Rachel Saltzman

Rachel focuses her practice on environmental law and sustainability. She is respected for her experience with ESG strategy development, environmental and product compliance counseling, and environmental enforcement defense and corporate remediation. Rachel offers over a decade of experience in private practice, government service, and as in-house counsel at a top-20 Fortune Global 500 company. During her time in-house, she provided both legal support and executive leadership across a full range of business strategy and operations, leading environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy development and environmental, health, and safety compliance (EHS) efforts. She is well-positioned to advise clients across industries on sustainability, product stewardship, and environmental matters.

Prior to entering private practice, Rachel served as an attorney-advisor in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 9 (Pacific Southwest) office in San Francisco. She led hazardous waste enforcement cases and supervised the legal aspects of Superfund cleanups. Notably, she served as EPA’s lead negotiator in consent decree negotiations concerning cleanup of abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation, leading to a settlement valued at over $600 million. Rachel also oversaw the US Navy’s remediation of Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard and negotiated environmental protection measures related to the Navy’s transfer of property in the City of San Francisco.

• As a sustainability executive at a top-20 Global Fortune 500 company, led intensive cross-functional effort to develop a comprehensive set of ESG key performance indicators (KPIs) and created a prioritization framework for future sustainability initiatives.
• As Assistant General Counsel at a top-20 Global Fortune 500 company, provided advice on environmental and sustainability issues, with a particular emphasis on electric vehicle-related topics, chemical/product compliance, and hazardous waste.
• Counseled automotive and equipment manufacturers regarding environmental compliance and management of administrative enforcement actions.
• Negotiated Resource Conservation and Recovery Act penalties in connection with hazardous waste violations at an oil refinery and a heat exchanger refurbishing facility, both located in California.
• As Assistant Regional Counsel at the EPA, made Region 9’s first referral to DOJ in General Duty Clause case under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act.

• Named a Washington D.C. Rising Star, The National Law Journal Legal Awards 2024
• Named to the “40 & Under List,” Benchmark Litigation, 2024

• Shortlisted for Environment Lawyer of the Year, Women in Business Law Americas Awards, 2024