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North America - United States • Environment

King & Spalding LLP

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King & Spalding LLP is a name to note for environmental and climate change litigation for its special focus on matters related to air pollution, toxic chemicals and industrial disasters. The team is co-headed by Washington DC’s Granta Nakayama, who handles a spread of environmental health and safety matters, in addition to New York’s Kristen Fournier and San Francisco's Matt Blaschke, who jointly lead the firm’s toxic and environmental torts team, and are recommended for their product liability work. Tracie Renfroe , of the Houston office, attracts clients from across the energy and industrial sector for her national and international arbitration expertise, especially those relating to contamination, toxic tort and product liability, while Atlanta’s Douglas Henderson is well versed in dealing with property rights disputes to do with chemical exposure, groundwater contamination and the Clean Water Act. Over in Los Angeles, Peter Hsiao heads the West Coast environmental, health & safety practice, his wide experience covers natural resources and climate change litigation, in addition to toxic tort work.

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Key clients

  • New Jersey Governor's Office
  • Volkswagen AG
  • Chevron
  • Phillips 66
  • Baker Hughes
  • Dow Chemical Company
  • BASF Corporation
  • Stellantis (Formerly FCA US LLC and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV) and various subsidiaries
  • International Paper Co.
  • The Renco Group

Work highlights

  • Representing the Office of Governor Phil Murphy in considering all legal options concerning the NY Congestion Pricing Plan. The Environmental, Health and Safety team is crucially involved in the recently-filed challenge to the Federal Highway Administration’s review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
  • Advising Stellantis regarding allegations that FCA US LLC equipped its 3.0L diesel vehicles with defeat devices and undisclosed alternative emissions control strategies.
  • Advising the Renco Group and Doe Run Resources as lead counsel in mass tort litigation pending in two federal district court cases in the Eastern District of Missouri in which plaintiffs allege that defendants, acting from Missouri and New York, controlled Doe Run Peru’s smelting operations at the La Oroya smelting facility in Peru in a manner that resulted in approximately 3,000 Plaintiffs’ exposure to lead and other toxic substances, causing medical and developmental injuries.

Lawyers

Hall of fame

The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.

Granta Nakayama

Work highlightsKing & Spalding LLP

A partner in the Environmental practice with a focus on energy, Granta represents companies in a range of regulatory and enforcement matters. With training as a nuclear engineer and more than a decade of experience as a practicing engineer and technical manager, Granta represents clients with products or services regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), along with state government agencies such as the California Air Resources Board. He defends companies in enforcement actions and litigation involving regulations and rate proceedings, and represents their interests in agency rulemakings and Congressional matters.

Leading partners

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Tracie Renfroe

King & Spalding LLP

Tracie Renfroe has a national trial practice focusing on toxic tort, environmental, product liability and commercial disputes.  She has tried or litigated numerous breach of contract, conspiracy, fraud, securities fraud and professional liability cases.  As Managing Partner of the Houston office and a partner in the Energy, Environmental and Product Liability practices, Tracie represents clients in the energy,  manufacturing, and pharmaceutical sectors around the country. Tracie represents clients in civil jury trials, class actions and arbitrations. She tries cases in federal and state courts around the country, as well as in international arbitration of high-stakes environmental disputes. Tracie is skilled at presenting complex scientific and technical issues to judges, juries and arbitration panels. She has also tried numerous conspiracy, securities fraud, breach of contract and professional liability cases.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Granta Nakayama, Kristen Fournier, Matt Blaschke

Other key lawyers

Tracie Renfroe, Douglas Henderson, Peter Hsiao, Elizabeth Taber