Littler

257 Best Lawyers awards

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Awarded Practice Areas

Employment Law - Management Labor Law - Management

Biography

Steven R. McCown has extensive experience in traditional labor law, while also having the unique background of representing employers in numerous employment law jury trials in state and federal courts. He has defended several complex employment law class actions and recently led the successful defense of a Fortune 100 company in a nationwide sex discrimination class action. He has successfully defended wage and hour collective actions, defeating class certification in several national collective actions.

He has more than 35 years of experience representing employers in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) matters and is nationally recognized for his expertise. He has successfully litigated more than 100 OSHA and MSHA citation contests for employers. He also has handled numerous investigations and administrative proceedings. Among his notable accomplishments, Steven successfully defended an OSHA fatality inspection of a refinery explosion involving 17 fatalities, resulting in no OSHA citations issued to the employer. Additionally, he counsels and advises employers on safety compliance and the preparation of safety policies and procedures. He has on-the-ground experience dealing with catastrophic and accident/fatality investigations.

A frequent speaker before business and professional associations throughout the country, Steven also is a contributing author to several treatises and publications on occupational safety and health law. He is board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Steven's clients include companies in the following industries:

  • Construction
  • Telecommunications
  • Oil and gas
  • Manufacturing
  • Restaurants

    Co-founder and former office managing shareholder of Littler Mendelson's Dallas office, Steven previously served as a member of the firm's Management and Executive committees. He is currently serving his second term on the Board of Directors, is chair of the OSHA Workplace Safety Practice Group and is actively involved with many other committees.

Littler

257 Best Lawyers awards

Littler logo

Overview

  • Southern Methodist University, J.D., graduated 1975

  • Texas, State Bar of Texas
  • Texas, State Bar of Texas
  • Southern Methodist University, J.D., graduated 1975

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law - Management
Special Focus:
  • Class Actions
  • Management
  • OSHA
Awards:
  • Named, Nation's Most Powerful Labor and Employment Attorneys - Top 10, Human Resource Executive / Lawdragon Inc., 2010
  • Named, America's Leading Lawyers for Business - Chambers USA, 2004-2013
  • Named, Super Lawyer - Texas
  • Named, Nations' Most Powerful Employment Attorneys - Top 100, Human Resource Executive / Lawdragon Inc., 2013

Case History

Cases
  • Other Court Admissions
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma
  • U.S. District Court, District of Columbia

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