Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP’s New York-based experienced team maintains a strong position in the market advising an impressive roster of corporate clients, including Brookfield Renewables and Frontier, across a comprehensive offering of environmental-related transactions spanning from ESG regulatory issues to green bond financing and mergers and acquisitions. A key example of this is practice head Matthew Morreale, who is praised by his clients as ‘one of the best environmental deal lawyers in the market’ and advises them on environmental matters related to mergers and acquisitions, financings, and investigations, as well as, ESG reporting. Working alongside Morreale, is the ‘technically excellent’ Annmarie Terraciano , who is a crucial name to clients on capital market transactions, financing, environmental-related indemnification disputes, as well as mergers and acquisitions, where a recent work highlight of hers is advising on Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P’s acquisition of Westinghouse Electric Company.

 

 

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has established itself as a key advisor to domestic and international companies across a span of industries such as oil and gas, mining, energy, manufacturing, and private equity, with some key clients including Airbus, Baker Hughes, and Brookfield Asset Management. The New York-based team is led by Loyti Cheng, who is known to clients for her expertise on general corporate transactions, including ESG disclosure obligations and climate-related matters. This experience has positioned her as a key contact to domestic and international companies and financial institutions on the whole range of debt and equity offerings, acquisitions financings, and ESG-linked transactions. The group also includes David Zilberberg, a name to note for environmental and sustainability matters on complex corporate and real estate transactions, in particular within the oil and gas, chemical manufacturing, and transportation industries. Timothy Sullivan is also recommended.

With offices across the US, including Houston, New York, and Washington DC, Kirkland & Ellis LLP  is well-established across energy, infrastructure, and general industrial transactions for private equity sponsors including Blackstone and Bain Capital, on the full range of high-value environmental transactions. In conjunction with its environmental due diligence advisory strength, the group stands out on complex M&A, multinational acquisitions, and divestitures, as well as, various project financing matters. Splitting his practice between the Bay Area and Houston, Paul Tanaka leads the practice and is well-known in the market to energy and infrastructure clients, who turn to him for environmental due diligence assessments and power generation, oil and gas, and renewable energy transactions. In the Dallas office, Jonathan Kidwell‘s broad practice extends to energy and project finance transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and restructurings across the manufacturing, chemical, and mining sectors. Houston’s James Dolphin predominantly handles energy-focused transactions. The deep bench also includes Michael Saretsky, who splits his time between the New York and Bay Area offices and is an expert on environmental-related business transactions, and DC’s Sara Michaelchuck Webber who are both recommended for work on environmental matters within mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Stefanie Gitler  departed the team to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in March 2025.

Latham & Watkins LLP is trusted by a stellar client roster of several major financial institutions, private equity firms, and large corporations on the full spectrum of transactional advice. Under the leadership of Janice Schneider, the firm has been responsible for overseeing some of the sector’s major transactions, including Vistra’s acquisition of Energy Harbor Corporation, as well as Marubeni American Corporation’s joint venture with Ozona CCS LLC – among others. In the New York office, Jean-Philippe Brisson leverages previous industry experience to advise on M&A and joint ventures, often focusing on transactions related to carbon capture and carbon neutrality. Elsewhere in the New York office, Betty Huber heads the firm’s ESG practice and is a key point of contact for companies and funds on mergers, acquisitions, and capital market offerings, while counsel David Langer, offers transactional and regulatory experience, positioning him to advice on the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act within transactions. Josh Marnitz, based in the Los Angeles and Houston office, is a key name for the energy and infrastructure sectors, and LA’s Aran Potash is recommended for the evaluation of environmental liabilities. Former co-chair James R. Barrett retired from the practice in December 2024.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP‘s environmental team is well-positioned in the market to advise a diverse client base that includes manufacturing, financial institutions, and pharmaceutical companies on a comprehensive coverage of matters arising in transactions, including management of risk, liabilities, and compliance.  Co-leading the practice from Washington DC, Toby Chun is a go-to for domestic and international clients on complex environmental transactions and environmental regulatory compliance, a notable example is representing Karuna Therapeutics in its acquisition by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Co-lead Michael Isby is noted by his client’s for ‘exceptional knowledge and expertise’ and is well-prepared to advise on the environmental aspects of mergers, acquisitions, securities offerings, and lending matters, as well as compliance counseling, from the New York office.

