Seattle

A legacy of addressing the most challenging environmental issues in Washington, the Pacific Northwest, and throughout the nation.

The lawyers in our Seattle office are recognized leaders in complex environmental litigation, regulatory counseling, and project permitting—supporting clients across the Pacific Northwest and nationwide. Drawing on former senior government service (including as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 Counsel and as a trial attorney at the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)), in-house backgrounds at large Washington-based organizations, and decades of experience representing clients across industry sectors in the region, we deliver practical, business-focused advice to navigate cutting-edge environmental challenges.

We maintain strong working relationships with officials at the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), local clean air agencies, the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission, Washington Energy Facilities Siting Council, Washington Department of Commerce, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Oregon Public Utility Commission, Oregon Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration, Clean Water Services, and EPA Region 10. In addition to our Seattle office, we have lawyers based in Portland.

Air Quality

We represent clients before EPA, Ecology and local clean air agencies in enforcement proceedings, agency rulemakings, and permitting issues under the Clean Air Act and state air laws and regulations. We have significant experience in matters related to mobile sources regulation in particular.

Climate Regulation

We advise clients on state requirements and pending legislation targeting greenhouse gas emissions reductions, including the phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and Washington’s Clean Fuels Standard (CFS) and Climate Commitment Act.

Hazardous and Solid Waste

We help clients navigate hazardous and solid waste compliance, permitting, and enforcement under RCRA and related state programs. Our work includes defending enforcement actions, advising on waste characterization and recycling/beneficial reuse, and handling challenges to hazardous waste regulations that affect industrial, commercial, and municipal operations.

Water Quality

We provide litigation, regulatory, civil and white-collar defense support involving water quality issues. We have experience advising clients on Ecology’s 2025 Industrial Stormwater General Permit and proposed 2026 Construction Stormwater General Permit, in addition to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issues in the region, including applications, renewals, modifications, permit shields, compliance with challenging effluent limits, TMDL compliance, and citizen suit defense. We also counsel clients on biosolids, wastewater issues, and compliance with PFAS requirements.

Water Resources

We assist clients in determining, obtaining, and preserving the water rights necessary for their operations throughout the Pacific Northwest, including providing support during adjudications, administrative divisions, and applications to change places and uses of water rights. Our work has also included advising clients on utilizing trust programs to avoid relinquishment.

Permitting & Project Development

We advise clients on permitting projects in the region with a focus on renewable energy and data center projects. We assist renewable energy companies and developers on grid decarbonization, energy security, transactions involving facility acquisitions, and construction, financing, energy trading, and supply contracts. Our work also includes navigating complex state and federal permitting requirements implicated by marine decarbonization operations.

Endangered Species

We advise on species issues in the region, including defending a number of pathbreaking, high-stakes cases brought under the Endangered Species Act, with billions of dollars at stake.

Product Stewardship

We advise clients on emerging state product regulations, including Washington and Oregon’s packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs, right-to-repair laws, Safer Products for Washington compliance and reporting, environmental marketing claims, and PFAS in products and other material restrictions.

Superfund & Site Remediation

Our attorneys are national leaders in handling complex environmental remediation and restoration projects, including the Pacific Northwest’s largest Superfund sites. We guide clients through EPA and state cleanup programs, develop allocation and recovery strategies, and defend cost-recovery and natural resource damages (NRD) claims. We also advise on Washington’s Model Toxics Control Act on the regulatory side and in litigation.