Stephen B. Crain

Stephen Crain has spent his career advocating for clients in high-stake and complex commercial disputes in the United States and internationally. He is the chair of the firm’s litigation section and serves on the firm’s management committee.

Stephen’s approach has been summarized by sources quoted by Chambers USA: “he’s diligent, he’s on top of things, he’s pragmatic; he takes complex situations and boils them down to their fundamentals and provides practical advice on how to move forward.” Other sources say he is “one of the smartest” and have highlighted Stephen’s courtroom presence: “His understanding of the law and how receptive judges will be to different arguments is uncanny” (Chambers USA).

Stephen’s practice largely focuses on energy, securities, and construction. His diverse energy practice ranges from oil and gas royalty class actions to power trading disputes to claims involving carbon capture credits. In securities matters, Stephen represents officers, directors, and corporations and has successfully defeated multiple injunctions sought to prevent mergers. Stephen also represents owners in large-scale construction disputes.

Stephen has appeared and tried cases in courts throughout the United States and has handled domestic and international arbitrations under every significant arbitration regime. In the last two years, Stephen has argued appeals before the Fifth Circuit, the Third Circuit, and the Texas Supreme Court.

Stephen is ranked in Chambers USA in Nationwide: Oil & Gas Litigation (2021-2022) and in General Commercial Litigation in Texas (2012–2022). In The Legal 500 United States, Stephen is recommended in General Commercial Disputes (2017–2022); Commercial Litigation (2015–2016); Energy Litigation: Conventional Power (2017–2022); Energy Litigation: Oil and Gas (2017–2022); Energy: Litigation (2012–2016); and Securities Litigation: Defense (2018).