Fielding a team with ‘strong expertise’ across the environmental aspects of corporate transactions, the Washington, DC-based team at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP continues to be sought out by a multitude of clients, with the likes of Glencore, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, and American Securities LLC for advice on matters across the hazardous waste management, heavy manufacturing, chemical and energy industries. The team works alongside the firm’s wider transaction department on a full host of corporate transactions and has seen an increasing caseload of ESG-related matters, including due diligence and reporting. Annemargaret Connolly heads the firm environmental regulatory and transactional group and takes point on the assessment of environmental liability risk in transactions, as well as, ESG. Counsel Matthew Morton showcases a ‘solution-driven and pragmatic approach’ to his corporation and private equity sponsors clients on environmental-related transactional and restructuring projects, including due diligence, environmental risks and liabilities, and ESG factors. John O’Loughlin comes highly recommended for his capabilities with environmental and health and safety regulations within the healthcare, pharmaceutical, medical device, and food manufacturing sectors.

 

 

A&O Shearman is a popular choice for major US corporations, government agencies, and NGOs, including the US Department of Energy and General Electric seeking assistance with product responsibility, chemicals, and energy. Ken Rivlin is at the helm of the firm’s US and global environmental law group and he takes an active role advising on regulatory and risk issues of transactions. Jason Pratt offers ‘sound advice’ to companies and financial institutions regarding the impact of environmental and climate change laws on commercial transactions. Felise Cooper co-leads the firm’s global producer responsibility and product compliance team and frequently assists business enterprises, investors, and sponsors in assessing ESG risks on projects and environmental risks in transactions, while Maria Christopher Bell is predominantly active in drafting and negotiating indemnity, having served as a key advisor to General Electric. Other key members include Nick Ognibene,a n expert on environmental risks in complex cross-border transactions and Washington DC-based Jake Ely and Brendan Holman who are highly recommended for environment-related transactional risk management. All the team, other than Ely, are based in New York.

As part of the firm’s broader corporate department, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP‘s New York-based environmental practice is a key port of call on mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, financings, and other corporate matters, advising on mandates not only in the domestic space but in wider jurisdictions including Europe, South America, and Asia. Team lead Stuart Hammer is a highly experienced advisor in assessing and allocating environmental risks within transactions for a broad range of industries, having established himself as a key advisor to the likes of Cerberus Capital Management, Verizon Communications, and Pactiv Evergreen. ESG expert Ulysses Smith is a key name to note for NGOs and multinationals on sustainability and governance issues within the transactional space. Associate Harry Zirlin is active on the environmental aspects of mergers and acquisitions, financing, and real estate transactions.

 

 

O'Melveny’s environmental and natural resources practice is regularly sought out for its expertise in handling large transactions concerning infrastructure projects and across the aviation, automotive, and renewable industries. Complimenting this, the firm represents transactional clients before major enforcement review agencies, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. New York’s John Rousakis fronts the practice and continues to be a leading name for private equity firms, financial institutions, and commercial and industrial entities with their strategic investments, acquisitions, and divestitures. Also in the New York office, counsel Eric Rothenberg is sought out for environmental diligence and documentation of financings, restructurings, and reorganizations for industrial and commercial properties, while over in the Los Angeles office, Kelly McTigue‘s far-reaching practice handles domestic and cross-border environmental diligence reviews on mergers, joint ventures, and financings. Over in Newport Beach, associate Chris Bowman handles health and safety and ESG in connection with acquisitions and divestitures.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is well-positioned to act for a range of clients on a wealth of environment-related transactional work, possessing comprehensive expertise across corporate transactions. In addition to its expertise in advising on mergers, joint ventures, financings, and offerings, the team is recognized for its strength in the environmental-related elements of project development and ESG. From the Washington DC office, practice head Elizabeth Malone brings wider experience to her clients through her environmental regulation and compliance acumen, while being equally proficient in assistance on the identification and analysis of environmental liabilities, negotiation of representations and compliance with transaction-triggered cleanup statutes.

