Annual Meeting is the largest ...
Issues in the Wake of the Macondo Spill (October 14, 2014)
International Association of Drilling Contractors
Sutherland attorneys Steve Roberts, Daniel Johnson and Stephany Olsen LeGrand present “Issues in the Wake of the Macondo Spill” at the International Association of Drilling Contractors conference ...
The Oilfield in a Post-Macondo World (Multiple presentations to in-house legal groups)
Sutherland attorneys David Baay, Steve Roberts, Daniel Johnson, Jack Massey, Juan Garcia and Stephany Olsen LeGrand regularly provide in-house legal groups with the presentation “The Oilfield in a ...
Texas Insurance Law: A Deepwater Horizon Litigation Update & Discussion of Choice of Law Issues (January 2014)
Old Library, London
Sutherland Partners Steven Roberts and Daniel Johnson present Texas Insurance Law: A Deepwater Horizon Litigation Update & Discussion of Choice of Law Issues at the Old Library at Lloyd’s in London ...
Oil Pollution and Environmental Concerns, Procedural Challenges, Emergency Response and Cooperation with Investigations: Lessons Learned and Analyzing Continuing Fallout from Recent Incidents (February 27, 2013 - February 28, 2013)
American Conference Institute’s National Forum on Defending and Managing Admiralty & Maritime Litigation
On February 27, 2013, Sutherland Attorneys Steven L. Roberts and Stephany Olsen LeGrand are speaking at the American Conference Institute’s National Forum on Defending and Managing Admiralty & ...
Deepwater Horizon Update (September 27, 2011)
International Association of Claim Professionals (IACP) 2011 Annual Conference
International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Contracts & Risk Management Conference (October 13, 2010)
Sutherland Partner Steven Roberts is presenting at the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Contracts & Risk Management Conference on October 13, 2010.
Compliance Panel (October 29, 2008 - October 30, 2008)
IADC Contracts & Risk Management Conference (IADC) Contracts & Risk Management Conference
Sutherland attorneys Richard T. Stilwell and Steven L. Roberts are speaking at the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Contracts & Risk Management Conference, October 29-30, ...
Publications
Legal Alerts
It Is Not A Duck! $535 million pipeline verdict reversal portends new era of joint venture conflicts. (July 26, 2017)
On July 18, 2017, the Dallas Court of Appeals reversed a 2014 jury verdict that resulted in a $535 million judgment in favor of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (“ETP”) against its counterparty ...
White House Issues Guidance Advising Agencies to Assess Climate Change in NEPA Reviews (August 11, 2016)
On August 1, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued its final guidance for federal agencies on considering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the effects of climate change in ...
Legal Alert: Fifth Circuit Limits Pollution Liability (February 26, 2014)
In a significant decision issued February 24, 2014, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that federal laws preempt state laws in the case of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, because the ...
Articles
2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (November 24, 2015)
The Litigation Practice Group of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP has published “2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.” This publication reflects important changes to the Federal ...
