Legal Services & Lawyers

Summary

I have led many difficult, sensitive representations in 27 years of practicing law and believe I have the talent, intellect, passion, energy, and communication skills that clients both want and need. While my nationwide practice focuses mainly on federal court matters, in each of my representations I try to be as efficient as possible by locating and focusing on the core issues involved. I interact effectively with government officials based on my years of service as a federal prosecutor. If a case must be tried, I am very comfortable with juries and judges from years of trying cases (having tried 100+ cases and having handled dozens of appeals)and teaching trial skills to lawyers and students.

I stay quite active in the legal community and have been selected by my peers for many leadership positions in professional organizations. I am also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center (where I have taught Civil & Criminal Trial Advocacy, Food & Drug Law, and Antitrust & Health Law).

In addition to my J.D., I also have two LL.M. degrees (Tax and Health Law), have been Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and the National Board of Trial Advocacy since the late 1980's, and have spoken nationally (and internationally) and written about issues in antitrust, compliance, governance, health law, pharmaceutical law, securities law, and white collar defense (among others). I developed and am Editor-in-Chief of a pharmaceutical law treatise published by BNA and the ABA Section of Health Law in 2007 (now in supplementation). I have written many book chapters, dozens of articles, and blog on securities law issues (the FCPA, the subprime market collapse, and the broader financial market). See http://research.lawyers.com/blogs/authors/92-Michael-E.-Clark

I also have been interviewed/quoted by many national media sources including AP; CBC, CNBC; Dallas Morning News; 48 Hours; Fox Financial, Health Channel; Houston Chronicle; National Law Journal; New York Law Journal; New York Times; Texas Lawyer; and USA Today.

Disclaimer: This information does create an attorney-client relationship, nor does it constitute legal advertising. Rather, it is offered for informational purposes.

Specialties (Other than my listed board certifications, I am not certified as a specialist in other areas)

Representation in administrative, civil, and white collar matters. In the past 20 years, I have been involved in federal cases involving banking fraud, business fraud, commodities law, environmental law, financial fraud, health law, securities law, tax law, and trade law violations.

General Counsel

Steve Sapp has extensive experience in the representation of clients in both public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, corporate and securities reporting and compliance matters, Board of Directors representation, and mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, he represents many of his public and private corporate clients, both nationally and internationally, in the prosecution and protection of substantial technology and intellectual property portfolios, related administrative proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and disputes concerning trademark rights, domain names, and copyrights on the Internet.

Due to the breadth of his experience and aptitude for client service, he also has a broad general business practice that includes serving as general outside counsel for several public and private companies.

In practice since 1989, Mr. Sapp is AV® Peer Review rated by Martindale-Hubbell® which is the highest rating available for legal ability and ethical standards (for more information about Martindale-Hubbell® peer review ratings go to www.martindale.com).

I litigate, arbitrate, and try multimillion dollar disputes for individuals and businesses located in the United States and abroad. I have experience in a wide array of legal and procedural areas including: pharmaceutical, product liability, and environmental torts; multidistrict and class action cases involving antitrust, securities, and consumer fraud violations; individual personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from general negligence, medical malpractice, toxic exposures, defective products (drugs, autos, medical devices); lawsuits on behalf of businesses, partnerships, and franchisees for damages related to fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and statutory claims; and claims for the owners of intellectual property seeking damages for theft of trade secrets, patent infringement, and copyright violations. I represent both plaintiffs and defendants as well as large corporations and individuals. I evaluate potential cases everyday with an eye towards investing my law firm's time and money for clients. I've been asked to join preexisting teams prior to trial, and take over lead counsel just prior to trial. I have also agreed to take cases that other lawyers or law firms believed did not justify the investment of time and expense necessary to achieve the client's objectives. I prefer merit based fee arrangements that tie my ultimate compensation to the results I obtain for my client. I've agreed to take over cases pursuant to merit based fee agreements from law firms hired under traditionally hourly terms. Iâve convince my partners to accept merit based fee agreements ranging from reduced hourly fees with a bonus, to fully contingent compensation requiring my firm to advance the value of our time as well as all expert and case expenses required for the case. My firm is a litigation boutique and we only handle litigation matters for clients. We have offices in five cities: Houston, Dallas, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City, and have licensed attorneys available to represent clients in those cities and across the United States. I have very extensive experience representing international clients from outside the United States suing for injuries suffered abroad in places like Europe, South America, Africa, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia.