Overview
(December 6, 2016, Washington, DC) — The National Law Journal has named Steptoe partners Brian Heberlig and Reid Weingarten to its “Winning” litigators list for 2016. According to the legal publication, the lawyers selected “all have something in common – they score big wins in court.”
In a profile published December 5, the editors recognized Messrs. Heberlig and Weingarten for securing a complete defense acquittal for David Rainey, the highest ranking BP executive charged in the fatal 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, the largest oil spill in US history.
On June 5, 2015, following two hours of deliberations, a jury in New Orleans found Mr. Rainey not guilty of the remaining charge against him, making false statements to FBI investigators. The acquittal followed his dismissal of an obstruction of Congress charge earlier in the week.
Mr. Heberlig tells The National Law Journal the case was a lesson in not letting up on pretrial legal fights – getting the obstruction charge dismissed significantly shortened the trial. "If you have an issue that gets the judge's attention, keep pushing," he says.
The full profile can be read at The National Law Journal (subscription required).
About Steptoe
Steptoe & Johnson LLP is an international law firm widely recognized for vigorous advocacy in complex litigation and arbitration, successful representation of clients before governmental agencies, and creative and practical advice in guiding business transactions. The firm has more than 500 lawyers and other professionals in offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, Phoenix and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
