Stephen B. Edmundson

• Refinery Explosion (Trial). Defended energy company against approximately 600 personal injury, property damage, and gross negligence claims after refinery explosion. Bellwether trial victory in Big Spring, Texas and key Dallas pre-trial rulings led to global resolution of both plaintiff groups.° 
• Industrial Plant Explosion. Joint Defense lead/liaison counsel for all damages alleged (wrongful death, personal injury, property damage, insurance, and business interruption) by approximately 2,400 plaintiffs in Houston’s January 20, 2020 Explosion Multi-District Litigation. Led damages fact and expert depositions; expert vetting, hiring, and preparation of designations and reports (approx. 50); drafted medical expert strike motions, and supervised records ordering and written discovery. Prepared comprehensive assessment of all claims for insurers that led to settlement. 
• $300M+ Construction Cost Overrun for Plant Relocation (Trial). As first part of a bifurcated matter, served as first-chair trial defense counsel for a publicly-traded chemical company against construction sub-contractor’s claim for $10M in alleged unpaid bills for non-conforming work. Second part, involving overall plant relocation cost disputes is ongoing.
• Construction Drowning Death at Baylor University (Trial). Secured defense verdict for steel erection sub-contractor against claims arising from employee’s drowning death during construction of Baylor University football stadium.°
• Qatari Plant Construction Delay Penalties. Assisted in defeating application to enjoin drawing on more than $60M in letters of credit as security for construction delay penalties at a Qatari petrochemical plant.°
• Nationwide Industrial Lease Dispute. Represented acetylene wholesaler in series of company-threatening commercial lease disputes after arbitrator awarded a ten-fold rental increase. Authored motion to vacate arbitration and argued or coordinated temporary and permanent injunction proceedings in eight jurisdictions across the United States.
• Houston Entertainment Center Flood Claim. Represented major U.S. insurer against multimillion-dollar flood loss claim concerning a well-known downtown Houston entertainment center.°
• African Construction Malaria Claim (Trial). Defended and secured post-mistrial summary judgment for construction general contractor against sub-contractor’s claims that he contracted malaria and went blind from work in Africa.°
• First Impression Carbon Black Pollution Coverage. Defended insurer against coverage and bad faith claims arising from hundreds of millions of dollars in personal injury and property loss settlements. Case presented issues of first impression under West Virginia law on interpretation of the absolute pollution exclusion and products completed operations hazard, policy trigger and allocation, and available bad faith claims-handling remedies.°
• Boutique Hotel Water Infiltration Claim. Defended masonry sub-contractor against multi-million-dollar water infiltration claims at boutique hotel in Austin.°
• Fatal Shooting During FBI Surveillance (Trial). Won trial defending a restaurant against negligent security, wrongful death, and dram shop claims arising from a fatal shooting that occurred while FBI was surveilling the building.°
• Mansion Glass Claim/Cover-Up Discovered (Trial). Won trial defending glass company against alleged house-wide glass failure in a Houston mansion. Mr. Edmundson discovered an undisclosed similar suit by plaintiffs, helping the jury to place 100 percent liability on plaintiffs.°
• Alleged Sexual Assault at Developmental Disabilities Facility. Defended Houston Center serving persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities against alleged non-consensual sex by residents due to mental capacity issues.°
• Bet-the-Company Case Turned Around by Bootlegging Discovery. Assisted in defense of a potential "bet the company" case against America's largest manufacturer of industrial absorbent products. Helped discover distributor's bootlegging, which turned tide of case.°
• “Traveler” Life Insurance Fraud. Defended sales agent against claims involving “Traveler” life insurance fraud and crime ring.°
• Recording Artist Dispute with Music Distributor (Trial). Defended recorded music distributor at trial against artist’s and record label’s breach of contract claims. Court recessed trial and encouraged plaintiff to settle after Mr. Edmundson’s cross-examination of artist/general manager. Case settled.°
• Theft of Trade Secrets … and Settlement Breach. Represented industrial battery company against former employees who stole trade secrets. Secured injunctions preventing use of secrets and solicitation of client’s customers. Reached settlement, then sued and secured more settlement dollars when opponent breached settlement agreement.°
• High Net Worth Family Trust (Trial). Tried complex 3-week family trust dispute regarding alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, fraud, and accounting failures; secured post-verdict settlement.
• High Net Worth Life Insurance Claim. Defended major insurer against alleged misrepresentations in sale and administration of flexible premium life insurance policy.°
• Oil and Gas Asset Sales Misrepresentation Claim. Defended on-line oil and gas asset marketer/clearinghouse against misrepresentation, breach of contract, and lost profit claims.°
• Fraudulent Transfer Claim Against Directors. Defended four former oil and gas acquisition entity directors against bankruptcy trustee’s fraudulent transfer claims.°
• Settlement Without Insurer’s Consent Not Covered. Secured summary judgment and appellate win for major U.S. insurer. Insured’s $16.5M settlement was found to be without insurer's consent and, therefore, not covered.°
• Officer Disgorgement Not Covered. Secured summary judgment and appellate win for a major insurer, against claim that judgment disgorging $3M severance payment from insured’s former officer was a covered loss.°
• Long-Arm Overreach Thwarted. Secured dismissal through special appearance and defeated expedited appeal for Florida entity that had contracted with a Texas corporation for goods and services.°
• Non-Signatory Compelled to Arbitrate. Secured mandamus relief for client, an environmental remediation consultant, compelling a non-signatory to the remediation contract to arbitrate because of direct benefits estoppel.°

°The above representations were handled by Mr. Edmundson prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

• Briefing Attorney, Texas First Court of Appeals (Houston), 1997-1998

• Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Texas Super Lawyers, 2023
• Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Texas Super Lawyers, “Rising Star,” 2005-2010
• Listed, Houstonia, “Best of Houston – Top Lawyer,” 2013, 2015
  • Commercial, 2015
  • Insurance Law, 2013

• District 20 Director, Texas Association of Defense Counsel Board, 2023-Present
  • District 20 Member, 2023-Present
• Houston Football Association
  • Tournament Director/At-Large Board Member, 2019-Present
  • Past President, 2007-2009
• Founding Member, Texian Army – Houston, 2006-2008
  • Board Member, 2006-2008
• Volunteer, YMCA, 2011-2015
• Volunteer, Post Oak Little League, 2016-2018