Senior EPA Official Returns to Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is pleased to announce that Granta "Grant" Nakayama, a former senior official with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has rejoined the Firm as a partner in its Washington, D.C., office. Mr. Nakayama, who worked at Kirkland from 1994 to 2005, will play a key role in Kirkland's environmental and energy practice.
"Grant is an accomplished lawyer whose success during his tenure at the EPA comes as no surprise," said Thomas D. Yannucci, chair of Kirkland's Firmwide Management Committee and partner in the Washington, D.C., office. "We warmly welcome him back to our Firm."
Mr. Nakayama returns to the Firm from the EPA where, as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, he led the enforcement program to achieve record levels of pollutant reductions (more than three billion pounds) and injunctive relief (more than $10 billion). Mr. Nakayama was responsible for leading the agency's 3,400 employees in 40 agency facilities across the United States.
"I am happy to return to Kirkland & Ellis and work alongside my former colleagues and friends," said Mr. Nakayama. "My experience at the EPA gives me new perspective that will be useful as I help clients to navigate through the various environmental issues that they face."
Before joining the EPA, Mr. Nakayama spent 11 years in Kirkland's Washington, D.C., office where he developed a strong environmental and product safety practice. He counseled companies that are regulated by the EPA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as well as state government agencies. He also represented clients in matters including the defense of enforcement actions, litigation related to regulations and rate proceedings, and agency rulemaking processes and Congressional matters.
Prior to joining Kirkland, Mr. Nakayama served in the U.S. Navy's nuclear submarine service.
Mr. Nakayama holds a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law, where he graduated first in his class, and a S.M. and S.B. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a 1,500-attorney law firm representing global clients in complex litigation and dispute resolution/arbitration, corporate and tax, restructuring, real estate and intellectual property and technology matters. The Firm has offices in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto and San Francisco.
