Steven D. Jansma

Head of Litigation and Disputes, United States Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP

San Antonio +1 210 270 9366

Houston +1 713 651 5522

San Antonio +1 210 270 9366

Houston +1 713 651 5522

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Steven D. Jansma

Steve Jansma is Head of the Litigation and Disputes Practice for the United States. Our Litigation and Disputes Practice consists of 330 attorneys on 11 teams, including Antitrust, Appellate, Commercial and Energy Disputes, Employment & Labor, Environmental and Mass Tort, Financial Institutions Disputes, Global Cybersecurity and Privacy, International Arbitration, Product Liability and Consumer Disputes, Regulatory, Investigations, Securities and Compliance, and Restructuring.

Steve has a national practice defending mass tort and complex product liability disputes. During his 30-year career, Steve has served as national and regional coordinating counsel and lead trial counsel for numerous Fortune 500 companies in multi-district litigation, class actions and product liability cases. Steve is recognized by Chambers, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers for mass tort/class actions, product liability, and personal injury.

Steve is admitted to practice law in state and federal courts in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah, as well as the United States Supreme Court. He has appeared before courts in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Professional experience

Representative experience

Steve's most recent projects include:

Lead Counsel for a German automobile manufacturer in the Takata airbag multi-district litigation
Lead Counsel for a Japanese chemical manufacturer in a mass tort case involving 42 workers allegedly injured on a construction site
Lead Trial Counsel for an Ohio-based tire manufacturer and Arizona-based tire retailer in a tread separation, rollover accident seeking $10 million in compensatory damages; after a month-long trial in Tucson, Arizona, the jury rendered a defense verdict, finding that the tire was not defective in design or manufacture, nor were the Defendants negligent (This verdict was named to the annual Top 5 defense verdicts of significance by Arizona Attorney)
National Coordinating/Trial Counsel for a national rental company, defending truck and trailer lawsuits nationwide
National Coordinating/Trial Counsel for a national retailer, defending automotive lawsuits nationwide
Regional Trial Counsel and incident response coordinator for a national trucking company
Regional Trial Counsel for an Ohio-based tire manufacturer, defending tread separation lawsuits in a sixteen-state region
Regional Trial Counsel for a Texas-based transportation and construction equipment retailer in a thirteen-state region
National Discovery Counsel for an Ohio-based tire manufacturer, handling discovery motion response, argument and evidentiary presentation regarding discovery scope, protective order, complex trade-secret and large-scale document production issues nationwide
Trial Counsel for a North Carolina-based tire manufacturer, defending tread separation lawsuits in Texas
Trial Counsel for a Class 8 diesel truck manufacturer, defending lawsuits involving alleged product defects and fleet warranty claims
Lead Trial Counsel for a petroleum refiner in a PMPA lawsuit, resulting in a defense verdict
Lead Trial Counsel for a national hotel chain in a premises liability/security case, resulting in a defense verdict
Trial Counsel for a forklift manufacturer in a product liability lawsuit, resulting in a defense verdict

Rankings and recognitions

Top Attorneys – Product Liability, San Antonio Magazine, 2022
Who's Who in American Law, Marquis
Chambers USA, Noted Practitioner, Nationwide: Product Liability & Mass Tort, Chambers & Partners, 2016 – 2017
Outstanding Lawyer, San Antonio Business Journal, 2014
Texas Super Lawyer, Product Liability, Thomson Reuters, 2008 - 2012, 2014 – 2019
Lawyer of the Year, San Antonio: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Best Lawyers, 2024
The Best Lawyers in America, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Best Lawyers, 2021 - 2025
The Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Best Lawyers, 2021 - 2025
The Best Lawyers in America, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Best Lawyers, 2020 - 2025
Legal 500 US, Leading Lawyer, Dispute resolution - product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive / transport, The Legal 500, 2020 – 2024
Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Dispute resolution - Product Liability & Mass Tort Defense: Automotive / Transport, The Legal 500, 2014 – 2024
Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, General commercial disputes, The Legal 500, 2024
Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Dispute resolution - Product Liability & Mass Tort Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, The Legal 500, 2017 – 2020
Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Dispute resolution - Product liability, mass tort and class action - toxic tort - defense, The Legal 500, 2016 – 2020
Texas Top Rated Lawyer, LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, 2012 – 2014
Texas Rising Stars, Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2004 – 2005, 2007
Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon, 2024 - 2025
Lawdragon 3000 Leading Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, 2006
Top 50 Personal Injury Defense Lawyers, S.A. Scene, 2017
San Antonio's Best Lawyers, S.A. Scene, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2021
Rising Star in San Antonio, Thomson Reuters, 2005
40 Rising Stars of San Antonio's Business Community Under the Age of 40, San Antonio Business Journal, 2001
AV Preeminent, rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Education

