Steven Miles is a Senior Counsel at the global law firm of Baker Botts, L.L.P., and a Fellow at the Baker Institute's Center for Energy Studies at Rice University. He is a frequent speaker and author on energy transition and climate issues, with a focus on LNG, natural gas, biofuels and renewable energy.
Steven was a Partner at Baker Botts from 2000 until 2020. During that time, he served as the firm's Energy Sector Chair, was a member of the firm's Executive Committee from 2012-2018, and headed the 50+ lawyer LNG Practice. He established the firm's Saudi Arabia office, resided there, and then headed the Middle East practice for two law firms for more than a decade. Over his career, his practice focused on the energy sector in the United States and internationally, particularly in the liquefied natural gas (LNG), natural gas, electric power and renewable energy industries.
Mr. Miles has conducted business in 35 countries, having worked on over 100 energy projects worldwide. He assisted clients in launching leading-edge projects such as the first new LNG export project in North America in 40 years (Cheniere's Sabine Pass LNG project), the first LNG project in South America, one of the first LNG projects in sub-Saharan Africa, some of the first floating LNG-to-Power projects worldwide, and the first LNG imports into new terminals in Brazil, China, India, the E.U., the U.S. and several other countries.
In addition to receiving top national and international rankings as one of the leading professionals in his field, Steven led the Baker Botts LNG team to the highest ranking awarded by Chambers USA in the LNG field for every year in which the award has been given for the past decade. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN), as well as Co-Chair of the 200-member AIPN LNG Committee, which published a Model LNG Master Sales Agreement for use by the LNG industry. He has served as a member of the Program Committee for LNG 20, 19, 18 and 17 (the triennial LNG conferences in St. Petersburg in 2023, Shanghai in 2019, Perth in 2016, and Houston in 2013), and as a member of the Advisory Board for Energy Law360. He is an officer and member of the Board of Directors of the American Friends of the Episcopal Church of the Sudans, which focuses on children’s education, disaster relief, and trauma healing.
Steven graduated with his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Cornell Law School in 1984, and his Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from the Cornell Graduate School of Business in that same year. He served as an Editor of the Cornell Law Review, where he published on the topic of electricity prices and renewable energy in 1983. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Psychology from Union College in 1980 where he graduated summa cum laude.
Awards & Community
Received the highest ranking by Chambers USA for fifteen consecutive years (2005-2020, Band 1 LNG); ranked in Chambers Global, 2010-2024 (Band 2, global Energy & Projects)
Selected for the "Hall of Fame" for Energy Transactions by The Legal 500 U.S., 2018-2023, and recommended as a "Leading Lawyer" 2013-2017
Recognized as a "Global Elite Thought Leader" by Who's Who Legal-Energy, 2018-2019; Selected as a "Leading Practitioner" 2016-2017
Selected more than ten times as one of the leading project finance lawyers worldwide by Expert Guide: Project Finance, 2007-2017; Banking, Finance and Transactional Attorneys, 2012, 2015 & 2016, 2018; Energy & Natural Resource Lawyers, 2010, 2012 & 2015; and Energy and Environment, 2017-2018
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward White, Inc.), 2007-2018; The Best Lawyers in America -Oil and Gas Law, 2016 & 2019; PLC Which Lawyer? (Highly Recommended - Energy; Recommended - Banking & Finance), 2008-2009; PLC Cross-border Finance Handbook, 2009-2010; and Washington D.C. Super Lawyers(Thomson Reuters), 2009-2018
News
Amid LNG’s Gulf Coast expansion, community hopes to stand in its way
The Daily ClimateThe Daily Climate
Amid LNG’s Gulf Coast expansion, community hopes to stand in its way
Environmental Health NewsEnvironmental Health News
Rice’s Baker Institute and Baker Botts to Host Global Energy Summit Oct. 4-5
OILMAN MagazineOILMAN Magazine
Baker Botts Boosts Its Energy Sector Accolades and Energy Transition Acclaim
Baker Botts Earns a Number of Recognitions in The Legal 500 US
Baker Botts’ Band 1 Practice Rankings Increase by 27% in Chambers USA 2023
Baker Botts Earns 28 Practice Rankings and 44 Individual Rankings in Chambers Global 2023
Who's To Blame For Exorbitant Natural Gas Prices In Europe? Hint: Maybe Not Who You Think.
Forbes OnlineForbes Online
Baker Botts Furthers Its Accolades Across the Energy Sector
Baker Botts Increases Practice Rankings in The Legal 500 U.S.
Baker Botts Earns 45 Practice Rankings in Chambers USA 2022
A Bridge Over Troubled Water: LNG FSRUs Can Enhance European Energy Security
Rice University's Baker Institute for Public PolicyRice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy
Baker Botts Earns Seven 'Band 1' Practice Rankings and a 20% Increase in Individual Lawyer Rankings in Chambers Global 2022
'If you can't measure it, you can't improve it': Project Canary doing the sums on carbon
Upstreamonline.comUpstreamonline.com
Energy 2021 - Oil & Gas - Legal Marketplace Analysis
Who'sWhoLegalWho'sWhoLegal
Baker Botts Expands Top Rankings Across Entire Spectrum of the Energy Sector
Baker Botts Continues Ascent Up Legal 500 US Rankings
Baker Botts’ Practices and Lawyers Take More Top Spots in Chambers USA 2021
Green LNG: What is It and How Can It Help LNG Players Reduce Carbon Emissions?
