Most Highly Regarded Firms: Environment 2011
In this section we analyse the findings of our research in greater depth to identify the firms and practitioners who stand out worldwide.
| THE INTERNATIONAL WHO’S WHO OF ENVIRONMENT LAWYERS 2011 | |
|---|---|
| Most highly regarded individuals | |
| Lawyer | Firm |
| Theodore Garrett | Covington & Burling LLP, Washington, DC |
| Karl Bourdeau | Beveridge & Diamond PC, Washington, DC |
| Carol Dinkins | Vinson & Elkins LLP, Houston |
| Carlos De Miguel | Uría Menéndez, Madrid |
| Paul Davies | Macfarlanes LLP, London |
| Andrea Bear Field | Hunton & Williams LLP, Washington, DC |
| David Buente | Sidley Austin LLP, Washington, DC |
| John Taberner | Freehills, Sydney |
| Gene Lucero | Latham & Watkins LLP, Los Angeles |
| Michael Gerrard | Arnold & Porter LLP,New York |
Two firms perform exceptionally well in this year’s rankings: Sidley Austin LLP and Hunton & Williams LLP both provide 12 lawyers for our list.
The Washington office is home to half of the Sidley lawyers that we feature, including head of the environmental group and “international superstar” David Buente. A former chief of the environmental enforcement section of the US Department of Justice, Buente is considered “first rate” for his representation of corporations in federal environmental enforcement matters, and counts Exxon Mobil, General Electric and Ford Motors among his clients. Roger Martella is another well regarded name in DC, where his compliance, disputes and green energy expertise are “excellent”. In New York, Maureen Crough is praised for her “world class” environmental liability, risk management, due diligence, compliance and disputes work. Robert Olian heads the Chicago office’s environmental team – which provides another two lawyers for this edition – and he comes “highly recommended” for his work in civil and criminal enforcement proceedings. Judith Praitis is based in the Los Angeles office where she leads the West Coast environmental team and acts as global co-head of the environmental group. Sources praised her transactional work, as well as her permitting, compliance and enforcement expertise under both state and federal laws. Kristina Nordlander is an EU, competition and regulatory law specialist based in Brussels, where her environmental and chemical regulation work is described as “outstanding”.
Seven lawyers feature from Hunton & Williams’ DC office, including the “superb” William Brownell. A litigation, counselling and regulation specialist, Brownell’s defence work for companies in greenhouse gas, environmental nuisance and Environmental Protection Agency suits has earned him a “stellar reputation”, both in his native US and in Europe. DC managing partner Andrea Bear Field focuses her practice on representing clients in environmental enforcement actions before state and federal courts, and earns particular recognition for her work in matters related to the Clean Air Act. In New York, Kathy Robb is well regarded for her work on behalf of water districts, chemical manufacturers and electric utilities as well as investors and developers. Virginia’s David Ledbetter and North Carolina’s Charles Case complete the firm’s “very strong” US showing, while “thought leader” Lucas Bergkamp is listed in Brussels and earns praise for his environmental and life sciences regulatory, liability and transactional work.
Eleven lawyers feature from Allen & Overy LLP, representing eight offices around the world. The London office fields three lawyers, including local head of the environmental practice Matthew Townsend whose work in corporate and real estate transactions, encompassing environmental permitting, regulation and decommissioning, is “outstanding”. Two A&O lawyers are listed in Amsterdam and energy expert Henry van Geen is particularly highly praised for his energy production and infrastructure related work. Further listings in France, Germany, Belgium and Poland add to A&O’s strong European presence, while Peter Thorp in Beijing and Kenneth Rivlin in New York demonstrate the firm’s Asian and US capabilities.
USA
The United States is home to more than half of the lawyers in this edition, with the largest number recognised in Washington, DC. Chief among these names is seven-time recipient of Who’s Who Legal’s environmental lawyer of the year award, Theodore Garrett, who once again emerges as the world’s pre-eminent environment lawyer, according to our research. Co-chair of the environmental practice at Covington & Burling LLP, Garrett focuses his practice on complex, high level disputes, compliance matters and transactions on behalf of such clients as Dow Chemical, Procter & Gamble and General Motors, and sources hail him as a “peerless legal talent.”
