Lauren J Rucinski

• Air, Water & Waste Permitting

• Contested Environmental Permits & Agency Enforcement

• Environmental Regulation

• Environmental Transactional Support

• Intellectual Property

• Patent Litigation

• Project Development

Lauren Rucinski is a trusted advisor and advocate in Environmental Law and Intellectual Property Law, offering clients strategic counsel and innovative solutions to complex challenges. She has a well-earned reputation for being forthright and pragmatic, providing clients with clear and balanced assessments of their opportunities and risks. Lauren’s tailored approach helps clients achieve their business objectives while navigating intricate regulatory landscapes and protecting their valuable assets.

In her environmental law practice, Lauren guides clients through permitting, compliance, enforcement, litigation, and transactional matters, as well as state and federal rulemaking initiatives. She has extensive experience working with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further client goals. She brings deep expertise in Clean Air Act compliance and provides strategic counsel on a wide array of environmental programs, such as the Clean Water Act (including advising on Section 404 dredge and fill permitting through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Lauren is also well-versed in the National Environmental Policy Act, environmental justice considerations, and renewable energy opportunities, providing strategic guidance for industries at the forefront of sustainable innovation. Her diverse client portfolio includes petrochemical facilities, oil refineries, natural gas terminals, solar farms, and other manufacturing plants.

As a registered patent attorney licensed to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Lauren is highly skilled in intellectual property law. She supports businesses, inventors, and scientists in patent prosecution, licensing, opinions, and broader IP strategies. Lauren’s background in aerospace and ocean engineering, combined with her legal acumen, allows her to deliver practical and forward-thinking counsel across a range of technical disciplines. Her expertise extends to patent, trade secret, copyright, trademark, and unfair competition matters, with a focus on maximizing the value of her clients’ IP assets. She has successfully worked on innovations spanning consumer products, industrial processes, energy equipment, and green technologies.

Lauren is deeply committed to empowering her clients with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions. Whether steering a natural gas terminal through regulatory hurdles, assisting a solar company with an ambitious project, or managing an IP portfolio with hundreds of patents, Lauren brings a keen understanding of what it takes to succeed in today’s competitive environment. Her ability to anticipate challenges, work effectively with key agencies, and provide actionable insights has earned her clients’ trust and respect.

• Member, Baton Rouge Bar Association (Young Lawyers Section Council, Past Member; Past Co-chair, Law Day; Past Committee Member)

• Member, Past Secretary, Louisiana Air & Waste Management Association

• Member, Leadership Baton Rouge Class of 2024

• 2021 Pathfinder, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity

• Representation of a chemical and plastic products company regarding their compliance with Louisiana state and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

• Prepared comments to EPA rulemaking and amicus briefs in related environmental litigation on behalf of Louisiana industry groups.

• Representation of oil refinery regarding compliance with environmental laws and defense in administrative enforcement proceeding.

• Performed environmental due diligence for Louisiana chemical company merger and acquisition.

• Provided environmental and local permitting advice for solar farm development in Louisiana.

• Representation of an international oilfield services provider in the defense of allegations of patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and various business torts.

• Management of a Louisiana University’s patent portfolio, including prosecution, maintenance, and USPTO Examiner negotiations.

• Representation of pipeline company in litigation challenging its Louisiana Dept. of Energy and Natural Resources issued Coastal Use Permit.

Top Young Lawyer

Louisiana State Bar Association

2026

Law Student Pro Bono Award

Louisiana State Bar Association

2016