Russell Lewis > Baker Botts L.L.P. > Houston, United States > Lawyer Profile

Baker Botts L.L.P.
910 LOUISIANA STREET
HOUSTON
TEXAS 77002-4995
TEXAS
United States

Work Department

Litigation

Position

Partner

Career

Russell Lewis serves as partner in charge of the Houston office. He has substantial experience helping clients navigate multi-faceted matters that include complex commercial cases, crisis response, class actions, and government investigations. He also regularly counsels companies on regulatory and compliance matters.

With extensive experience in disputes, Mr. Lewis has represented clients in matters as diverse as large-scale commercial cases, environmental matters, claims arising out of production sharing contracts and operating agreements, condemnation proceedings, class actions, negligence, product liability, and ERISA issues. He has litigated numerous cases in state and federal courts, as well as before international arbitral institutions.

Mr. Lewis also has represented companies in government investigations including matters brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Department of Justice. He routinely advises clients on compliance matters, including adherence with the FCPA and UK Bribery Act.

Mr. Lewis has a deep understanding of the operational issues and litigation risks facing companies in the energy and manufacturing industries. As a result, companies often call upon Mr. Lewis for day-to-day consulting and strategic advice. In this capacity, Mr. Lewis has counseled clients on the legal aspects of their domestic and foreign operations, led internal investigations, conducted risk assessments, and developed and implemented emergency response protocols.

Memberships

State Bar of Texas

United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas

United States District Court for the District of Colorado

Houston Bar Association

Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

Houston Bar Foundation, Fellow

Wesley Community Center, Board President (2016-2018), Director (2012-2018)

United Way, Community Investment Volunteer

Education

J.D., Tulane University Law School 2002
magna cum laude
Order of the Coif
Managing Editor, Tulane Law Review

B.S., Psychology, Louisiana State University 1999

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort

Baker Botts L.L.P. generates a substantial amount of toxic tort and nuisance litigation work from clients in the energy sector, running the gamut from occupational exposure in relation to toxins released at manufacturing plants, personal injury and property damage caused by the alleged release of toxins and product liability claims regarding chemical products. The team also excels at defending companies following large-scale environmental incidents, including in crisis response, as well as to deal with the ensuing regulatory inquiries and in any follow-on class action litigation. Drawing upon a deep understanding of the operational issues and litigation risks facing companies in the energy and manufacturing industries, Houston-based Russell Lewis excels in handling these type of multi-faceted mandates, as well as regularly advising clients in the space from a risk management perspective. As well as handling toxic tort and class action litigation arising from environmental issues, Washington DC-based Kent Mayo also often assists clients on compliance and enforcement matters relating to environmental regulations including the Clean Air Act, adding deep insight, in part due to his previous tenure as a trial lawyer in the environmental section of the DOJ. Also based in Washington DC, Joshua Frank combines his legal and scientific background to good effect on behalf of clients seeking to prevail in the defense of citizen suits and government enforcement actions in relation to environmental statutes, as well as in conventional toxic tort matters. Mayo and Frank co-head the team alongside Houston-based Tynan Buthod.