With a distinguished career spanning two decades, Taylor has served in various high-profile legal roles within the U.S. government, most recently as Deputy General Counsel, Environment, Energy, & Installations, for the Department of Defense (DOD).

At DOD, Taylor was the senior legal advisor on all energy, environment, and installation issues, managing a team that provided critical advice on environmental cleanup, environmental planning and litigation, climate and sustainability efforts, renewable energy procurement, and DoD grant programs. Notably, he led DoD teams in negotiations with federal and state enforcement agencies on high profile matters, including on an EPA consent order following the 2021 petroleum release at the Hawaii Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. He also served as Counsel to the Secretary of Defense’s PFAS Task Force, which led DoD-wide efforts to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on and around DoD installations. Taylor’s experience extends to carbon-free electricity power purchase agreements, DoD-wide sustainability efforts, NEPA policy and decision-making, DoD real estate and military construction authorities, military housing, and DoD community grant programs. He also counseled DOD clients working with the Department of Interior and with project proponents on siting and permitting offshore wind projects in and around military training areas. Taylor’s DOD experience equips him to counsel clients who interact with regulatory agencies or with DOD, including on legacy environmental issues and energy and defense-related project planning, compliance, and litigation.

Taylor also served as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works). As the Acting Assistant Secretary, he oversaw policy for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works program, including on several high-profile energy permitting projects, key flood control and navigability projects, and high profile litigation involving USACE.

Before joining DOD, Taylor was a Trial Attorney in the Department of Justice Environment & Natural Resources Division, where he defended federal agency clients in NEPA and other Administrative Procedure Act litigation and in Fifth Amendment takings litigation. His litigation experience includes representing federal agencies in district court and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, successfully defending high-profile environmental challenges, managing complex trial teams—including in two bench trials, and negotiating favorable settlements when necessary. For example, Taylor successfully defended high-profile NEPA and NHPA litigation on controversial but critical DOD basing projects in the Western Pacific and successfully defended the Navy in a PFAS contamination trial, receiving a directed verdict in that case.

Taylor’s public service career also includes serving as Special Counsel to the Department of the Navy Office of General Counsel and as Deputy Associate Counsel in the Obama White House. He began his legal career in private practice.

Taylor is an active community member, serving on the board of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. Outside of work, he enjoys songwriting and recording music.