Best Lawyers in America for Environmental Law
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State
Christopher Rich is a partner in the firm's Environment, Energy & Resources practice. He focuses on complex environmental cleanup compliance and litigation under CERCLA and state Superfund laws, resolution of state and federal governmental enforcement actions, and RCRA, Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act compliance and permitting.
Area of Emphasis Chip Babst is Chairman of the Firm and is a member of the Environmental and Energy and Natural Resources groups. Mr. Babst has more than 40 years of experience in providing counsel on environmental matters to both private and public clients. Mr. Babst is a nationally-recognized authority on Clean Air Act issues and has handled complex permitting and compliance issues at federal, state and local levels throughout the United States. His experience in dealing with federal and st...
Jennifer T. Nijman is a founding partner of the environmental firm Nijman·Franzetti LLP with wide ranging experience in litigation defense and enforcement issues as well as issues involving waste and contaminated property. She was formerly a partner and chair of the environmental practice group at the Chicago office of a national law firm. Ms. Nijman represents clients in environmental litigation and enforcement defense, including toxic tort claims, private party disputes, and actions ...
Chair of the firm’s Environmental Department, Erika Powers’ practice is totally focused on nationwide water quality issues. Her ability to understand the most complex details of a matter without losing sight of the macro agenda and big-picture client objectives is critical when analyzing the intersection of science and law surrounding water quality regulation. Notably, Erika provides veteran legal counsel regarding regulatory matters involving state and federal environmental agenc...
Cameron G. Starnes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law and Real Estate Law. Cameron G., who practices law in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Cameron G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Steven Christiansen has over 30 years experience with environmental permitting and enforcement matters, RCRA and CERCLA remediation, air emission credits transactions, climate change, state implementation plan development, environmental legislation, NEPA, public lands permitting, environmental aspects of business transactions, brownfield redevelopment, and the administrative rule-making process. He also works in the areas of energy and public utilities law. Mr. Christiansen actively represent...
Preston W. Brooks is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. Preston W., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Preston W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Betty Ruth Fox is Counsel with Watkins & Eager focusing in the areas of environmental law and bankruptcy. From 1993 to 2002, Betty Ruth was a Senior Attorney with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and worked in regulation and enforcement in every MDEQ Program Area, coordinating with appropriate federal, state and local agencies and/or governing authorities. Beginning in 2002, Betty Ruth worked as a Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice/U. S. Trustee Program in ci...
Elijah is a commercial litigator. He counsels clients in litigation and non-litigation contexts regarding Internet and information technology law, environmental regulation, health care, and First Amendment rights. He chairs the Digital Media, Internet and Information Technology Law practice group and the Health Care practice group. As a business litigator, Elijah represents clients ranging from publicly traded companies to sole proprietors in disputes concerning a variety of subject matters i...
William H. Satterfield is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. William H., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 1989. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Edward M. Callaway is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. Edward M., who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Edward M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mike Carlton worked as a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., representing the EPA and other government agencies. Thereafter, he worked as a senior attorney and policy analyst with the Environmental Law Institute, and then as Wisconsin counsel for a national environmental organization. Mike has taught and studied environmental law and policy in Washington, D.C., London, and the University of Wisconsin Law School. Mike heads the firm’s Environmental Law P...
ce Goodman practices energy law, environmental law, and construction law. His environmental expertise includes air quality permitting work, compliance counseling on air emissions, state and federal enforcement defense issues, and environmental management program development. His energy expertise includes negotiating numerous electric power sales agreements (both for wholesale sellers of energy and for retail consumers of energy) state electric rate cases, developing municipal energy tariffs, ...
David J. Topping is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. David J., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Malcolm S. Murchison is licensed to practice in Louisiana and Texas and enjoys a broad based commercial law practice. His variety of skills equip him to handle a wide range of legal issues for his clients, including oil and gas, real estate, corporate formations/mergers/dissolutions, commercial lending and financing arrangements, state/local tax disputes, and land-use issues. He has significant experience in handling Louisiana mineral interest issues ranging from acquisitions, title examinati...
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.