Environment and Natural Resources

Our lawyers combine substantive knowledge of environmental law with their litigation, compliance counseling, permitting, regulatory and legislative advocacy, and commercial transaction experience.

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You may be considering potential litigation. Or seeking permitting advice for a large-scale project. Or you could be navigating a high-profile investigation or complex enforcement action, facing record-setting fines, intense regulatory scrutiny, and long-term damage to your brand all under the glare of heightened media attention.

Wherever you are in the world, the environmental lawyers at Hogan Lovells can help you address both your most complex challenges, and the day-to-day issues required to maintain compliance and keep pace with evolving policy and regulatory changes.

We take a collaborative approach, working alongside you, and when needed, with regulators, investigators, and crisis response teams to resolve legal challenges efficiently and effectively. Our capabilities span litigation, investigations, permitting, compliance counseling, crisis management, regulatory and legislative advocacy, and commercial transactions. Known for our integrity and transparency, we provide clear, practical advice that helps you make sound decisions under pressure.

Our experience crosses industries and borders, from manufacturing, energy, and transportation to chemicals, agriculture, and beyond. State and local governments, as well as trade associations worldwide, also turn to us to address their environmental concerns.

Our capabilities are broad: air and water issues, environmental audits, enforcement matters, contaminated land liabilities, product safety controversies, waste management and disposal, hazardous and toxic substances, natural resources and species, toxic tort claims, and more. No matter the challenge, whether planned or urgent, we understand your needs and deliver creative, commercially focused solutions.

Incident Response, Workplace Safety, Investigations and Auditing

Civil and Criminal Environmental Litigation and Enforcement Defense

Environmental Transactions and Site Remediation

Project Development and Site Remediation

Sustainability

Indigenous and Tribal Project Development

We help clients stay ahead of regulatory change and enforcement risk. Our work includes:

Environmental audits and internal compliance reviews
Privileged investigations and self-disclosure strategies
Air, water, and waste permitting and approvals
Environmental management system design and testing
Negotiating permit terms and defending approvals on appeal
Multi-jurisdiction compliance counseling

When incidents happen, speed and coordination matter. We provide:

Immediate response counsel following spills, releases, or safety events
Regulatory notification strategy and agency engagement
Defense in OSHA and environmental investigations
Crisis coordination with technical and communications teams
Risk mitigation planning and compliance program enhancement

We defend companies facing complex civil, administrative, and criminal exposure. Our experience covers:

Federal and state enforcement actions
Parallel civil and criminal investigations
Air, water, waste, and chemical regulatory disputes
Toxic tort and natural resource damage claims
Agency rule challenges and appellate litigation

Environmental risk can materially impact deal value, timing, and long-term exposure. We help clients identify, assess, and strategically manage those risks before they become costly surprises. We support:

Environmental diligence for M&A, private equity, and joint ventures
Real estate and infrastructure acquisitions and divestitures
Structuring risk allocation, indemnities, and escrow protections
Regulatory approval strategy and agency engagement
Environmental insurance analysis and recovery options
Cross-border environmental liability assessment

We guide projects from siting through operation—and redevelopment when needed. Our capabilities include:

Land use and siting approvals
Federal and state environmental review and permitting
Superfund and voluntary cleanup matters
Cost recovery and insurance claims
Brownfield redevelopment strategy

Environmental strategy is now board-level business strategy. We advise on:

Climate and environmental regulatory compliance
ESG-related environmental risk disclosure
Supply chain and operational sustainability risk
Sustainable finance considerations
Policy and regulatory developments across jurisdictions

The goal is to secure for Native Americans and their allies the economic benefits of appropriate development. We have helped with the licensing of a clean energy generating station on tribal land, the transfer to Indian ownership of a coal mine on its lands, the enhancement of a tribal fishery through removal of antiquated flood control facilities, tribe’s financing, and acquisition of valuable second-growth forest lands, and negotiation of permits for traditional native uses within National Parks. Our capabilities are broad: air and water issues, environmental audits, enforcement matters, contaminated land liabilities, product safety controversies, waste management and disposal, hazardous and toxic substances, natural resources and species, toxic tort claims, and more. No matter the challenge, whether planned or urgent, we understand your needs and deliver creative, commercially focused solutions.

Our capabilities at a glance

$bn+

environmental enforcement and litigation exposure defended for clients

precedent-setting rulings secured in federal appellate courts

300

environmental investigations and enforcement actions managed since 2020

$bn+

in real estate transactions supported through environmental due diligence

Hear from our clients and industry leaders

Hogan Lovells has a degree of knowledge and experience on a wide variety of regulatory matters. The department offers in-depth research, insights and actionable recommendations."

