Robert E. “Robin” Morse, III

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713-752-8611
rmorse@craincaton.com

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Experience

Robert E. “Robin” Morse, III has been practicing environmental law since 1974 when he was first admitted to the State Bar of Texas. Over the last 30 years, Mr. Morse’s environmental practice has included both court and administrative litigation, as well as assistance to clients on regulatory and transactional matters. Mr. Morse is admitted to practice in the state courts of Texas, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, and both the Fifth and Third U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals. Mr. Morse has practiced before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Railroad Commission, the Texas Department of Health and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. He has represented both private and governmental clients, handling State and Federal Superfund and RCRA hazardous waste cost recovery, permitting and enforecement matters, air quality permitting and compliance issues, wastewater permitting and enforcement, asbestos and radioactive materials cases and wetlands-related problems. Mr. Morse has defended corporate clients in enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Texas Attorney General’s Office as well as administrative penalty cases. He has successfully tried jury cases involving toxic torts. His clients include CenterPoint Energy, Schenectady International, Inc., the City of Port Arthur, Texas, National Oilwell Varco, Baker Atlas and Lufkin Creosoting Co., Inc. Mr. Morse has served on the Executive Committee of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. He has also served on the Executive Council of the Environmental Section of the Houston Bar Association and is a frequent speaker at environmental law seminars. Mr. Morse has been designated a Texas “Super Lawyer” in the field of Environmental Law by Texas Monthly magazine in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.  Mr. Morse has also been recognized in the Who's Who Legal Directory (Texas 2008) as well as the Chambers & Partners 2005 Client's Guide for America's Leading Lawyers for Business.

Representative Experience

• Kettlewell v. Hot-Mix, Inc., 566 S.W.2d 663 (Tex. Civ. App.–Houston [1st], 1978, no writ)
• State v. Associated Metals & Minerals Corporation, 595 S.W.2d 924 (Tex. Civ. App.–Houston [14th], 1980, writ of mandamus ref'd)
• State v. Associated Metals & Minerals Corporation, 616 S.W.2d 305 (Tex. Civ. App.–Houston [14th], 1981)
• State v. Associated Metals & Minerals Corporation, 635 S.W.2d 407 (Tex. 1982)
• Town of Griffing Park v. City of Port Arthur, 628 S.W.2d 101 (Tex. App.–Beaumont 1981, writ ref. n.r.e.)
• Brenham Community Protective Ass'n v. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, 893 F. Supp. 652, 665 (W.D.Tex. 1995)
• R.R. Street & Co. Inc. v. Pilgrim Enterprises, Inc., et al., 166 S.W.3d 232 (Tex. 2005)

Publications/Speeches

• Avoiding Litigation and Liability Concerning Environmental Claims Arising Out Of Texas Real Estate Transactions, State Bar of Texas PDP 2000, Environmental and Real Estate Law Conference

• Significant Environmental Cases, State Bar of Texas PDP 1999, 11th Annual Environmental Law Superconference
• Texas Voluntary Cleanup Program - A Discussion of its Benefits and Limits, Crain, Caton & James, P.C., March 1998
• Environmental Issues at the Wellhead, State Bar Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section Report, March 1997
• Use of Litigation Support Technology In Administrative Hearings and Accessing Online Agency Information, State Bar of Texas PDP 1994, Advanced Administrative Law Course
• Hazardous Waste Permitting Developments, Annual Hazardous and Solid Waste Institute, University of Texas School of Law, 1993
• Hazardous Waste – Permitting Developments, Institute of Business Law, California State University, Los Angeles, 1992
• Regulatory Aspects of “NORM” in the Oil Patch, Petro-Safe Conference, February 1991
• Environmental Site Assessments, Annual Hazardous and Solid Waste Institute, University of Texas School of Law, 1991
• NPDES Permitting – Onshore Oil & Gas Operations, Petro-Safe Conference, October 1989
• Hazardous Waste in Texas, National Business Institute, Inc., 1988
• Industry’s Viewpoint of the Definition of Solid/Hazardous Waste: The Case of the Expanding “Wasteline”, State Bar of Texas PDP 1984, Environmental Law Conference
• Land Use and What it Means to Your Client, Houston Young Lawyers Association, Environmental Law Committee, February 1979