America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2010: Environment
Chambers & Partners has compiled its independent and objective list of America's Leading Lawyers for Business based on comments gathered from thousands of interviews with clients and lawyers from Maine to Hawaii. This guide — which is designed to reflect market opinion — contains a view of the firms and attorneys who are considered leaders in their field.
In Chambers' 2010 review of national legal talent in the area of "Environment," our Firm and our lawyers are listed among the best in the country.
Chambers' comments:
Nationwide Ranking: Tier 4
The Firm: This firm handles a variety of environmental litigation and transactional matters across the country, with the majority of its team based in the Washington, DC and Illinois offices. Emissions work is a particular area of expertise and it is currently representing the automobile industry in preemption litigation arising from challenges to the State of California's greenhouse gas emissions standards. On the transactional side, clients include Solutia, Chemtura Corporation and Tronox Incorporated.
Sources Say: "An extremely efficient team that is well respected by the agencies and very accommodating in terms of client needs."
Key Individuals: Stuart Drake is the main point of contact for the team. He works in the DC office and advises on air issues, particularly as they affect the auto industry.
District of Columbia Ranking: Tier 4
The Firm: This group handles a combination of environmental transactional and litigation matters. It has recourse to an extensive network of resources and appears in cases throughout the country. Recently, the team successfully defended ConocoPhillips against global warming allegations in Native Village of Kivalina and City of Kivalina v ExxonMobil.
Sources Say: "An extremely efficient team that is well respected by the agencies and very accommodating in terms of client needs."
Key Individuals: Stuart Drake is "a walking encyclopedia of CAA and auto industry regulation." Clients value the fact that "he has been doing this for years – he knows what makes the regulators tick." His clients include GM, Toyota and numerous auto trade associations. Granta Nakayama recently joined the firm after four years at the EPA; clients appreciate the "deep understanding and insight" into the agency that he is able to provide. His practice covers litigation and enforcement defense as well as the representation of clients in agency rulemakings. Walter Lohmann is "very talented" in transactional work. He is currently handling a number of restructuring-related matters, including advising Chemtura on the environmental aspects of its Chapter 11 filing.
Illinois: Other Notable Practitioners
Disputes specialist Andrew Running leads the way on environmental matters at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He recently handled a complex class action on behalf of 7-Eleven regarding a gasoline station leak causing personal injury and property damage.
Reprinted with permission from Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2010 — www.chambersandpartners.com.