Natural Gas WorldNatural Gas World
HORIZON: Carbon-Neutral LNG Needs Universal Standards to Take Off
Energy IntelligenceEnergy Intelligence
Baker Botts Scores Six “Band 1” Rankings in Chambers Global 2021
“Green LNG” – A Pathway For Natural Gas In An ESG Future?
ForbesForbes
Gas Shippers Seek Profit From Delivering 'Carbon-Neutral' Fuel
Bloomberg News OnlineBloomberg News Online
Gas shippers seek profit from delivering 'carbon-neutral' fuel
JWN EnergyJWN Energy
Gas Shippers Seek Profit From 'Carbon-Neutral' Fuel
BNN Bloomberg OnlineBNN Bloomberg Online
Gas Shippers Seek Profit From 'Carbon-Neutral' Fuel
MSN MoneyMSN Money
Ambiguities dull lustre of carbon-neutral LNG
Petroleum EconomistPetroleum Economist
Green LNG Seen as Decarbonization Option
International Oil DailyInternational Oil Daily
Carbon-neutral LNG to increase costs of natural gas production, consumption
S P GlobalS P Global
Baker Botts Earns High Marks Across Energy Spectrum in Legal 500 US 2020
Chambers Awards 16 Band-1 Rankings to Baker Botts Global Projects Department
Baker Botts’ Band-1 Lawyer Rankings Increase by 38% in Chambers USA 2020
Trade War, Coronavirus, And Energy: How To Achieve Success For The US-China Trade Deal
Forbes OnlineForbes Online
Miles joins Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies
Rice University News & MediaRice University News & Media
Thought Leadership
Why Is Europe Not Replacing Russian Pipeline Gas With Long-term LNG Contracts?
External ArticleRice University's Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies - Report
Evolution of LNG Pricing and Risk in a Changing Market
Speeches & PresentationsLNG2023
LNG Benchmarks, Price Caps and Joint Gas Purchasing: How EU Market Developments Could Impact LNG Imports
Speeches & PresentationsBaker Institute Center for Energy Studies
Outlook 2023: America's Role in Global Gas Security
External ArticlePetroleum Economist
Steven Miles: Fellow at the Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies
PodcastWho's To Blame For Exorbitant Natural Gas Prices In Europe? Hint: Maybe Not Who You Think.
External ArticleForbes
Perspectives on Market for Responsibly Sourced Gas
Speeches & PresentationsU.S. Department of Energy Workshop on Natural Gas for a Sustainable Future
Market Dynamics: Energy Regulation and Climate Goals
Speeches & PresentationsPanelist, Gastech 2022
U.S. Needs LNG to Fight a Two-Front Gas War
External ArticleRice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy
U.S. LNG 'GasLift' Floods European Terminals Ahead Of Russia Gas Cutoff
External ArticleForbes
A Bridge Over Troubled Water: LNG FSRUS Can Enhance European Energy Security
Client UpdatesBaker Botts Senior Counsel and nonresident fellow for the Center for Energy Studies, Steven Miles, authored "A Bridge Over Troubled Water: LNG FSRUS Can Enhance European Energy Security" which explains how existing LNG floating storage vessels can provide a concrete, rapidly implementable gas supply solution until longer-term infrastructure investments are in place.
Lower-Carbon, Carbon-Neutral, and "Green" LNG
Client UpdatesLNG Update
Lower-Carbon, Carbon-Neutral, and "Green" LNG
Speeches & PresentationsPractical Law Oil & Gas
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms: Impacts on Climate and Trade
Speeches & PresentationsGreen LNG: What Is It and How Can It Help LNG Players Reduce Carbon Emissions?
PodcastNatural Gas World TV
Policy Brief to Biden Administration - Low-Carbon Fuels: How to Use U.S. Infrastructure and Exports to Deliver Cleaner Energy to the World
External Article
World LNG Leaders' Panel: What New Business Models are Needed to Build the Industry through the Energy Transition?
Speeches & PresentationsCWC World LNG Virtual Summit
Green LNG - A Pathway For Natural Gas In An ESG Future?
External ArticleForbes.com
Reduced Carbon LNG in an ESG Future
Webinar'Carbon-Neutral' Natural Gas: A Solution to LNG's Competition with Renewables?
Speeches & PresentationsGastech Virtual Summit
China Can Meet Phase One Trade Commitments with U.S. LNG
Speeches & PresentationsLNG Allies & American Exploration & Production Council
Trade War, Coronavirus, And Energy: How To Achieve Success For The U.S.-China Trade Deal
External ArticleForbes.com
Trade War, Energy & Coronavirus: How to Make the U.S.-China Deal a Success
External ArticlePolicy Brief, Baker Institute
The Future of Gas
Speeches & PresentationsBaker Institute
Events
Recent
Gastech
Energy Connects Gastech Webinar Series
2021 World LNG Summit & Awards
Baker Botts is proud to be a sponsor of the upcoming World LNG Summit & Awards on November 30 - December 3 in Rome, Italy.
CWC World LNG Virtual Summit
Baker Botts is proud to be a sponsor of the CWC World LNG Virtual Summit on December 1-4.
Gastech Virtual Summit 2020
Baker Botts is proud to be part of the Gastech Virtual Summit on September 7-11.