Environment: Mainly Transactional | USA

Kirkland & Ellis is an established litigation firm with a broad reach. Known for taking on high-profile cases for large industrial companies, including in energy and engineering clients, the firm's specialties include enforcement actions, toxic torts and advising on the environmental aspects in complex transactions. The team is also notable for their particular ability in managing serious environmental contamination matters.

Latham & Watkins LLP is a veteran of the California environmental arena and federal cases, well known for providing a broad range of services for notable clients. The firm is experienced in litigation, rulemaking and compliance matters across all environmental spheres, with substantial experience in air quality, Superfund and energy cases. Latham & Watkins is also noted for its counsel on environmental issues affecting corporate transactions, acting for a range of purchasers, sellers, investors, borrowers and lenders. Former senior US government officials bolster the firm's environmental legislation and regulatory practice which is further noted for providing greenhouse gas emissions advice.

A&O Shearman offers notable expertise in environmental risk identification and management of potential liabilities, related to corporate transactions such as M&A, joint ventures and financings. Often assisting financial institutions, public sector clients and multinational corporations on environmental investigations, the firm additionally advises on insurance and related proceedings. The team are also highlighted for capabilities in climate change and environmental regulatory compliance and enforcement actions, as well as complex litigation involving contaminated properties.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is a compact group known for its attentive service. Advising an enviable corporate clientele on the environmental aspects of acquisitions and other complex transactions, the firm has additional capacity to support projects after deal closure and assist with dispute resolution. Cravath regularly handles cross-border matters and provides environmental strategic counsel to clients in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, petroleum and energy generation.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has an experienced team skilled in a diverse range of environmentally impacted transactions and financings on both a national and international platform. The firm's expertise includes disclosure and reporting requirements for capital markets transactions, complex M&A and project finance, and it is highly regarded for its work in the alternative energy space. Other areas of strength include know-how in environmental insurance issues and climate change regulations. The disputes team frequently handles challenges to the allocation of environmental risk among private parties.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is a highly regarded team offering liability management and environmental compliance counsel on M&A. Particularly well known in the private equity space, the firm frequently advises on sophisticated projects with a variety of environmental implications. The team has vast industry experience in the food and heavy manufacturing sectors as well as in power generation and transmission, oil and gas pipelines, agrochemicals and forestry.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is well known for its environmental counsel in relation to cross-border transactions, including equity investments, securities offerings, corporate restructuring and divestitures. The firm routinely advises investors, lenders and buyers on environmental risk analysis and management, including insurance policy support, and carries out due diligence on real estate and corporate transactions with potential environmental liabilities.

Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP is reputed for its environmental advice on a range of complex deals including debt financings, M&A and corporate restructurings. The firm handles risk analysis of transactions with potentially significant liabilities for construction, energy, mining and waste management clients. Skilled in a broad range of compliance and remediation issues, as well as complex litigation related to natural resources damages and toxic tort claims, the team often handles cost recovery actions and represents clients in environmental insurance coverage proceedings. It also provides assistance on climate change issues and sustainability initiatives.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP offers a strong environmental transactional practice that is closely associated with its highly regarded corporate group. The firm regularly provides environmental analysis and due diligence on high-value transactions and deals for a range of clients in the healthcare, pharmaceutical and chemical sectors.

Skadden offers a team of transactional experts with considerable experience identifying and managing environmental risks in assets sales, joint ventures and M&A proceedings. Adept at carrying out extensive due diligence for a range of clients from the manufacturing, real estate, energy and pharmaceutical sectors, Skadden also regularly assists lenders, developers and investors as well as other stakeholders in complex project development, including carbon sequestration and brownfield redevelopment. It also provides counsel in a range of complex regulatory and enforcement actions and appears before state and federal courts and administrative agencies on behalf of clients in novel issues, including greenhouse gas emissions and permitting compliance.

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP advises major public and private organizations from the chemical, manufacturing and mining industries on the environmental aspects of complex corporate transactions. The firm regularly carries out environmental risk analysis and advises on insurance and liability management and is also noted for expertise on topics such as sustainability, ESG and climate change.

Vinson & Elkins LLP offers a nationwide environmental group with a strong reputation for assisting oil and gas clients on project development through permitting, NEPA review and compliance advice. The firm is highly capable of managing air, water and wetlands permitting on multijurisdictional projects such as pipelines and transmission infrastructure. It also boasts transactional support expertise and experience in defending against enforcement actions. Vinson & Elkins is regularly engaged to provide counsel on catastrophic event preparation.

White & Case LLP is known for its expertise in handling environmental liabilities in complex, high-value transactions for a range of public and private clients. The firm frequently represents energy, chemical and pharmaceutical companies on a range of matters, including M&A, financings and public offerings.