JD, Baylor Law School, 1992
BBA, cum laude, Finance, St. Mary's University, 1989

Admissions

Arizona State Bar
Oklahoma State Bar
Texas State Bar
Utah State Bar

Publications

"2024 Litigation Outlook: GC Survey Finds Certain Heightened Risks Top of Mind," Chief Executive, February 13, 2024
"Fewer Texas Corporate Counsel Faced Lawsuits Last Year than In-House Lawyers Reported Nationally," Texas Lawbook, May 9, 2023
"Autonomous vehicles: The legal landscape of Dedicated Short Range Communication in the US, UK and Germany," Norton Rose Fulbright Whitepaper, 2017
"Don't be the Weakest Link: Adequately Protecting Your Client's Trade Secret and Confidential Information During Litigation," Product Liability Advisory Council, 2016
"Autonomous vehicles: The legal landscape in the US and Germany," Norton Rose Fulbright Whitepaper, 2016
"Product Liability Defenses: A State-by-State Compendium," Texas Chapter, Defense Research Institute, 2013, 2017
"Discovery of Trade Secrets: How Courts Analyze Disclosure Issues," LJN's Product Liability Law & Strategy, Volume 22, Number 8, February 2004
"Discovery of Trade Secrets: What Constitutes Protected Information?" LJN's Product Liability Law & Strategy, Volume 22, Number 7, January 2004
"Insurance Department Seeks to Shape Its Policy on Mold Remediation," San Antonio Business Journal, August 3, 2001

Speaking engagements

"Protective Order and Trade Secret Litigation Strategy," Product Liability Advisory Council Spring Meeting, March 2016
"Economic Effects of Product Liability Litigation," Trinity University, February 2003
"Environmental Hazards in Healthcare Facilities," CLE Presentation, December 19, 2001
"Ethical Considerations in Product Design," St. Mary's University Graduate School of Business, July 2001
"Product Liability and Negligence," St. Mary's University School of Business and Administration, January 1999, August 1999 and February 2000

Steve provides client training seminars regarding accident prevention and investigation and preventative counseling to reduce the risk of product litigation.

Memberships and activities

Product Liability Advisory Council, Sustaining Member
Texas Association of Defense Counsel
Defense Counsel of San Antonio
- President (2000)
- Board Member (1996 - 2001)
San Antonio Bar Association
Texas Bar Foundation; Life Fellow; District 10 Nominating Committee (2012)
Catholic Charities Board of Directors (2014 - present)
- Nominations Committee, Chair (2018 - present)
Clarity Child Guidance Center Board of Directors (2006 - 2014)
- Governing Board, Chair (2009 - 2010)
- Development Board, Chair (2007 - 2008)
St. Mary's University
- Distinguished Alumnus Award (2024)
- President's Gateway Award for Advancement (2013)
- Trustee (2004 - 2006; 2014 - 2022)
  - Law School Committee, Chair (2018 - 2022)
  - University Bylaws Revision Committee, Chair (2006)
- St. Mary's University Alumni Association Board of Directors (1998 - 2006)
  - President (2002 - 2004)
  - Officer (1999 - 2006)
Child Advocates San Antonio Board of Directors (1999 - 2005)
- President (2004 - 2005)
- Officer (2002 - 2005)
- Long Range Planning Committee, Chair (2003 - 2004)
Fiesta Oyster Bake, Key Volunteer/Main Stage Manager (1995 - present)