 

 

White & Case LLP’s environmental practice is active across high-value transactions regulatory compliance, climate change, and sustainability matters, The team is also noted for its expertise on sustainability and ESG within transactions, regularly advising on renewable energy and other projects related to energy transition and decarbonization. Houston’s Taylor Pullins leads the team, and also co-heads the global sustainability & responsible business practice group and predominantly advises clients in the energy industry across a far-reaching practice of environmental, health and safety, environmental, ESG and energy transition matters. Hayden Baker is well-experienced in advising private equity investors and financial institutions on transactions and sits in the New York office alongside Taylor Gillespie, who is active on environmental aspects of transactions, while also possessing environmental disputes and advisory capabilities. Los Angeles based Laura Mulry is recommended to companies for aid on the environmental aspects of corporate transactions, as well as being an active advisor on sustainability risks and opportunities in transactions. Seth Kerschner departed the team in February 2025.

The energy, chemical, and infrastructure sectors form a cornerstone of Bracewell LLP’s environment, lands, and resources practice which continues to advise an array of clients on transactional and regulatory matters. Co-lead of the team, Jason Hutt  is positioned to advise and defend clients on administrative, civil, and criminal enforcement actions related to federal and state agencies that regulate energy and environmental issues including the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy from Washington DC. From Austin, fellow co-lead Timothy Wilkins handles environmental disputes, energy transition, climate change, and ESG mandates. Natural resources lawyer Kevin Ewing operates out of the DC office and oversees offshore wind, LNG, and natural gas pipeline projects for investors, operators, and project developers, whereas Austin-based Matthew Paulson focuses his practice on the oil and gas, refining, power, and chemical manufacturing industries.

 

DLA Piper LLP (US) is frequently instructed by clients in heavily regulated industries on the environmental aspects of corporate, real estate, and finance transactions. Under the leadership of Washington DC’s Gwendolyn Keyes, San Francisco-based George Gigounas, and Jeffrey Salinger, operating out of the New York office, the firm draws from its strong representation and warranty insurance practice to provide clients insight into exclusion from coverage and diligence on environmental transactions. Beyond Jeffrey Salinger’s focus on corporate, finance, and real estate transactions, Salinger also advises on ESG, climate change, and brownfield redevelopment projects. Over in the DC office, Andrew Cooper is a key contact for purchasers, sellers, lenders, and borrowers in potential environmental liability in transactions, with recent instructions by Carlisle Companies Incorporated in its execution of a definitive agreement to acquire all of the equity interests of PFB Holdco, Inc.

Greenberg Traurig LLP environmental practice advises domestic and international clients on corporate and real estate transactions, including the evaluation, management, and mitigation of environmental risks. Miami lawyer Kerri Barsh who co-heads the practice alongside Tampa’s David Weinstein, handles a breadth of regulatory, permitting and litigation mandates, including transactional support and due diligence and energy and infrastructure projects. From New York, Steven Russo co-chairs the team and focuses his practice on environmental law and litigation, permitting land use, and real estate law. Fellow co-chair, Christopher Neumann, who operates out of Denver is a key contact for oil, mining, and hazardous waste clients on complex business transactions and real estate acquisitions. Elsewhere in the team, Houston’s Christopher L Bell is a key advisor to buyers, sellers, and investors on the environmental aspects of transactions, including negotiation of provisions and identifying insurance-based risk management.

Combining the firm’s capabilities across its private equity, project finance, and energy practices, King & Spalding LLP’s environmental team client roster comprises a host of private equity and energy sector clients that turn to the team for advise on the environmental aspects of mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, projects, and financings. Under the leadership of Ilana Saltzbart , the team is prepared to advise on emerging issues including renewable energy and PFAS. The deep bench is comprised of Cynthia Stroman, whose practice largely centers on projects and transactions in the energy, renewable, and environmentally intensive segments, Joseph Eisert , who regularly handles transaction, enforcement, and incident response mandates and Karl Heisler, who has notable strength in negotiations of representations, warranties, and indemnifications within transactions. The lawyers other than Chicago-based Heisler operate out of the Washington DC office.

