Offices

Firm Details

Environmental General Counsel PC (EGC) is a California environmental boutique law firm. Catherine W. Johnson is the Principal. Her contact information is [email protected] at 925-400-9025.925-400-902

Firm Overview

EGC was founded in 2021 by Catherine W. Johnson, after serving as a shareholder at two leading Bay Area law firms for over twenty years representing clients in a wide range of environmental matters. Collectively, EGC brings over 50 years of environmental experience to the practice. EGC represents a diverse range of industries, including food and beverage, high tech, apparel, industrial manufacturing, beauty products, paper and printing, health care, transportation, real estate, and others. EGC's clients range from publicly traded Fortune 50 and S&P 500 companies to privately owned companies, small businesses, and public agencies.

EGC is represented on the Advisory Board of Proposition 65 Clearinghouse News, the Advisory Board of the Executive Committee of the Bar Association of San Francisco's Environmental Section, and the National Stewardship Action Council. One of its senior policy analysts is a member of the IR Global Rising Star Program.

EGC handled the landmark Prop 65 case, EHA v. Sream, Inc., 83 Cal.App 5th 721 (2022), heralded in the national media as a rare win for a Proposition 65 defendant. EGC successfully argued that Proposition 65 warnings on consumer producers about chemicals not contained in the product itself would only result in confusing warnings -- and would impede efforts by industry to plan for Proposition 65 compliance. As a direct result of EHA v. Sream, companies can prepare for meaningful compliance, by focusing on Proposition 65 chemicals in their ow products, rather than assuming legal responsibility for anticipating any foreseeable use of their product in conjunction with another product that might result in an exposure.

EGC has been actively engaged with California’s EPR packaging program since its inception and is a recognized thought leader in the field, having been among the first law firms in the country to bring attention to California's EPR program with a series of articles on the programs before the rule-making process had started. Recognizing the need for multi-disciplinary and nationwide representation in the EPR programs, in 2023, Catherine founded EPR Consulting Group, Inc. to help clients align their EPR packaging compliance across multiple state programs. EGC partners with EPR Group Consulting on various projects.

EGC represented the Port of Oakland in connection with its proposed $12 billion development of property into a ball park stadium for use by the Oakland A's and mixed use project for use by the Oakland A's. EGC currently represents the Oakland Housing Authority, one of the largest affordable housing providers in the Bay Area.

Main Areas of Practice

EGC focuses on extended producer responsibility (EPR) packaging and foodservice ware programs, Proposition 65 (defense and compliance plans), truth-in-labeling requirements, and related sustainability issues associated with packaging and products - as well as transactional projects and the remediation of contaminated properties, with special expertise in vapor intrusion.

International Work

EGC is the only California environmental law firm member of IR Global, an exclusive professional networking association with more than 1,400 members around the world. In 2025, EGC launched its Global Sustainability Focus, a series of interviews with leading environmental attorneys and accountants around the world about sustainability issues in their country. Through its IR Global connections, EGC offers its clients the opportunity to coordinate its domestic and international environmental programs through access to leading environmental professionals in the U.S. and around the world. EGC monitors and tracks various international initiatives for its clients, including international EPR programs.

Offices

1990 N. California Blvd, 8th Floor, Walnut Creek, CA 94596