Hunton Names Eric J. Murdock Head of Administrative Law Group; Deidre Duncan and Makram Jaber Named Co-Leaders of the Environmental Practice

Hunton & Williams LLP is pleased to announce that environmental partner Eric J. Murdock has been named head of the firm’s administrative law group, which encompasses several of the firm’s practice areas, including energy and environmental, federal relations, and regulated markets. Additionally, partners Deidre Duncan and Makram Jaber have been named co-leaders of the firm’s environmental practice group. All three are based in the firm’s Washington office.

“Eric, Deidre and Makram are exceptional lawyers who are recognized as leaders in their areas of practice,” Managing Partner Wally Martinez said. “We are confident that their stewardship will serve to promote the continued success of our top-rated administrative and environmental practices.”

Murdock’s practice focuses on litigating a wide range of environmental matters, including defense of enforcement actions, defending challenges to environmental permits, contractual disputes regarding environmental indemnities, challenges to administrative rulemakings, and recovery and allocation of costs for environmental cleanups. A significant portion of Murdock’s practice also involves managing the environmental aspects of complex business transactions and major development projects.

Murdock, who joined the firm in 1989, succeeds William L. Wehrum, who recently was appointed head of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation.

Duncan’s practice focuses exclusively on environmental, energy and administrative law, representing clients on permitting, compliance and litigation relating to the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental statutes. She also frequently counsels clients on administrative rulemaking and policy, providing regulatory clarifications when necessary, and drafting federal and state legislation on a myriad of intricate issues.

Jaber’s practice focuses on counseling clients on their obligations under the Clean Air Act, including helping them to obtain and defend permits, defending them in enforcement actions, and representing them in rulemaking proceedings and related Court of Appeals litigation. He also co-leads the firm’s representation of the Utility Air Regulatory Group.