Clare Ellis

Clare has experience in an array of regulatory matters related to transportation and energy industry project permitting, construction, recordkeeping and regulatory compliance. She has assisted a diverse set of clients—from pipeline developers to public transportation authorities—to understand the implications of regulatory, statutory, and permitting requirements for the delivery of infrastructure projects. She is well-versed in a broad spectrum of environmental and transportation regulatory programs and frequently works with clients in interfacing with federal  oversight agencies, including PHMSA, FERC, EPA, FHWA, FTA, and their state counterparts.

Clare is a regular contributor to the firm’s Nickel Report blog. 

• Broad experience in administrative and environmental law, including project construction, permitting, NEPA environmental review, and regulatory compliance counseling on air, water, endangered species, and waste issues.
• Advises on regulatory strategy for delivery of public-private partnership (P3) transportation, telecommunications and infrastructure projects.
• Assists in the defense of citizen suits brought under the Endangered Species Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Clean Water Act.
• Advises on mobile and stationary source Clean Air Act compliance.
• Rulemaking advocacy before EPA, including for the Risk Management Program requirements, as well as Title V and New Source Review permitting.
• Rulemaking advocacy and enforcement defense before PHMSA.
• Counsels pipeline companies on construction and expansion projects, including FERC Certificate process for natural gas pipelines, and other authorizations required under federal and state transportation, environmental, and natural resource laws.
• Advises clients on all phases of incident response--including proactive contingency planning, compliance with release reporting and other post-incident requirements, handling agency investigations, and addressing environmental liability and remediation obligations.

• Recommended for Environment: Litigation (2020-2024) and Environment: Regulatory (2020-2024), Legal 500 United States
• Recognized as a Leader in Environment, California, Chambers USA, 2021-2024
• Named One to Watch in Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental, The Best Lawyers in America, 2024
• Recognized as 2021 Environmental Group of the Year, Law360, January 2022
• 2021 Chambers USA Environment Law Firm of the Year
• Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2020 Fellow
• Chair, Bar Association of San Francisco, Barristers Environmental, Land Use, and Real Estate Section, 2020
• Co-chair, American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Air Quality Committee, 2020-21
• Best Paper Award Recipient, American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources 27th Fall Conference, 2019
• Chambers USA Environment Law Firm of the Year, 2017
• E. Randolph Williams Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service, 2014-2015

• Member, American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
• Member, Bar Association of San Francisco
• Member, State Bar of Georgia, Environmental and Administrative Law Sections