King & Spalding's environmental, health and safety (EHS) lawyers assist energy clients with virtually every type of EHS issue companies in the energy sector face—project development and transactional due diligence, strategic environmental issues assessment, permit appeals, enforcement actions, property damage claims, regulatory and compliance advice—across all environmental media.
Litigation
We represent corporate clients in a wide variety of energy EHS litigation, including contamination cases, defense of government enforcement actions, criminal EHS prosecutions, toxic tort claims and citizen suits. King & Spalding's lawyers have played key roles in many environmental cases throughout the country. King & Spalding has represented corporations and governments in citizen suits alleging violations of water permits, Corps of Engineers permits, air compliance issues, right-to-know issues and challenges to permits and remediation at solid and hazardous waste sites. We have represented clients in individual cases, purported class actions and mass torts, including motions stages and trying cases to verdict.
Many firms transfer environmental litigation to trial lawyers who do not have detailed knowledge of environmental law. Many environmental lawyers have never served as lead counsel in a trial. Our clients benefit from lawyers who have served as lead counsel in trials, in court hearings on injunctions and in administrative hearings involving air, water, hazardous waste, solid waste and Superfund issues. Our lawyers have handled examination of scientific and medical experts in many disciplines relating to environmental issues.
Projects and Transactions
We help companies navigate the permitting process for major new developments, often in the face of intense scrutiny and vocal opposition. Developers, purchasers, sellers, lenders and investors involved in energy transactions throughout the United States and overseas rely on our environmental, health and safety (EHS) lawyers for strategic advice on assessing the EHS risk associated with complex energy transactional matters. We work closely with our clients, our colleagues in other disciplines, and, when appropriate, qualified environmental consultants, to manage EHS issues in a manner consistent with our clients' business priorities. Our experience encompasses all phases of energy-related transactions, including compliance evaluation and liability assessment associated with target companies, negotiating and drafting EHS terms in agreements, managing permit applications and transfers, and coordinating post-acquisition integration of EHS management processes and programs. Today's challenging energy environment requires businesses to think creatively about their opportunities and challenges, whether they are owners, operators, developers, customers, lenders, or investors.
Counseling
We approach our clients' environmental issues as business concerns, not just legal problems. Our lawyers have a proven record of resolving regulatory issues with state and federal environmental regulators, based on deep experience gained from working at U.S. DOJ, in state government, in Fortune 500 corporations, and in years of private practice. Our group includes lawyers with technical backgrounds—engineering, chemistry, biology, land use, environmental policy—who function well at the intersection of law and science and present the issues in plain English. We aim to find solutions and address technical and legal EHS issues in a practical and cost-effective manner, aligning subject matter expertise with client goals.
Recognitions
- King & Spalding's Environmental Practice received the Law360 "Environmental Group of the Year Award" in 2011.
- Nationally ranked as a leading environmental practice by Chambers USA 2012 Edition.
- Legal 500: US named King & Spalding as one of the top Environmental Litigation practices in the country in its 2012 guide. Many of our lawyers are individually recognized by Legal 500.
- In its most recent edition, Chambers USA recognized our environmental lawyers in the District of Columbia, Georgia and Texas.
Our Clients
King & Spalding energy clients are involved in all aspects of the energy sector:
- Oil & gas exploration and production, both offshore and onshore
- Petroleum and petroleum-based products
- Natural gas and LNG
- Electric power generation
- Unconventional fuels
- Energy-intensive manufacturing
- Pipelines, storage and other transportation
- Alternative and renewable energy
- Service companies
