Environment | USA

Alston & Bird LLP has a combined land use and environmental group that focuses on guiding clients through high-stakes trial and appellate litigation and regulatory matters, both locally and nationally. Key areas of focus include Superfund cases, enforcement actions and civil suits related to the CAA and the CWA. Fields a number of attorneys who have previously held senior experience of state and federal environmental agencies.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP remains a powerhouse in litigation, regularly handling complex and headline-grabbing cases and investigations. Deep experience in toxic tort, hazardous waste and contamination disputes, particularly those arising from major environmental incidents. Often acts on regulatory compliance and permitting matters for large-scale development, energy and infrastructure projects. Also known for its abilities acting in enforcement actions and investigations brought by state agencies, as well as the environmental aspects of corporate bankruptcies.

Paul Hastings LLP offers a versatile regulatory practice with a deep bench experienced in dealing with environmental agencies. Acknowledged for its strength in regulation, policymaking and project development. Offers top-quality expertise in land use permitting, as well as in hazardous material and air quality matters. Has specialist knowledge of wildlife law surrounding renewable energy projects. Also highly recommended for brownfield transactions and climate change issues.

Allen Matkins maintains a strong reputation for the full range of environmental regulatory, transactional and dispute resolution work. Boasts a strong litigation team with significant experience in both trial and appeals, particularly in relation to CERCLA cases and contaminated sites. Frequently advises clientele on high-value projects and redevelopments requiring environmental due diligence. Has a wealth of experience in water rights and quality matters. Clients include Silicon Valley tech companies, major developers and public sector bodies.

Holland & Knight LLP is celebrated for its impressive record in CEQA compliance and litigation, which is enhanced by its expertise in land use matters. Additionally possesses an established practice in brownfield redevelopment and natural resource protection, particularly in relation to water quality issues and the Endangered Species Act. Other areas of strength include matters at the intersection of environmental and tribal law, as well as environmental health and safety matters. Caters to a variety of industries, including renewable energy, manufacturing, biotechnology and oil and gas.

Latham & Watkins handles the full range of environmental issues, with a top reputation in air quality and climate change concerns. Also recommended for toxic tort litigation, as well as white-collar criminal defense matters. Expertise extends to insurance cases and the environmental implications of corporate transactions. Regularly represents clients before state agencies such as the California Air Resources Board, California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy Commission. Client base includes large utilities, refineries, manufacturers and cleantech companies.

Perkins Coie LLP has an established group engaged in environmental counseling and litigation for clients across a range of industries. Experienced in handling permitting matters and environmental impact reports for private developers. Additional capacity to assist with air and water quality issues, as well as on environmental torts and contaminated sites. Regularly handles matters pertaining to the development of energy industry projects, including both traditional and renewable energy matters.

Arnold & Porter offers high-quality advice on transactional due diligence and the redevelopment of contaminated sites. Additionally skilled at assisting clients with high-stakes toxic tort and Proposition 65 litigation. Experienced in handling disputes and investigations brought by activist groups as well as by state and federal agencies. Distinguished for its focus on toxics law and California's Green Chemistry initiative. Clients include major multinationals and educational establishments. The team is well known for its work on greenhouse gas emissions and the CAA for the automobile industry.

Cox Castle & Nicholson LLP offers expertise in a broad range of environmental law including environmental risk management, cost recovery and brownfield redevelopment. Also capable of advising on environmental aspects of M&A and real estate transactions. Commonly represents clients involved in development projects notably in the energy, industrial and commercial sectors.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has a litigation-focused environmental group experienced in toxic tort defense, cost recovery actions and regulatory challenges. Significant transactional practice providing diligence, compliance and regulatory counsel in a variety of matters, including those raising Superfund or air and water quality permitting issues. Also noted for its handling of insurance coverage disputes involving environmental matters. Continues to represent a number of prominent oil and gas industry clients in defense of hydraulic fracturing litigation. Capable of handling criminal environmental litigation in state and federal courts.

Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP is noted for its considerable environmental law expertise covering brownfield developments, CERCLA cost recovery and CEQA matters. Further able to advise on general environmental issues including air quality, water quality and energy-related law.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP offers a full range of environmental capabilities to high-profile clients from a variety of backgrounds, including the chemicals, manufacturing, automotive, oil and gas, natural resource and agricultural sectors. Able to utilize the strength of its impressive national environmental law practice to represent and advise clients on the highest-stakes matters.

Beveridge & Diamond PC is a national environmental boutique firm with a team based in San Francisco. Offers toxic tort litigation expertise and is also active on waste, air quality, Superfund and brownfield matters. Frequently represents clients from the industrial, transport and waste industries.

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck has a dedicated water law practice group, equipped to handle the full spectrum of matters, including water rights, quality and distribution for a range of clients, from government agencies to suppliers. Also offers deep legislative and lobbying expertise.

King & Spalding LLP is recognized for its strong capabilities in environmental litigation covering groundwater, soil and air contamination disputes. Further noted for expertise in climate change matters, regularly assisting with engine emission investigations and pollution spills. Acts for an impressive range of clients, including chemical and energy companies and automobile and engine manufacturers.

Nossaman LLP has a robust environment group able to handle an array of environmental and natural resource matters. Notable strength lies in CWA and Endangered Species Act issues. Additionally handles a wide spread of litigation and regulatory compliance matters, as well as land use and environmental permitting. Also represents clients in connection with legislative matters, working closely alongside the firm's public policy group to promote interests before state and federal government. Known for representing public agencies, water utilities, renewable energy companies and real estate developers.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP offers a well-rounded team that provides a broad range of environmental services. Notable experience lies in CEQA, hazardous waste and emissions regulatory matters. It is strengthened by a significant litigation team which handles a range of toxic tort claims and enforcement actions. Noted recent activity in connection with climate change matters and air quality regulatory matters. The firm advises a range of clients, with particular insight into the transportation and energy sectors.

Baker Botts is recognized for its strong California environmental practice based in San Francisco. The firm leverages its strong Texas roots to regularly advise clients from the energy sector in California on federal and state regulatory compliance, CERCLA claims and incident response. Attorneys from the firm are particularly skilled in handling air permitting matters and regulatory compliance with the Clean Air Act.

Cermak & Inglin LLP has a notable environmental law offering in California with a national scope. It is equipped to handle complex proceedings under a broad range of federal and state statutes including TSCA, RCRA and CERCLA. The team is further able to counsel on complex litigation regarding contamination under CWA and CAA, as well as Proposition 65 challenges. It frequently represent a variety of clients in compliance and agency enforcement actions.

Norton Rose Fulbright has a substantial offering in environmental law proceedings including Proposition 65 litigation, due diligence and consumer product safety matters. The team has experience providing counsel on a range of regulatory statutes such as CWA, CAA and pesticide regulation. Attorneys in the Los Angeles office frequently represent utilities, industrial and hospitality clients in climate change issues including carbon capture and sequestration projects.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is a respected environmental practice that can handle a wide range of matters across environmental law. Of note is its environmental litigation team, which is particularly known for CERCLA litigation and associated Superfund matters. Additionally, it covers a range of environmental permitting and regulatory work alongside Proposition 65 work.

Stoel Rives LLP has an impressive environmental team based in California. Attorneys regularly act for clients in the energy, logistics and food and beverage sectors with a wide array of environmental issues including CEQA, regulatory compliance and contamination disputes. The firm is particularly noted for its ability to handle complex permitting disputes pertaining to oil and gas exploration and extraction.

WilmerHale represented Tetra Tech and certain affiliates in multibillion-dollar False Claims Act and environmental litigation concerning Hunters Point Shipyard, a former US Navy facility which closed in 1994. The site was left with contamination from radiological agents as well as from coal and oil power generation installations.