The New York-based environmental team at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a key advisor on a number of transactions across financings, acquisitions, sales, restructurings, and real estate transactions for private investment funds, companies, and creditors. Notably, the firm has competence across ESG matters, with work encompassing ESG reporting, risk, and compliance concerns. The practice is co-led by William J. O’Brien, who frequently advises public and private companies on the environmental aspects of restructurings, financings, M&A, and securities offerings and Julia Quigley, who is a key advisor to the healthcare, energy, automotive, and infrastructure industries on the environmental concerns impacting M&A and restructuring transactions. Stefanie Gitler joined the team in Washington DC in March 2025, formerly of Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Sidley Austin LLP houses a skilled environmental transactional team that works closely with the firm’s M&A team and fields a broad range of experience that includes mergers, acquisitions, capital markets, corporate securities, and global finance. Heading the environmental team from Washington DC are Timothy Webster and Justin Savage, while Byron Taylor leads from the Chicago office. Houston lawyer Heather Palmer utilizes her notable knowledge of regulations and ESG to engage on mandates pertaining to mergers and acquisitions within the oil and gas, refining, chemical, and power sectors. Maureen Crough, of the New York office, offers a broad practice and is positioned to advise domestic and non-domestic purchasers, sellers, and lenders, amongst others, in environmental aspects across an array of transactions.

Under the leadership of Washington DC attorney Ron Tenpas, Vinson & Elkins LLP demonstrates the ability to advise across a wide array of regulatory and transactional mandates with notable strength on energy transactions, spanning carbon capture, sequestration, and renewable fuels mandates. George Hopkins is a key contact for the structured allocations of liability in mergers and acquisitions and the conduction of diligence and negotiations of environmental requirements in connection with asset sales and project financings and sits in the DC office, alongside counsel Corinne Snow who handles disclosures for debt and equity offerings and environmental terms in agreements. Over in the Houston office, Matthew Dobbins routinely advises private equity funds and financial institutions on environmental liability management.

 

 

Akin’s environment and natural resources practice offer its clients a ‘multidisciplinary approach’ across a comprehensive transactional practice, spanning mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and financial restructurings. The transactional work is supported by broader regulatory capabilities, positioning the practice to advise on restructuring liabilities in environmentally distressed assets.  Washington DC-based David Quigley heads the team and is known for aiding lenders, sellers, and buyers on environmental liabilities in transactions. The team also includes senior counsel Andrew Oelz, operating out of Los Angeles, who offers a broad practice across representations, warranties, and indemnities, and DC’s Jessica Maloney, who handles the evaluation of liabilities in commercial and industrial transactions.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP  advises clients, from a span of industries including energy, chemicals, and, infrastructure on a spectrum of environmental-related transactions. Under the combined leadership of Michael Murphy, Stacie B. Fletcher, and Daniel Nelson, the practice handles corporate, private equity, finance, and real estate transactions. Washington DC's Murphy is a standout name to buyers, sellers, and investors of manufacturing, technology, energy, and financial industries, among others, for the identification of environmental risk and negotiation of transactional documents. He is also an active advisor on ESG and sustainability matters, including corporate disclosures, reporting, and integration matters.

Demonstrating the ability to advise across a wide array of transactional mandates, Jones Walker LLP advises on commercial and industrial project development, mergers, and acquisitions, with representations of lenders in the financing of industrial projects becoming a key feature of the practice. Robert Holden and Meghan Smith co-lead the practice from New Orleans, with the former possessing a broad practice across regulatory compliance and enforcement actions, whereas the latter regularly aids oil and gas companies, chemical manufacturers, and engineering firms in state and federal litigation and private arbitrations. Operating out of Lafayette, Alex Prochaska is a highly active advisor on transactions, with Prochaska a key contact for lenders, buyers, and sellers of industrial facilities and commercial properties on environmental due diligence and pre- and post-closing remediation activities.

