Patrick J. Veters

Pat Veters is a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group. He concentrates on OSHA compliance and litigation. Pat has extensive experience representing clients in a wide array of industries in governmental investigations and administrative proceedings brought before the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety Health Act (MSHA). Drawing on his decades of experience defending clients in state and federal courts and administrative agencies, Pat and the firm have developed effective relationships with government officials and agency regulators at the national, regional, state, and local levels. He frequently assists and advises companies during on-site safety and health investigations, and in subsequent litigation with the Department of Labor. Pat has helped clients respond to investigations by the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), the US Coast Guard (USCG), OSHA, and MSHA, as well as state regulatory agencies. Pat has tried many cases in front of judges and juries in federal and state courts in multiple jurisdictions, including cases before the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Among other high-profile matters, he argued before the US Supreme Court against the Department of Labor in Elaine Chao v. Mallard Bay Drilling, a case that defined the permissible jurisdictional boundaries between OSHA and the US Coast Guard. He regularly defends employers who have been issued citations and penalties by OSHA and, in addition to his courtroom advocacy, has litigated cases before the OSHA Review Commission. As part of his counseling practice, Pat assists clients in developing safety and health policies, and procedures and contingency plans for responding to governmental investigations. He counsels clients on proactive risk management and assists client-safety professions on process safety and risk management matters. In addition to his OSHA practice, Pat has a robust general litigation practice, with an emphasis on tort and commercial litigation.