You might be facing an environmental enforcement action, trying to understand a new regulation, or seeking advice on permitting or due diligence for an acquisition. Whatever your challenge, our attorneys will partner with you to develop and implement comprehensive, business-focused solutions. We have a dedicated team of approximately 40 environmental lawyers located across the US—including in California, Texas, and Washington, DC—with the wisdom and experience to handle the full range of environmental matters, from managing routine (or unexpected) day-to-day issues to responding swiftly and effectively in crisis situations.

Hunton has been at the forefront of environmental law for more than 50 years. Established in 1970, our environmental practice set deep roots by helping clients navigate the enactment and implementation of the very first modern federal and state environmental statutes. Our air practice has been involved in significant rulemakings since the enactment of the Clean Air Act. Our climate change lawyers have litigated precedent-setting greenhouse gas public nuisance suits. Our water practice has been part of important rulemakings under the Clean Water Act since its inception. We have participated in hundreds of appellate cases and more than 40 lawsuits before the US Supreme Court, and our team includes many prolific authors and speakers on emerging environmental issues.

With experience in industry, with federal, state and local regulatory authorities, and at EPA, DOJ, DOI, DOE, DOT, FERC, Capitol Hill, and the White House, we have the resources and the know-how to tackle environmental legal problems and build durable solutions. Our environmental practice is broad and supported by proactive attorneys who recognize the importance of established industry standards, while applying creative and well-informed strategy. We have also represented leading clients in matters involving regulatory compliance, enforcement defense, and policy advice in environmental-adjacent industries, including chemicals, waste control and storage, energy, transportation, manufacturing, semiconductor, primary steel, specialty industrial gas, petroleum products, and mineral extraction.

We pride ourselves on maintaining a keen focus on our clients’ strategic business goals while providing quality legal services at all stages of the regulatory process—from initial legislative and policy developments, through rulemaking and implementation, to defense against enforcement actions and complex litigation.

Our Team
Our rankings speak volumes. Our team has been designated an Environmental Group of the Year by Law360 13 times since 2011. Hunton has been a Benchmark Litigation Environmental Firm of the Year since 2023 and was twice named the Chambers USA Environmental Law Firm of the Year. Our environmental practice and many individual lawyers are ranked Band 1 nationally by Chambers USA and Chambers Global. We are also top-ranked for environmental law by Legal 500 and in US News-Best Lawyers.