Trusted by an array of clients, K&L Gates combines regulatory and litigation expertise with notable transactional capabilities, to advise on real estate and corporate transactions. Craig Wilson demonstrates activity on the development and operation of renewable, commercial, and industrial energy projects operating out of the Harrisburg office, alongside Timothy Weston, who focuses on energy development and natural resources management matters. The team includes Chicago-based David Rieser, who offers a broad practice across legislative, regulatory, and compliance matters, with notable environment-related transaction instructions from power generation, chemicals, and financial services clients, among others, on real estate transactions and commercial transactions, and Seattle lawyer Ankur Tohan, who is recognized for his work in energy infrastructure and natural resources development. Newark’s Brian Montag is also recommended.

Counting a number of domestic energy, manufacturing, transportation, chemicals, and real estate corporations among its client roster, McGuireWoods LLP    advises on an array of environmental matters, encompassing acquisition, sale, leasing, and financing transactions. Co-head David Franchina in Charlotte, utilizes his broader regulatory and compliance acumen, to advise clients within the real estate and commercial transaction space, while operating out of Washington DC is practice co-head Makram Jaber, who focuses his practice on the Clean Air Act. Heather Stevenson is well-equipped to aid on environmental permitting and environmental compliance reviews within transactions from the Richmond office. Charlotte’s Matthew Giordano regularly advises on the redevelopment of contaminated properties, as well as environmental conditions on transactional matters.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP‘s environmental and natural resources team oversees a range of environmental mandates regarding business and real estate transactions, legal and regulatory compliance, and project development and financing. Global practice head Mark Elliott splits his practice between Los Angeles and San Francisco and is a name to note for hazardous materials, soil, water, air quality regulation, and site remediation. Over in San Francisco, Margaret Rosegay frequently engages with mandates regarding regulation and compliance upstream oil and gas exploration. The Washington DC office is led by Jeffrey Knight who is sought out by businesses and trade associations on environmental risk management, compliance, and renewable energy development and acquisitions, another key name in DC is Sheila McCafferty Harvey , who is instructed on the structuring and negotiation of business and real estate transactions. Houston’s Amanda Halter and LA’s Michael McDonough are also key contacts of the team.

 

Reed Smith LLP’s team of environmental lawyers routinely acts on a range of environmentally related transactions, encompassing M&A, real estate transactions, restructuring, and corporate deals. The team is overseen by the combined leadership of Jennifer Smokelin, Houston’s Benjamin Patton, and Megan Haines, who divides her time between Houston and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh-based Smokelin’s practice straddles environmental-related regulatory, litigation, and transactional mandates, and within the transactional space, is well-positioned to advise energy and manufacturing companies. Another key name to note is New York’s Peter Trimarchi, who is active across the board and has noted strength on matters regarding the financing and development of renewable energy projects.

With deep expertise in the utility space, Troutman Pepper Locke LLP's energy transition work is a key feature of the firm’s practice, which handles project development and financing of renewable energy, battery, and hydrogen infrastructure assets. Andrea Worzel spearheads the practice from Richmond and is particularly well-regarded on landfill permitting and compliance, as well as navigating federal approvals pertaining to infrastructure projects. New York-based Andrew Perel is frequently engaged by financial institutions on real estate acquisitions, development, and financing mandates. Susan Charles, operating out of the Chicago office, is singled out for her expertise in identifying and quantifying environmental risk in corporate mergers and acquisitions, real estate development, and project development.

 

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP  advises on an array of environmental-related transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, financing of projects, and commercial real estate developments. Operating from the Washington DC office, William Thomas oversees the practice and is noted for his international environmental law capabilities, alongside acting as a key advisor to companies, financiers, and developers on transactions and projects. Recent work highlights of his include advising HBC on its acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group and Reochem on its acquisition of KIK Consumer Products’ Auto Care business.