Overview
(September 11, 2018, Washington, DC) — Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce that Peter Denton has joined the firm’s Transportation Group as a partner. Based in the firm’s Washington office, Denton will focus his practice on railroad law and the development and financing of infrastructure projects.
Denton advises clients in the railroad industry on regulatory and legislative issues, business transactions, arbitrations, court actions, regulatory issues and disputes before the US Surface Transportation Board (STB), and appeals in federal court. He brings particular strength in litigation of regulatory disputes before the STB, focusing primarily on rail access issues. He also has experience in disputes related to federal preemption of state and local regulation under the ICC Termination Act of 1995 and on obtaining STB approval for rail line acquisitions and other M&A transactions.
Denton’s clients in the railroad industry have included major Class I railroads, regional and short line railroads, intercity passenger railroads, commuter railroads, public transportation agencies, public authority owners of rail property, rail service providers, rail equipment suppliers, and various financial institutions and funds. Denton also advises clients on the scope of federal rail safety laws administered by the Federal Railroad Administration and federal rail labor laws administered by the Railroad Retirement Board.
Denton’s infrastructure practice involves advising clients on financing, delivery, and procurement methods for major road, bridge, tunnel, railroad, port, and mass transit projects. His clients on these public-private partnership (P3) projects have included government agencies, private developers, lenders, bond underwriters, and contractors.
For the past three years, Chambers USA has named Denton an “associate to watch.” He has also been named to the Washington, DC Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list every year since 2014.
In welcoming Denton to Steptoe, firm Chair Phil West commented: “Peter is a rising star in the rail industry who has gained significant experience representing carriers on a variety of matters before the STB. His arrival will help keep our premier railroad practice moving forward for many years to come. Peter’s experience in infrastructure will also expand the work that our Corporate practice head and former Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño is doing with public-private partnerships.”
Denton added: “Steptoe is a dominant player in the railroad industry and provides an ideal platform for my clients. I am delighted by the firm’s continued commitment to its transportation practice, and I look forward to helping the team continue to grow.”
For the past two years, Steptoe’s Transportation Group has been named a Law360 Transportation Group of the Year. The group’s lawyers represent clients in a broad range of complex commercial and regulatory matters pertaining to rail, aviation, and motor carriers, and are known for the depth of their experience in transportation litigation and appellate matters. In the railroad practice, the team represents rail carriers in complex commercial disputes before the STB, in federal and state courts, and in arbitration proceedings. 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.
Denton earned his B.A. and J.D. from Georgetown University. While in law school, he was a senior editor of the Georgetown International Environmental Law Review and a law clerk at the Institute for Public Representation, Environmental Law Division.
About Steptoe
In more than 100 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
