Best Lawyers in California, United States for Environmental Law
Select a city from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
Cities
David Friedman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law and Land Use and Zoning Law. David, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mark E. Elliott is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental and Natural Resources Law. Mark E., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mark E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kristin Larson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. Kristin, who practices law in Santa Barbara, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kristin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Brett Oberst leverages his more than 25 years of experience working with various industries to guide clients through complex environmental litigation and has resolved claims at all stages of litigation, including trial and appeal. A member of Alston & Bird’s Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Group, Brett focuses on environmental law and representing clients in civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings related to soil contamination, groundwater contamination, air em...
Noah Perch-Ahern is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. Noah, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Noah is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Deborah Schmall is widely recognized as one of the leading environmental law practitioners in California. She recently served as the Co-Chair of the Global Environment and Energy Practice at Paul Hastings. She is ranked Band One in Chambers for California Environmental Law. Starting with her career at the U.S. Justice Department’s Environmental Enforcement Section, where she prosecuted civil and criminal enforcement matters under a range of federal environmental laws, Deborah has practi...
Sherry E. Jackman is a senior associate in Greenberg Glusker's Environmental Practice Group. Her practice focuses on environmental litigation and compliance counseling. Sherry’s professional expertise specifically includes: counseling clients regarding federal and state environmental statutes and regulations, including CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, CEQA, Proposition 65, California Hazardous Waste Control Law, and the Endangered Species Act; representing clients i...
Richard G. Montevideo is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law and Water Law. Richard G., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Beth P. Gordie is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law and Litigation - Environmental. Beth P., who practices law in Century City, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Beth P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Matt has the experience and track record to guide clients through all types of disputes involving environmental regulation and litigation. He is a go-to resource for companies facing litigation and agency proceedings and a trusted advisor when it comes to real estate development, contamination concerns, and environmental regulatory compliance. Matt Wickersham has a broad national environmental and energy practice involving complex litigation, regulatory counsel, and transactional matters. He ...
Julie focuses on environmental and land use counseling and litigation for complex development projects. She resolves issues that arise under the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, federal and state species protection statutes, and a range of other local, state and federal statutes and common law doctrines that affect land use. An experienced litigator in California and federal courts, Julie defends projects and uses this experienc...
Paul P. Spaulding III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental. Paul P., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Paul P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Albert M. Cohen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. Albert M., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Albert M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Greg A. Christianson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental. Greg A., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Greg A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Cecily Barclay focuses her practice on land use and entitlements, real estate acquisition and development and local government law. She regularly assists landowners, developers and public agencies throughout Northern California in all aspects of acquisition, entitlement and development of land, including land use application processing, drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, negotiating and securing the approval of development agreements, general plan amendments, specific plan...
Stacey Wright is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental. Stacey, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stacey is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.