Ward and Smith PA

56 Best Lawyers awards

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Awarded Practice Areas

Environmental Law

Biography

Amy leads the Environmental practice with a focus on the environmental aspects of real estate and business transactions, including coastal development. She has built trust with her clients by providing practical business advice regarding regulatory compliance; conducting due diligence; remediating contaminated properties; meeting the requirements of water, wetland, and stormwater permitting standards; and, devising strategies for sensitive and contaminated properties through Brownfields redevelopment and green building practices. Amy's philosophy of communication and teamwork allows her to establish, maintain, and leverage positive relationships with environmental technical experts and government regulators. Her representative experience includes defending stormwater and CAMA permits against administrative and judicial challenges; assisting corporate and banking clients with projects facing environmental assessment, permitting, and enforcement issues; advising industrial and municipal clients on compliance with NPDES wastewater and stormwater requirements; and, assisting developers and community associations with stormwater permits. Amy is an accredited Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ("LEED") Green Associate. She also chairs Ward and Smith's Green Initiative to build and promote environmentally sustainable professional practices within the firm.
Ward and Smith PA

56 Best Lawyers awards

Ward and Smith PA logo

Overview

  • Wake Forest University, J.D., graduated 1996
  • University of Virginia, B.A., graduated 1992

  • North Carolina, 1996

  • American Bar Association - Division: Law Practice - Member
  • American Bar Association - Section: Environment, Energy and Resources - Member
  • Craven Community College Foundation - Board Member
  • CREW Network - Cape Fear Chapter
  • Eastern North Carolina Inn of Court - Member
  • New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce - Leadership Craven Alumnus, Class of 2008
  • New Bern Heart Society - Chair 2015 Heart Ball for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
  • North Carolina Bar Association - Sections: Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Law; Zoning, Planning and Land Use - Member
  • U.S. Green Building Council - North Carolina Chapter

  • All state courts in North Carolina
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
  • North Carolina, 1996
  • American Bar Association - Division: Law Practice - Member
  • American Bar Association - Section: Environment, Energy and Resources - Member
  • Craven Community College Foundation - Board Member
  • CREW Network - Cape Fear Chapter
  • Eastern North Carolina Inn of Court - Member
  • New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce - Leadership Craven Alumnus, Class of 2008
  • New Bern Heart Society - Chair 2015 Heart Ball for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
  • North Carolina Bar Association - Sections: Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Law; Zoning, Planning and Land Use - Member
  • U.S. Green Building Council - North Carolina Chapter
  • Wake Forest University, J.D., graduated 1996
  • University of Virginia, B.A., graduated 1992
  • All state courts in North Carolina
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Environmental Law
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Litigation - Environmental
Special Focus:
  • COVID-19
Awards:
  • "Legal Elite," Business North Carolina, Environmental, Hall of Fame, since 2020
  • "Legal Elite," Business North Carolina, Environmental, 2015-2016, 2018, and 2019
  • The Best Lawyers in America, 2019-2024

Case History

Transactions
  • Defending Stormwater and CAMA permits for residential development
Defending Stormwater and CAMA permits for residential development in Outer Banks against third-party challenges
  • Representing community associations and developers
Representing community associations and developers negotiate transfers of State stormwater permits
  • Defending agricultural operations
Defending agricultural operations against citizen suit claims under the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
  • Representing municipality enforcing NPDES discharge limits against industry
Representing municipality enforcing NPDES discharge limits against industry to control pollutant-laden wastewater discharges to Publicly Owned Treatment Works
  • Negotiating Brownfields Agreements
Negotiating Brownfields Agreements for private, municipal, and banking clients to redevelop contaminated properties.
  • Advising industrial and municipal clients on compliance issues
Advising industrial and municipal clients on compliance issues arising out of NPDES Wastewater and Stormwater Permit requirements

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