Steve Morton

Partner

Practice Concentration & Experience

Mr. Morton advises clients on a wide range of environmental issues. He has over twenty years of experience obtaining necessary environmental permits, defending government or third-party claims before administrative agencies and courts, and assisting clients on regulatory and statutory developments before administrative agencies and the Texas Legislature. He currently represents clients at numerous Superfund sites and is common counsel for two site PRP groups. He is experienced in negotiating cost recovery and remedy settlements with state and federal agencies and advising clients in connection with hazardous waste remediation projects. In addition, Mr. Morton currently represents defendants in two separate RCRA enforcement cases brought by EPA and the Department of Justice involving hazardous waste allegations. Mr. Morton also advises clients in connection with SARA Title III reporting and enforcement issues.  Mr. Morton has also been responsible for environmental due diligence and contract review for over $1 billion of M&A, IPO, financing and asset transfers in Texas, California, Florida and 20 other states. Mr. Morton has developed expertise in industrial and oil and gas waste management, including remediation, Superfund, underground storage tanks, underground injection disposal wells, water quality, wetlands, and transactional issues involving the sale and acquisition of contaminated properties. He is General Counsel to the Industry Council on the Environment, a trade association of corporations in the transportation, communications, petroleum refining/marketing, and utility industries.  Mr. Morton is a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education and trade association seminars on environmental topics.  Mr. Morton is recognized in the Marquis Who’s Who publication for 2005-2006.

Education

Vanderbilt University School of Law (J.D., 1984)
Allegheny College (B.S., Environmental Studies, 1980)
University of Texas at Austin (graduate work, hydrogeology)

Prior Professional Affiliations

Jenkens & Gilchrist PC, Equity Partner      
1995-2007
Brown McCarroll LLP, Associate/Equity Partner 
1986 - 1995

Licenses & Admissions

Licensed to practice in Texas and Tennessee

Honors and Appointments

Texas State Bar Foundation Fellow, Life Member
College of the State Bar of Texas
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Steering Committee on Risk Reduction Program Rule Guidance, 1999-Present
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Industry Work Group on the Texas Risk Reduction Rules, 1998
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Task Force 21 Subcommittee on Spill Reporting, 1995
Texas Water Commission Petroleum Storage Tank Remediation Fund Advisory Committee:  Member 1989-1990

Selected Publications & Presentations

"Back to the Future: RCRA and CERCLA Update" Air and Waste Management Association Annual Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada June 2010.
Update on NAPL Investigation and Remediation Regulatory Issues; Industry Council on the Environment, January 2009.
“Tools for Managing Homeland Security Risks:  The History and Fate of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act.”  American Association of Port Authorities - Legal Issues Seminar.  Seattle, Washington. July, 2005.
Local Austin Terrorism legal expert reaction to London bombings, July 7, 2005; television interview with Fox news affiliate and radio interview aired during Morning Edition, KUT FM.
“Protecting the Client:  Recent SEC and Corporate Environmental Developments.” In-house CLE presentation in the Dallas office. March, 2005. 
“Homeland Security.” Trinity Industries, Dallas, Texas.  November, 2004.
Business Associates Environmental Training.  In-house CLE presentation.  Dallas, Texas. September 2004.
“Homeland Security & International Trade Presentation.” Valero Energy Corporation.  San Antonio, Texas. June, 2004.
"Homeland Security, U.S. Customers & Export, and Immigration Law Developments.” Association of Corporate Counsel of America. New York, New York. May 2004.
“Brownfields Toolbox:  Legal Strategies for Redevelopment.” Industry Council on the Environment. October, 2003.
“Homeland Security - Protecting the Client.”  Business Lawyers Roundtable.  Dallas, Texas.   August, 2003.
“Law Amends Groundwater Clean Up.”  Austin Business Journal. June 13-19-2003.
“Phase I Environmental Site Assessments.”  In-house CLE presentation to the Jenkens & Gilchrist Real Estate Group. Dallas, Texas. May, 2003.
“Due Diligence after the 2002 Superfund Amendment.”  Industry Council on the Environment.  Austin, Texas.  September. 2002.
“The Care and Feeding of Attorneys - An Environmental Engineer's Guide to Working with Lawyers”, Environmental Engineer, The Magazine of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers, Volume 37, Number 4, October 2001.
“Groundwater Regulation.”  CLE International Texas Water Law Conference.  Houston, Texas. May, 2000.
“Fundamentals of Commercial Leasing: Environmental Issues.”  American Bar Association 11th Annual Real Property Symposia.  Miami, Florida.  March, 2000.
“Texas Risk Reduction Program Rules”  Air & Waste Management Association, Dallas, Texas.  February, 2000.
“Underground Storage Tank Compliance.”  Industry Council on the Environment.  Austin, Texas.  December, 1999.
“Groundwater Regulation.”  CLE International 9th Annual Texas Water Law Conference.  Austin, Texas.  October, 1999.
“Historic Contamination.”  11th Annual Texas Environmental Superconference.  Austin, Texas.  August, 1999.
“Recent Superfund Developments.” 9th Annual Texas Environmental Superconference. Austin, Texas. 1997.
“Port Development: Environmental Opportunities for Development of Contaminated Property.”  American Association of Port Authorities. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. 1996.
“How to Use the Internet in an Environmental Law Practice.” South Texas College of Law 7th Annual Environmental Symposium. 1996.
‘Federal and State Spill Reporting Requirements.”  South Texas College of Law 6th Annual Environmental Law Symposium. 1995.
Editor, “What to do When the Environmental Client Calls.”  American Bar Association. 1994.
“Release Reporting Requirements.”  1994 Annual Texas Environmental Law Superconference, Texas State Bar Environmental and Natural Resource Section.