Steptoe's railroad practice represents rail carriers in complex commercial disputes before the Surface Transportation Board (STB), in federal and state courts, and in arbitration proceedings. Our major representations include high-stakes rail rate and contract litigation and arbitration proceedings, major rail construction/environmental cases, and cases involving the preemption of state law.
We are recognized as a leading firm in virtually every major area of rail regulatory activity, and our experience in high-profile cases gives us a thorough understanding of the complex and evolving issues in rail transportation law. We have broad experience in commercial litigation before the STB. In other regulatory areas, our experience includes rail safety matters overseen by the Federal Railroad Administration, advice in matters involving rail safety and security issues. We are well known for the depth and quality of our appellate litigation practice and regularly handle cases in the Federal Courts of Appeals. Our lawyers have experience not only in the process for obtaining regulatory approval for new construction and other rail transactions, but also in the environmental review process and specifically the application of the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act to such projects. We also have experience in dealing with tribal issues that arise in infrastructure projects.
Where We Excel:
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Preemption
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Rate regulation and commercial litigation
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Rulemaking proceedings regarding rail regulation
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Rail Transactions, including state sovereign immunity
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Rail control and other transactions
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Rail construction projects
Noteworthy
- Chambers USA, Transportation: Rail, Nationwide (2008-2023)
- Legal 500 US, Transport: Rail and Road (2017-2023)
- US News-Best Lawyers "Law Firm of the Year," Railroad Law (2013, 2019)
Steptoe's multidisciplinary rail accident response team has extensive experience advising clients with respect to rail accidents and investigations. Our team consists of regulatory, enforcement, litigation, and environmental lawyers who have in-depth knowledge of every aspect of the accident response and investigation process associated with rail accidents. We have successfully handled safety, enforcement, and regulatory matters before the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Chemical Safety Board (CSB), and State Department. We know that the post-accident environment can be stressful and confusing, so our team takes every necessary measure to provide our clients with peace of mind, realistic expectations, and a clearly defined approach to accident response. Our team has handled more than 35 accidents across multiple modes of transportation.
News & Publications
Press Releases
Onika Williams Recognized as a 2023 Law360 Rising Star in Transportation
August 10, 2023
Publications
Navigating the Roadblocks of Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act
Association of Transportation Law Professionals’ Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics, and Policy Volume 90, Number 1
July 2023
By: Jennifer Quinn-Barabanov, Zachary B. Schreiber, Onika K. Williams
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 25 Practice, 72 Individual Mentions in Chambers USA 2023
June 1, 2023
Press Releases
Steptoe Welcomes Surface Transportation Board and Association of American Railroads Insider
Timothy Strafford Bolsters the Firm's Marquis Transportation Practice
May 11, 2022
Press Releases
Four Steptoe Lawyers Named Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellows and Pathfinders
February 24, 2022
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 27 Practice Rankings, 31 Individual Awards in Legal 500 US 2021
September 13, 2021
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 67 Rankings in 2021 US News - Best Lawyers' 'Best Law Firms'
November 5, 2020
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 125 Individual Mentions in Best Lawyers in America 2021
August 20, 2020
Events
Webinars
Real World Accident Response: The NTSB
February 28, 2017
Speakers: David H. Coburn, Dane Jaques