William R. Keffer

Environmental Litigation

Oilfield Pollution

Expert Witness Support

Experience

Bill Keffer's litigation practice focuses on environmental and toxic tort cases involving the petroleum exploration and production, refining, and product transportation industries.  Mr. Keffer has practiced in several areas of litigation since becoming licensed in 1984.  His current practice area, however, is partially the result of having spent over six years as a litigation manager and later as senior attorney for environmental safety and health for ARCO Oil and Gas Company, a division of Atlantic Richfield Company.  In that position, Mr. Keffer managed and was responsible for all of AOGC's environmental litigation and handled numerous state and federal regulatory matters, as well as participating in the development and implementation of AOGC's internal audit program relating to compliance with safety and environmental regulations.  Mr. Keffer's ARCO experience included handling matters in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, California, Kansas, and offshore Gulf of Mexico.

After leaving ARCO and joining Gardere & Wynne in 1993, Mr. Keffer's practice focused exclusively on oilfield pollution litigation, and he represented energy companies such as ARCO, Conoco, Chevron, Vastar, and Meridian.  Mr. Keffer has also successfully represented various landowners in prosecuting their oilfield pollution claims, including ranch families in the Permian Basin and South Texas, as well as rural landowners in North Texas. Since starting his own practice in 2001, Mr. Keffer’s work has continued to focus exclusively on environmental matters involving the oil-and-gas industry.

Professional Activities and Memberships

Mr. Keffer is a charter member, former president, and former board member of the Dallas Chapter of the Federalist Society.  Mr. Keffer previously served in the Texas Legislature as the State Representative from District 107 (Northeast Dallas).

He is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Maguire Energy Institute, which is part of the Cox School of Business at SMU.

Speeches, Publications and Special Appearances

Mr. Keffer has written articles and given speeches at several industry and professional seminars on oilfield pollution and related topics.  Mr. Keffer published an article on oilfield pollution in the March-April 1994 SMU Law Review entitled "Drilling for Damages: Common Law Relief in Oilfield Pollution Cases," and he updated that work in 2002 with a more comprehensive publication for the 54th Annual Institute on Oil & Gas Law entitled "The Last Phase of an Oil Field: Getting Sued."  Mr. Keffer's accomplishments include serving as co-counsel in charge of developing and implementing the expert case in extensive litigation for Chevron in Mississippi, including two multi-week trials, leading to a significant and favorable change in Mississippi case law.  Mr. Keffer and his Miller Keffer Pedigo partner, Randy Miller, also successfully tried significant groundwater contamination litigation for dozens of landowners in Wise County, leading to a jury verdict of $204 million.

Cleaning Up the Right of Way

The Fracks of Life

Education

Mr. Keffer graduated cum laude from Southern Methodist University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts and Departmental Distinction and History and received his Juris Doctorate in 1984 from the University of Texas.  Mr. Keffer was admitted to practice law in Texas in 1984.