Steven R. Rech

Practice Areas

Industries

Education

• Southern Methodist University School of Law, J.D., 1990
• International Lawyer, leading articles editor, 1989-1990
• Louisiana State University, B.S., cum laude

Bar & Court Admissions

• Texas
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Admitted to practice law only in the states listed above.

Steve is a partner in the Vorys Houston office and a member of the litigation group.  He has 30 years of experience representing businesses involved in complex commercial disputes.  Steve has successfully tried dozens of cases (both jury and non-jury) in state and federal courts.  He also has extensive experience trying significant disputes in arbitral forums.  Steve’s work focuses mostly on assisting clients in the energy and real estate industries. 

Career Highlights:

• Represented operator in week long arbitration concerning JOA operating rights over a $1.0+ billion project in the Gulf of Mexico.
• Represented bankruptcy trustee in a week-long jury trial involving theft of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty and fraudulent transfer claims. Took and collected a multi­million dollar judgment.
• Obtained a take nothing judgment after a week-long adversary trial involving allegations of self-dealing and breach of fiduciary duty.
• Obtained defense verdict after a two and a half week jury trial in which a major gas marketer sought $50 million, claiming an index replacement clause had been triggered

• Pursued an engineering, design and construction firm and its insurers through six weeks of arbitration in a case involving the design and construction of a 50 megawatt cogeneration facility
• Successfully defended five weeks of arbitration in a case involving allegations that a major refinery overcharged its customer ten million dollars for steam under a shared services agreement
• Represented operator in dispute arising from JOA that involved, at the time, was the second largest coal bed methane discovery in the world in a matter involving JIB disputes, development issues and the attempted replacement of the operator
• Represented working interest owner in dispute involving a unit operating agreement and claims for underpayment of royalties.  
• Shepherded integrity management contractor and its employees through class case and federal/state investigation and trial related to the San Bruno Pipeline Explosion
• Successfully defended a major refinery in an H2S exposure case in which the plaintiff alleged that the exposure resulted in his being in a permanent vegetative state
• In a pro bono matter, filed amicus brief on behalf of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf in a case involving the refusal to provide appropriate accommodations to a medical student with a profound hearing loss

Steve has authored numerous publications on litigation related matters, including “When to Hire Appellate Counsel and How to Use Them” and "Preservation of Error in the Trial Court."  He has also given numerous presentations on litigation and legal ethics, including a presentation titled “Ethical Considerations in Lawyer-Judicial Relationships.”

Steve is a past chair of the Houston Bar Association’s Litigation Section.  He is also a member of the Texas Bar Foundation, the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society and the International Association of Defense Counsel.

Steve received his J.D. from the Southern Methodist University School of Law,where he was the leading articles editor for International Lawyer.  He received his B.S. cum laude from Louisiana State University in Shreveport.

Professional and Community Activities

• American Cochlear Implant Alliance, Board Member, 2012 - 2018
• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Board of Directors, First Vice President, 2005 – 2008; Children's Rights Coordinator, 2001-2005
• Auditory-Verbal International Inc., Secretary and member of the Board of Directors, 1998 – 2005; President, 2003 - 2005
• Houston Center for Hearing and Speech, Board of Directors, Member, 1999 – 2005; Co-chair of the Annual Gala, 2002.
• Houston Ear Research Foundation, Board of Directors, Member, 2000 - present.
• St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Faith Formation Teacher, 2004 - 2005; Member of Pastoral Council, 2005 - 2007
• Galveston Houston St. Thomas More Society; Secretary/Treasurer, 2009 - 2018

Honors & Awards

• The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2015-2021
• Texas Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2013 - 2019
• Texas Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2004 - 2005

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