Baker Botts, an international energy and technology law firm, has announced the addition of a prominent group of environmental, health and safety (EHS) crisis response lawyers. A cohort of nine has joined the firm as partners in the litigation department’s environmental section and white collar defence and corporate investigations practice group.

Response team

The teams will reside in Baker Botts’ Washington DC, San Francisco, Houston and Austin offices. Members of this nine-partner team respond to major accidents and environmental incidents. They have handled the many significant EHS criminal and civil enforcement cases over the last 10 years. The team advises companies in emergency response, environmental incidents, internal investigations, and suspension and debarment matters in sectors that include energy, chemical, refining, manufacturing, construction and transportation. They have broad experience in corporate compliance programs, including the court-appointed monitorship of Carnival Corporation & plc’s cruise lines. “Few, if any, lawyers have excelled in high-profile environmental health and safety crisis response matters as has this stellar group of partners,” said Baker Botts’ managing partner, John Martin.

“Extraordinary group”

The team comprises: Steve Solow, Nadira Clarke, Lily Chinn, Greg Dillard, Natalia Sorgente, Anne Carpenter, Scott Elliott, Matthew Baker and Danny Worrell. “When EHS crises hit, we are a destination law firm for helping our clients navigate their new normal. The addition of this extraordinary group of lawyers cements our reputation as an industry-leading practice group for EHS crisis response. Adding depth to our lawyers with department of justice experience, including senior DOJ environmental lawyer Jeff Wood, who joined in April, will only enhance what we can offer to our clients,” said Van Beckwith, chair of Baker Botts’ litigation department. “Our team is thrilled to join Baker Botts,” Scott Janoe, firmwide chair of Baker Botts’ environmental section, said “Their experience in handling some of the highest-profile EHS crises in recent memory, coupled with the work that several of the lawyers have performed at the DOJ, will provide our clients with a highly desirable skill set and perspective.”