Environmental law sometimes seems as pervasive as the air, water, and land it regulates. From traditional command-and-control program compliance, to cutting-edge litigation, to emerging issues like greenhouse gases, water allocation, PFAS and other emerging contaminants, sustainability and resilience, product stewardship and ESG, Baker Donelson’s environmental lawyers are leaders.
With extensive experience in traditional air, water, and waste programs, we work with business clients to streamline permitting, ensure proactive compliance, and manage environmental risks and costs. Our lawyers work regularly on NPDES and pretreatment permits, wetlands and coastal zone management issues, Title V and other air permitting, RCRA generator and TSDF issues, drinking water compliance and permitting, NEPA environmental assessments, state and federal Superfund sites, and chemical regulation under TSCA and FIFRA.
Our environmental lawyers provide clients with timely advice on petroleum and other hazardous substance release reporting, as well as workplace safety and health issues under OSHA, OSHA-approved state plans, and California Proposition 65 regulations. We also serve as regulatory counsel in mergers and acquisitions and real estate transactions, providing due diligence, analysis of Environmental Site Assessments, permitting opinion letters, and Brownfield development support.
Other clients need help with less traditional areas of environmental law, such as licensing and permitting for new electric generating plants or distributed energy resources, corporate environmental reporting and ESG challenges, industry environmental coalitions, environmental marketing and greenwashing issues, clean energy and net zero goals, ISO 14001 and environmental management systems, open land preservation, agricultural regulation, product take-back, and recycling. Manufacturing clients utilize our services to manage risks surrounding the use of emerging contaminants like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in products and packaging and California Proposition 65 compliance. Still others utilize our public policy counseling and legislative lobbying at all levels, in order to track and shape developing environmental and energy regulations and funding opportunities.
When enforcement or litigation is looming, our environmental trial lawyers are uniquely qualified to help. Our attorneys have bench and jury trial experience in federal citizen suits, CERCLA contribution, toxic tort, nuisance, strict liability, and land use litigation. Defending both class actions and individual claims, in both state and federal courts, our environmental lawyers are skilled in translating complex technical and legal issues into a persuasive and compelling defense. Our lawyers also have deep and broad experience in state and federal-level administrative and judicial enforcement actions, including criminal investigations and prosecution.
As regulation of the environment continues to evolve, Baker Donelson's environmental lawyers apply proven skills and experience to developing issues. As carbon emissions, non-point source pollution, emerging contaminants, and sustainability move to the forefront, our lawyers are advising clients on meeting and exceeding governmental standards and public expectations.
Our attorneys often rely on their experience in engineering, state law enforcement, the Department of Justice, the Department of Agriculture, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, EPA, environmental consulting, government contracting, state environmental agencies, and state and federal courts. Whatever environmental challenges businesses face in the 21st century, Baker Donelson brings a wealth of practical experience, technical proficiency, and mature judgment to finding realistic solutions.