J. Robert Sheppard, III
Senior Associate
713.565.1464
LinkedIn
rsheppard@hoganthompson.com
Biography
Robert focuses his practice on complex civil litigation and energy disputes, representing clients across both the oil and gas and alternative fuel sectors. His wide-ranging experience encompasses disputes in the mass and toxic tort, environmental, healthcare, and employment spaces. He manages cases through all phases of litigation, from pre-suit litigation through trial and ultimately, appellate representation.
Robert has successfully litigated high-stakes and bet-the-company disputes across diverse forums, including state courts in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and California; federal court districts in Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, Maryland, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico; and various arbitral forums. He has also argued multiple appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Robert graduated summa cum laude from The University of Mississippi School of Law. During law school, he served as the Executive Articles Editor of the Mississippi Law Journal. During law school, Robert served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Albert Diaz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and as a judicial extern to the Honorable Neil P. Olack of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Prior to joining Hogan Thompson Schuelke, Robert was a litigation attorney with Vinson & Elkins LLP and King & Spalding LLP in Houston and Proskauer Rose LLP in New Orleans. Robert is licensed to practice in Texas and Louisiana.
Outside of work, Robert enjoys travel (especially to the mountains and Europe), Tarheel sports, and spending time with his family.
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Isaacks et al. v. Terumo BCT, Inc. et al. – Member of core trial team which obtained a full defense verdict in six-week long jury trial brought by residents near a medical device manufacturing and sterilization facility in Colorado state court alleging development of various diseases, including various cancers, allegedly due to exposure to ethylene oxide emissions, and seeking $445 million in damages. The trial was named Courtroom View Network’s (CVN) Most Impressive Defense Verdict in 2025.
Jordan et al. v. Terumo BCT, Inc. et al. – Member of core trial team which obtained docket-wide settlement the night before closing arguments in a second month-long jury trial in Colorado state court brought by different plaintiffs alleging exposure to ethylene oxide emissions alleged to have caused different diseases and cancers.
Member of core trial team which obtained an approximately $18 million verdict on behalf of a major oil company in the Southern District of Texas where defendants used plaintiff’s trademarks and trade dress to engage in a fraudulent fuel sales scheme.
Represented a major oil company and related entities, including by obtaining multiple partial summary judgment victories on behalf of the joint defense group, as national litigation counsel in multiple MTBE cases in federal court in which state agencies allege that gasoline additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) – a precursor to ethanol – is a defective and unreasonably dangerous product that has contaminated public and private drinking water supplies in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and numerous other states.
Represented leading energy construction company in EPC agreement contractual dispute with purchaser of various pipeline systems in Louisiana.
Represented a major specialty retailer of home construction and renovation products and services in Texas state court in personal injury and wrongful death matter arising out of a multiple-fatality house fire that occurred during Winter Storm Uri.
Represented a large Texas wood pellet manufacturer in a Clean Air Act citizen-suit in the Eastern District of Texas in which plaintiffs alleged defendant’s Texas manufacturing facility violated applicable permits by emitting VOCs and HAPs in excess of permitted levels.
Represented a major producer of beverage solutions in Texas state court in a lawsuit seeking temporary and permanent injunctive relief, including by successfully obtaining a temporary restraining order, and damages against a Texas municipal water district seeking to fine and shut down its manufacturing facility.
Represented a major oil company in a Clean Water Act citizen-suit in federal court in which plaintiffs alleged defendant’s Connecticut facility violated its permit by failing to properly account for climate change.
Represented an energy battery storage facility in California in contractual dispute with manufacturer of facility involving delay and defective construction claims.
Represented a major oil company against personal injury claims of alleged severe physical impairment arising out of an industrial accident.
Represented leading Paris-based SAP “order-to-cash” software company and individual employees, including by successfully defending against an application for temporary injunction, against claims brought by a competitor alleging various violations of restrictive covenants and alleged misappropriation of trade secrets.
Represented industrial safety company, private equity investment company, and numerous individuals in lawsuits across four states alleging trade secret theft and breach of restrictive covenants.
Represented major drill part manufacturer in multiple lawsuits alleging trade secret theft and breach of restrictive covenants.
Education
University of Mississippi School of Law
J.D., summa cum laude
Executive Articles Editor, Mississippi Law Journal
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
B.A., Arts, Economics, History, Classics, with Honors
Vice Chair of Student-Run Honor Court
Student Government, Committee on Student Conduct
Judicial Clerkships
Law Clerk, Hon. Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (2014-2015)
Extern, Hon. Albert Diaz, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (2013)
Extern, Hon. Neil P. Olack, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Mississippi (2012)
Publications
Thomas H. Wilson & J. Robert Sheppard, III, “In Memory of Sergei Magnitsky: A Lawyer’s Role in Promoting and Protecting International Human Rights,” 42 Hous. J. Int’l L. (Jun. 2019)
J. Robert Sheppard, III, “Double Jeopardy Blues: Why in Light of Blueford v. Arkansas States Should Mandate Partial Verdicts in Acquit-First Transition Instruction Cases,” 83 Miss. L.J. 373 (2014)
Previous Affiliations
King & Spalding LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Proskauer Rose LLP
Admissions
Texas
Louisiana