Chambers & Partners, USA Guide

Hogan Lovells has a proven track record of handling extremely sophisticated environmental matters."

Chambers & Partners, USA Guide, 2025

Hogan Lovells have a robust and very experienced team with very strong expertise in sophisticated environmental matters. They give an excellent level of service and attention."

Chambers & Partners, Latin American Guide, 2025

Key contacts

Tom Boer

Partner

Tom Boer

Partner

San Francisco, Los Angeles

Nadira Clarke

Partner

Nadira Clarke

Partner

Washington, D.C.

Hilary C. Tompkins

Partner

Hilary C. Tompkins

Partner

Washington, D.C.

Lily Chinn

Partner

Lily Chinn

Partner

San Francisco, Los Angeles

Emily E. Kimball

Office Administrative Partner

Emily E. Kimball

Office Administrative Partner

Denver

Meet the Environment and Natural Resources team

Representative experience

Represent a Fortune 100 manufacturing company in defending multiple lawsuits in federal and state courts alleging damages due to PFAS contamination, with claimed damages nearing $1 billion.

Represent a multinational chemical company in the immediate aftermath of a multi-fatality chemical release. Provided crisis counseling and defended the company in federal, state and local actions. Secured a favorable resolution of all actions, including a misdemeanor plea agreement in the criminal case.

Represent a leading packaging tech company in precedent-setting TSCA and PFAS litigation of national significance, securing appellate wins, case dismissals, and protecting operations against EPA overreach.

Representation of a global provider of labor and production services criminally charged in connection with a multi-fatality incident on an oil and gas production platform.

Represented a major chemical company in an environmental criminal case tied to a 2019 industrial incident, securing a favorable plea deal and now preparing defense strategies amid ongoing litigation.

Advise on the nation’s largest renewable energy project, a precedent-setting transmission development of national significance, providing permitting guidance and defending it in federal litigation.

Advise real estate investors on complex environmental matters, from contamination and liability issues to regulatory challenges, while also supporting transactions across the U.S.

Advised on the first U.S. MARAD license for an offshore LNG export project, a precedent-setting matter of national significance, guiding permitting, environmental review, and ongoing federal litigation.

Awards and recognitions

Band 1 for Environment, District of Columbia

Chambers & Partners, USA Guide

2025

Band 2 for Environment, Nationwide

Chambers & Partners, USA Guide

2025

Band 2 for Environment, Colorado

Chambers & Partners, USA Guide

2025

Band 4 for Environment, California

Chambers & Partners, USA Guide

2025

Practice Group of the Year

Law360

2018

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Environment and Natural Resources

Our lawyers combine substantive knowledge of environmental law with their litigation, compliance counseling, permitting, regulatory and legislative advocacy, and commercial transaction experience.

Explore our capabilities

Compliance, Environmental Permitting, Auditing

Incident Response, Workplace Safety, Investigations and Auditing

Civil and Criminal Environmental Litigation and Enforcement Defense

Environmental Transactions and Site Remediation

Project Development and Site Remediation

Sustainability

Indigenous and Tribal Project Development

Compliance, Environmental Permitting, Auditing

Incident Response, Workplace Safety, Investigations and Auditing

Civil and Criminal Environmental Litigation and Enforcement Defense

Environmental Transactions and Site Remediation

Project Development and Site Remediation

Sustainability

Indigenous and Tribal Project Development

Our capabilities at a glance

environmental enforcement and litigation exposure defended for clients

precedent-setting rulings secured in federal appellate courts

environmental investigations and enforcement actions managed since 2020

in real estate transactions supported through environmental due diligence

Hear from our clients and industry leaders

Hogan Lovells has a degree of knowledge and experience on a wide variety of regulatory matters. The department offers in-depth research, insights and actionable recommendations."

Hogan Lovells has a proven track record of handling extremely sophisticated environmental matters."

Hogan Lovells have a robust and very experienced team with very strong expertise in sophisticated environmental matters. They give an excellent level of service and attention."

Key contacts

Representative experience

Awards and recognitions

Band 1 for Environment, District of Columbia

Band 2 for Environment, Nationwide

Band 2 for Environment, Colorado

Band 4 for Environment, California

Practice Group of the Year

Other ways we can help you

Policy and Advocacy

Deepwater Ports

Transportation Safety

Transportation

Crisis Leadership Team

AG Practice

SEC

Products Law

Litigation

Global Class and Collective Actions

ESG

Gaming

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