Sidley’s Environmental Practice group consists of more than 40 lawyers, working in offices worldwide, with the experience and the depth to handle the most complicated matters arising under environmental and natural resources laws. Our clients operate across a broad spectrum of sectors, including transportation, conventional and alternative energy generation and distribution, petroleum exploration, development and refining, chemical manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, telecommunication services, consumer products, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, agribusiness, banking and finance, as well as many national trade associations in manufacturing sectors. In the United States, we also have at times represented federal, state and local governmental bodies.
Our lawyers have handled virtually every kind of environmental challenge, from complex air, water, waste and climate change-related litigation and compliance matters to the environmental aspects of multi-jurisdictional business transactions. We advise boards of directors, CEOs and general counsels and participate in major domestic and international environmental legislative and regulatory initiatives. The firm also works with clients to develop systems to identify and manage environmental, product supply chain and natural resource issues before they develop into liabilities. We draw upon the many resources of the firm as a whole and work regularly with our colleagues in the appellate/constitutional, energy, international trade, white collar, product liability and mass torts, general litigation and government strategies practices. From these first-hand experiences comes an understanding of decision-making in private, public and international organizations that is vital to resolving complex and controversial matters efficiently.
Members of our group have held a number of senior governmental positions in the United States and Europe, including:
- A former General Counsel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
- A former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) of the U.S. Department of Justice;
- Former Chiefs of the Environmental Enforcement and Appellate Sections of ENRD of the U.S. Department of Justice;
- Former Assistant Attorneys General of Illinois and Pennsylvania; and
- A former member of the European Commission.
Recent Awards and Recognitions
- In the 2012 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Sidley’s Environmental group received a Band One designation nationally, as well as in the District of Columbia and Illinois rankings. Thirteen of our lawyers were ranked individually. Our climate change practice received a Band One designation nationally as well.
- In the 2012 edition of U.S. Legal 500, Sidley’s Environmental group received a Band One designation nationally for both Environmental Transactional and Environmental Litigation.
- In the 2013 edition of Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa, Sidley’s Environmental group received a Band One designation for EU: Regulatory: Chemical (REACH) and EU Regulatory: Environment (including WEEE and RoHS).
- PLC’s WhichLawyer? ranked Sidley’s Environmental practice as a “Leading” firm (its top distinction) in Chicago and Washington, D.C., as “Highly Recommended” in New York, and “Recognized” in Los Angeles, CA. We are also “Recognized” for our China practice and “Highly Recommended” in the EU. Fourteen of our lawyers were also ranked individually.
- Sidley received the most first-tier national rankings of any U.S. law firm in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings for 2013, including in Environmental. The practice was highly ranked in Chicago, New York and Washington. In addition, David Buente Jr. was ranked Washington, D.C. Litigation - Environmental Lawyer of the Year; James N. Cahan was ranked Chicago, Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year; Byron F. Taylor was ranked Chicago, Litigation – Environmental Lawyer of the Year; and Angus Macbeth was ranked Washington, D.C. Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year.
- Sidley’s Environmental group was recognized by Law360 as one of the top Environmental practices of 2010, 2011 and 2012.
- Ten of Sidley’s Environmental lawyers are listed in Who’s Who Legal’s 2012 edition.