About
Scott D. Deatherage
Environment. Energy. Business. Multiple disciplines, one integrated practice.
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S Deatherage Law is a Dallas firm advising developers, companies, data centers, landowners, and investment funds on environmental, energy, infrastructure, and business matters — in Texas and across the United States.
Scott began at large Dallas firms in 1987, spending 28 years representing Fortune 500 energy companies, financial institutions, manufacturers, real estate companies, and private equity firms on environmental regulation, enforcement, permitting, litigation, and the environmental dimensions of transactions. He founded the firm in 2016.
Environment
A recognized authority in environmental and natural resources law — permitting, compliance, enforcement, and litigation, together with environmental due diligence, brownfield redevelopment, climate change and carbon credits, and ESG. Environmental litigation and enforcement defense is a substantial and growing part of the practice, for claimants and defendants alike.
Energy
Since 2016 Scott has worked on more than $10 billion in energy infrastructure — more than 100 utility-scale solar, wind, and energy storage projects, more than 100 ground leases, natural gas facilities, transmission, and data centers across Texas, California, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico. He represents both developers and landowners.
Business
Decades of contract negotiation, company formation, and mergers and acquisitions for private equity, lenders, real estate companies, energy developers, data center companies, and families. From 2018 to 2026 Scott was co-founder and Chief Legal Officer of Rove Charging, an electric vehicle charging infrastructure company, and its sole in-house lawyer — building the legal function from formation, supporting a $150 million private equity raise and a Department of Energy loan application that received phase 1 approval for $225 million.
Education
- Harvard Law School — J.D., 1987, cum laude. Articles Editor, Harvard Environmental Law Review.
- University of Oklahoma — B.A., 1984, Highest Honors. Major in Letters; minors in Botany and French.
- Bar admission — Texas.
Honors and recognition
- Best Lawyers in America — Environmental Law; Dallas Environmental Lawyer of the Year, 2010 and 2015.
- Chambers USA — America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
- Texas Super Lawyers — Environmental.
- Best Lawyers in Dallas — D Magazine.
- Who's Who Legal — Texas.
Teaching
Adjunct Professor, University of Texas at Austin School of Law, teaching Climate Change Law for four years.
Professional affiliations
- Institute for Energy Law — member; former Chair, Power and Alternative Energy Committee
- American Bar Association — founder and former Chair, Environmental Disclosure Committee; Natural Resources Section; Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Section; Environment, Energy, and Resources Section
- State Bar of Texas — Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section, board of the Environmental Committee (1998–2001); Administrative Law Section
- Dallas Bar Association — Chair, Environmental Law Section (1997); Executive Council and officer positions (1991–1997); Program Co-Chair (1996–1997)
- Dallas Chamber of Commerce — Environmental Committee member
- Bureau of National Affairs — former Texas Representative, State Law Advisory Committee, Environmental Due Diligence Guide
- Clean Tech Open — volunteer and legal advisor; mentored the winner of the South Central District
- North Texas Blockchain Alliance — member
Advisory boards
- Crescendo Power — renewable energy private equity firm
- Alternative Resource Group — renewable energy developer
- Principal Solar — solar energy development company (former)
Publications
- Carbon Trading Law and Practice — Oxford University Press, 2011
- Author, Indoor Air and Vapor Intrusion chapter — Texas Environmental Law, Thomson Reuters, Texas Practice Series (vols. 45–46)
Selected presentations
- Negotiating Solar Leases: Issues for Developers and Landowners — University of Texas School of Law Renewable Energy Conference, 2020
- On-the-Ground Realities of Renewable Energy — Harvard Club, 2020
- Behind the Meter Energy Storage — University of Texas School of Law Renewable Energy Conference, 2018
- Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Smart Contracts and Oil and Gas — Dallas Bar Association, 2018
- EPA Greenhouse Gas Regulation: Clash with Texas — TexasBarCLE, 2010