Also among the most highly regarded names in DC is Karl Bourdeau of Beveridge & Diamond PC, which fields a further six lawyers in the capital and one apiece in New York and Baltimore. Bourdeau’s practice focuses hazardous waste issues in litigation, transactional, regulatory and legislative matters at state and federal level and he is praised as a “go-to-guy” by several sources. Paul Hagen is another “highly prominent” DC name at the firm, known for his counselling work on behalf of corporations and trade associations in pollution control and resource protection measures.
Alongside four listings from its founding office in DC, Arnold & Porter LLP also fields the “excellent” Michael Gerrard in New York. A former head of the firm’s environment practice, Gerrard now acts as senior counsel to the firm and is praised by sources for his “unimpeachable record” before the state and federal courts in environmental matters and as an adviser in major transactions and development projects.
Latham & Watkins LLP features lawyers in New York and New Jersey, but its strongest presence is in California where five lawyers from three offices make it onto our list. Foremost among these names is Gene Lucero, whose practice encompasses environmental litigation, regulatory and transactional work, including land use, air quality and contaminated property issues. Lucero is a former head of the firm’s global environment, land and resource department and is “internationally renowned and respected” by sources. At the same office, current global environment chair and global co-head of the firm’s climate change group Robert Wyman also ranks highly, earning particular praise for his clean technology, air and chemical regulation work as well as his “first-class” advocacy.
Vinson & Elkins LLP sees seven of its lawyers listed from offices in Houston and Washington, DC. “Global star” Carol Dinkins divides her time between both cities in her work counselling chemical and energy companies, developers and government entities in environmental permitting, transactional and dispute resolution work.
Europe
England is home to more of the world’s leading lawyers in this discipline than any other European jurisdiction. Among these lawyers, the environmental practice group leader at Macfarlanes LLP, Paul Davies, emerges as the most highly regarded. Described by peers as a “brilliant practitioner” in London, Davies focuses on the environmental aspects of major domestic and multinational corporate transactions and counts Oak Hill Capital, Air Liquide and Alchemy among his recent clients.
Outside London, Burges Salmon LLP emerges as one of the best represented firms in England, with four lawyers from its Bristol office performing well in our research. The head of environment and planning, Ross Fairley, is recommended for his environmental compliance advisory work for such clients as Nuon and Prenergy Power and sources place him “in the front rank” of environment lawyers in the UK.
Another “leading light” in Europe is Carlos de Miguel, one of three lawyers from Uría Menéndez in Spain. Highly regarded both nationally and internationally, de Miguel specialises in the environmental aspects of commercial transactions and litigation and frequently advises public bodies on environmental authorisations and impact assessments. Noemí Blázquez and Juan Antonio Loste, both from the Barcelona office, also perform well in our research.
Three lawyers from Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP rank highly in Belgium. Ruxandra Cana was particularly well recommended for her EU compliance and litigation work relating to European chemical regulations and EU medical devices, cosmetics and food rules.
Asia-Pacific
John Taberner of Freehills’ Sydney office focuses on planning and pollution control law as well as boasting “invaluable” expertise in Australia’s commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Sources praised Taberner’s work for public and private clients in complex infrastructure projects and greenhouse gas matters, having acted for Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority, N M Rothchild & Sons and the Australian government in recent matters. Peter Briggs is another prominent name in the firm’s Sydney office, while Tony van Merwyk ranks highly in Perth.
As well as earning listings in DC and San Francisco, Holland & Knight LLP fields the “first class” Hongjun Zhang in Beijing. The “first port of call for environmental compliance advice in China”, according to one source, Zhang boasts extensive experience in product restrictions, chemical registration and environmental impact assessments.