Lawyers in the Environmental Client Service Group represent clients of the firm over the full spectrum of environmental and occupational safety and health matters. Our practice includes both counseling and litigation.

Counseling matters include:

• Compliance advice concerning new and existing statutes and regulations at the federal, state and local levels;
• Assistance for obtaining necessary permits, approvals, or exemptions;
• Representation with respect to site assessment and remediation activities;
• Legislative and regulatory advocacy on behalf of clients seeking to shape new requirements or change existing requirements;
• Due diligence assessment and allocation of environmental liabilities for mergers and acquisitions, lender/lease requirements, and SEC disclosures;
• Transactions involving contaminated or remediated property, including insurance coverage and brownfields redevelopment;
• Conducting confidential compliance audits and internal investigations under federal and state environmental audit privilege and immunity programs or otherwise; and
• Establishment of environmental management and internal auditing systems under ISO 14000 and other programs.

Litigation matters include:

• Judicial review of final agency actions;
• Defense of administrative, civil, and criminal enforcement actions;
• Representation of parties in remediation and cost recovery actions;
• Insurance coverage claims for environmental damages and remediation activities;
• Permit and regulatory appeals; and
• Defense of toxic tort cases and citizen suits seeking compliance, injunctive relief, monetary and criminal penalties.

The Group provides comprehensive service in each of the traditional specialty areas of environmental, safety and health law, including air, water, waste management, occupational safety and health, remediation of environmental contamination, toxic chemical and pesticide regulation, and reporting requirements. The Group's practice is nationwide in scope (48 states and all 10 U.S. EPA regions). We have also assisted clients with environmental matters outside the United States in countries where we have offices and elsewhere as we help our clients meet their international needs. The Group functions through integrated, firmwide practice teams to provide our clients with the appropriate level of experience wherever they are located or have environmental issues. Our attorneys can solve our clients' problems by calling on our knowledge of the latest federal legislative, regulatory, and policy perspectives from our Washington office, as well as the practical, hands-on perspective and knowledge of state and local requirements gained in all of our offices.

The lawyers in the Group seek the most efficient use of resources and a work product that directly meets the specific needs of our clients. We work with our clients and their consultants to supplement and enhance their technical, regulatory, and legal capabilities. In addition, the lawyers in our various offices can also work efficiently with each other and with our clients because of our integrated electronic telecommunications network.

Because many clients have repeated dealings with regulatory authorities and legislators, we always try to develop effective working relationships between the client and these policymakers through principled and thoughtfully designed advocacy. Consistent with this approach, we will pursue litigation whenever necessary to protect our clients' interests.