Best Lawyers in America for Environmental Law
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A former federal enforcement counsel with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a former special assistant U.S. attorney, Rich Glaze provides creative, strategic, results-oriented counsel to his clients in the enforcement and defense of environmental, administrative, civil and criminal proceedings. Rich stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his clients – primarily corporations, municipalities, utilities and individuals – who need guidance regarding environmental permitting and ...
George House has worked in every area of environmental law and litigation since the birth of the practice in the 1970s. A seasoned environmental litigator, George represents his clients on matters related to mining law, water law, air compliance, and hazardous waste. George has experience in virtually every area of environmental law and focuses his practice on matters related to mining law, water law, hazardous waste and substances, and air compliance. He represents a multitude of clients, in...
Veteran attorney Michael Elam brings more than three decades of experience in environmental, energy, infrastructure and natural resource law in both the private and public sectors. He structures creative agreements and helps secure approvals and financing for complex national and international agreements involving the development, remediation and financing of environmentally challenged or controversial projects surrounding energy and sensitive water bodies or sources. Michael represents busin...
Shane Swindle, a partner in the firm's Litigation practice, focuses on commercial litigation, particularly environmental, contract and insurance coverage disputes. Most of Mr. Swindle’s time is devoted to his active litigation practice, but he also regularly advises clients on environmental, contract, and insurance coverage issues for business planning purposes.
Mr. Freeman has over 35 years of experience representing buyers, sellers, and developers of contaminated properties, as well as both plaintiffs and defendants in Superfund and other litigation regarding the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. He is a frequent author and speaker on environmental law topics and is the recipient of a 2012 Burton Award as “an outstanding law firm author.” His extensive bar association and pro bono activities include service as President of the New York ...
Christopher J. Neumann is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law, Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental and Real Estate Law. Christopher J., who practices law in Denver, Colorado, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christopher J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Sherry Young is a founder and President of the firm. She heads the firm's Environmental Practice Group, and assists clients on federal and state environmental matters, real estate transactions, and business and finance transactions. Sherry focuses her practice on environmental law, including environmental compliance, permits and approvals, and real estate transactions involving contaminated properties. She has extensive experience in negotiating with state and federal regulators, and has achi...
Lisa’s litigation practice spans a broad range of complex environmental, energy, land use, real estate, insurance, and business matters. On behalf of private and public sector clients, she practices in state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate levels. In addition, she handles contested administrative proceedings, alternative dispute resolution matters, and sensitive regulatory compliance negotiations. She co-chairs the firm’s Environmental and Energy Law and Real Es...
Susan Hearne Richardson concentrates her practice in the area of environmental law, including regulatory and compliance counseling, due diligence for real estate and corporate transactions, permitting, enforcement and hazardous site remediation. Ms. Richardson has significant experience in advising clients with regard to the wastewater permitting and enforcement issues, particularly as applicable to municipal governments.
H. David Gold is an environmental, energy and real estate lawyer with over two decades of experience advising clients on matters involving land use, water, wetlands, endangered species, environmental marketing and advertising (“green” claims), cultural resources, environmental health and safety, zoning, and hazardous and solid waste. He provides strategic counsel on environmental compliance and permitting, and has significant experience guiding clients through high-stakes commerci...
William L. Smith, Sr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law and Litigation - Real Estate. William L., who practices law in Jackson, Mississippi, has been recognized since 1995. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Heather Friedman focuses her practice on the resolution of complex environmental issues from a business and real estate perspective. Her practice includes both transactional and compliance work associated with the acquisition, development, disposition, management and financing of properties and companies with environmental issues throughout the country. Her practice involves both developed and underutilized environmentally impacted properties for use as industrial, retail, hotel, office, resi...
Heather Burgess is an attorney with Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess PLLC in Olympia, Washington. Her practice focuses on Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, and Real Estate Law, representing real estate developers throughout all phases of property acquisition, development, and permitting. Heather has worked on residential, commercial, and industrial projects across Washington State, including significant developments in Southwest Washington. She assists clients in evaluating propert...
David practices in the area of environmental and natural resources law, focusing on environmental compliance auditing, Superfund, solid and hazardous waste, asbestos, water quality, underground storage tank, environmental management systems, environmental remediation and environmental due diligence matters. He has conducted over 120 comprehensive environmental audits throughout the United States and internationally over the past eight years. He was recently named among the 2013 Best Lawyers i...
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.