Photo of Keith A. Shuley

Keith A. Shuley Member

Areas of Practice

Bar Admissions

  • Texas
  • District of Columbia
  • Colorado (Inactive)

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas

Education

University of Houston Law Center, J.D., 1981

Rice University, Master of Architecture in Urban Design with a Specialty in Natural Environmental Management, 1976

The University of Texas at Austin, M.B.A., 1996

Washington State University, Bachelor of Architecture, summa cum laude, 1974

Washington State University, B.S., with distinction, 1973

For more than 30 years, Keith Shuley has advised clients seeking to address environmental, construction, and complex contracting issues. With respect to environmental matters, he addresses governmental relations, permit acquisition, pollution abatement and remediation, due diligence investigation, utility rate setting, and regulatory compliance. He represents clients in the construction of new facilities and resolution of construction disputes as well as complex contracting issues involved in one-of-a-kind projects. Mr. Shuley is a LEED® Accredited Professional and is the Managing Member of the Austin office. 

Experience

Environmental Counseling Overview

  • Represented more than 500 clients concerning environmental issues before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and its predecessor agencies (e.g., the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, Texas Water Commission, Texas Department of Water Resource and Texas Air Control Board) as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • Administered over 200 Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments
  • Negotiated and drafted environmental terms and conditions for over 200 property sales and acquisitions
  • Handled more than 100 compliance issues with the TCEQ (and its predecessor agencies) and the EPA
  • Managed over 50 Brownfield developments
  • Handled over 50 permit acquisitions and renewals
  • Oversaw over 50 TCEQ Voluntary Cleanup Program and/or Innocent Owner Program applications
  • Directed over 20 administrative hearings
  • Administered over 15 Texas Audit Privilege applications
  • Guided more than 10 Municipal Setting Designation applications

Environmental Counseling Projects

  • American Airlines Center and Victory Park Development, Dallas, Texas. Keith led the environmental legal team that oversaw the remediation of the 72-acre Victory Park development in Dallas, and he oversaw the contracting for demolition, remediation and construction associated with American Airlines Center and the Victory Park development. This project was the largest EPA Brownfield development in the U.S. and, as a result of this work, his law firm received the Texas Environmental Excellence Award from the State of Texas.
  • Environmental analysis of assets of an oil-related business. Keith led the legal and environmental consultant team that analyzed and assessed the potential environmental risk associated with the acquisition of international assets of an oil-related business and advised client on price adjustments to offset risk.
  • Administrative proceeding for the Texas TGV. Keith was part of the team that secured the franchise for the Texas TGV Corporation from the Texas High Speed Rail Authority in the early 1990s.

Design/Construction Overview

  • Holds three degrees in Architecture
  • Has served on the faculty in the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin since 1982
  • Is a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED-AP) and an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects. As a LEED-AP, he has demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles, as well as the LEED Rating System.
  • Drafted over 100 design and construction contracts

Design/Construction Projects

  • Oklahoma Bombing Memorial. Represented the designers of the Memorial in Oklahoma City, OK
  • Air Force Memorial. Drafted construction contracts for the Memorial in Washington DC.
  • Represented the architect on the design of a residence for a former President of the United States
  • Represented a major media company on mission critical facility construction

Complex Contracting Overview

  • Drafted more than 25 complex contracts involving non-routine or one-of-kind business issues

Complex Contracting Projects

  • Drew up contracts for a Texas cogeneration facility
  • Wrote contracts for an international wastewater treatment facility including the international transfer of water and wastewater across borders
  • Negotiated a settlement between a developer and an environmental group on multifaceted wastewater construction dispute
  • Drafted contracts for a public private partnership involving the long term lease, design and construction of a research facility on federal land
  • Provided contracting advice for an international construction contractor
  • Wrote contracts for a fiber optics installation crisscrossing an entire state
  • Negotiated waste to energy contract
  • Structured the settlement and retrofit conditions associated with an underperforming ultra-filtration, reverse osmosis, water treatment facility
  • Negotiated the terms and conditions regarding the sale and remediation of a former power plant and industrial waste disposal facility

Memberships & Involvement

  • Faculty, University of Texas at Austin, 1982-Present
    • School of Architecture – The Law and Business of Design and Construction
    • McCombs School of Business – Marketing
    • School of Law – Environmental Law
  • Associate Member, American Institute of Architects
  • Associate Member, Texas Society of Architects
  • Dykema Office Managing Partner - Austin
  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Environmental and Water Law, 2008-Present. Copyright 2015 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC
  • Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer® for Environmental Law, Construction Litigation, and Transportation/Maritime in Texas Monthly, 2006-Present