Picture of Richard S. Pabst

Richard S. Pabst

Partner

"Having served as counsel for one of the largest energy companies in the world, I bring a critical in-house perspective and an understanding to advocating for the rights of my clients."

Richard Pabst brings more than three decades of the highest level of in-house and private practice experience to his oil and gas, environmental regulatory, and litigation practice. In everything he does, Richard remains aligned with client goals to resolve their biggest challenges in a cost-effective manner. His client-partnering mentality and undeniable expertise as a strategic advocate and tactical negotiator are manifest in consistently favorable outcomes both in and out of court.

Richard advises oil and gas companies and other energy industry constituents on environmental litigation, settlement strategy, and remediation/regulatory issues involving state and federal agencies. He is skilled in resolving complex, high-stakes legacy lawsuits, specifically dealing with the remediation of contaminated oil and gas properties, Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials, climate change, wetlands/coastal land loss matters, and all parallel proceedings.

With a practice at the crossroads of oil and gas, litigation, and environmental law, Richard is an effective advisor who has initiated and established precedent-setting achievements over the course of his career. His demonstrated leadership abilities as a lawyer and industry thought innovator have established him as a go-to advisor for major energy industry companies seeking to safeguard their rights.

AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell, Richard is a Loyola Institute of Politics Fellow and a Loyola Institute of Environmental Communication Fellow and a Harvard Law School Mediation Program graduate. His extensive knowledge and absolute attentiveness to each client he feels privileged to serve have earned him a great deal of respect as a pre-eminent legal resource, trusted advisor, tactical negotiator, and tenacious advocate.

Prior to joining the firm, Richard served as a Senior Counsel in the Texaco Inc. Legal Department in New Orleans and Houston from 1986-2001. He brings this important in-house perspective and experience to serving energy industry clients today when finding the appropriate resolution to their legal needs.

Representative Experience
  • Liaison counsel for various defendants in wetlands and coastal land loss cases.
  • Lead counsel for a joint defense group in several NORM personal injury and property damage class action and mass joinder cases.
  • Lead counsel for a major international oil company with significant Louisiana oil field environmental litigation and regulatory issues involving NORM, wetlands and coastal land loss, oil field remediation, oil spill, and UST issues.
  • Directed several internal investigations involving corporate conduct and regulatory compliance issues.
Education
  • Tulane University Law School, LL.M., Energy and Environment, 1993
  • LSU Law Center, J.D., 1986
  • University of New Orleans, B.S., 1982
  • Mediation Program, Harvard Negotiation Institute, 2009
Admissions
  • Louisiana
  • Texas
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • All Louisiana Federal Courts
Memberships
  • Fellow, Loyola Institute of Politics, 2008-2009
  • 2012 Fellow, Loyola Institute for Environmental Communication
Recognition
  • AV Preeminent-rated, Martindale Hubbell
Articles, Publications and Presentations
  • The “Zone of Reasonableness”, Louisiana Law Blog, January 6, 2025
  • "Environmental Law: How it Stimulates Change," Loyola Institute for Environmental Communications, 2012
  • "Mitigating Liability for Response Costs and Other Economic Damages in Private Party Actions Involving Soil or Ground Water Contamination," Chemical Products Liability & Environmental Litigation, American Conference Institute, 2011