Barbara J. Koonz

Barbara J. Koonz

recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2024
Awarded Practice Areas
Energy Law Energy Regulatory Law Environmental Law
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2027 edition in Woodbridge.
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2027 - Energy Law
Works at
Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP

49 Best Lawyers awards

Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP logo

Biography

Barbara practices at the intersection of energy, infrastructure, and environmental law. She provides strategic representation to a full spectrum of energy industry stakeholders, from traditional power generation and LNG facilities to data center developers and renewable energy investors. As a highly tactical advisor, she seeks to address and mitigate the risks associated with complex projects.

Barbara guides clients through the labyrinth of state and federal environmental permitting, including Clean Air Act (Title V) air compliance, New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) and Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) approvals. With over three decades of experience, she is a formidable negotiator in enforcement actions involving the EPA, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and frequently serves as New Jersey local counsel for national law firms navigating the state's unique Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA) and Environmental Justice (EJ) mandates.

In the renewable sector, Barbara facilitates the development of solar, agrivoltaic, and battery storage facilities. She manages the entire transactional lifecycle, from securing solar development incentives to negotiating interconnection agreements with PJM. Her expertise extends to the "heavy lifting" of infrastructure development, including the drafting of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and the acquisition of complex energy rights-of-way.

Barbara also serves as a resource for the solid waste and soil recycling sectors. She provides incisive counsel on the commercial and regulatory complexities of A-901 licensure, helping vendors and investors navigate the rigorous background checks and Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) requirements essential for operating in New Jersey.

Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Works at
Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP

49 Best Lawyers awards

Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP logo

Locations

Education

  • Seton Hall University, J.D., graduated 1989

Bar Admissions

  • Florida, The Florida Bar, 2012
  • New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association, 1989

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 1989

Affiliations

  • American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL) - Fellow
  • Energy Bar Association - Member
  • Supreme Court of New Jersey - Appointed to serve on the New Jersey Lawyers Assistance Program (NJLAP) Board of Trustees
  • American Bar Association - Section of Environment, Energy and Resources
  • Middlesex County ASAP Board - Chair
  • New Jersey Builders Association - Member; Environmental Affairs Committee
  • New Jersey Women Lawyers Association - Member
  • Commercial Real Estate Development Association, New Jersey (CREDA NJ) - Board of Trustees
  • New Jersey State Bar Association - Renewable Energy, Cleantech and Climate Change Committee, Co-Chair; Public Utility Law Section; Environmental Law Section

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2027 - Energy Law
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Energy Law, Woodbridge (2027)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2027 for work in:
  • Energy Law
  • Energy Regulatory Law
  • Environmental Law
Awards:
  • Listed in The Lawdragon 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know (a publication of Lawdragon Inc.) (2026)

  • Selected for inclusion in 2026 by NJBIZ on a list called “Leaders in Law”

  • Selected for inclusion in 2025 by NJBIZ (a publication of Bridge Tower Media) on a list called “Law Power List”

  • Recipient of a 2025 Leading Women in Business Award by NJBIZ (a publication of Bridge Tower Media)

  • Selected for recognition by the Commerce & Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) on its list of 2024’s “Enterprising Women in Commerce”

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© (a trademark of Woodward/White, Inc.) in the Environmental Law practice area (2024)

  • Listed in Chambers USA (a publication of Chambers and Partners) in the Environment practice area (2021 - present)

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