Jason Hutt, chair of the firm’s environmental department, advises and defends clients with a deep appreciation of the high-profile and complex environmental and energy issues of our day. His advice and advocacy are informed by a technical understanding for how energy and key industrial sectors operate as well as an acumen for the challenges Bracewell’s clients must navigate to achieve their business objectives. Jason is a key member of Bracewell's incident response and internal investigation teams for matters subject to the jurisdictional reaches of these agencies. Jason's experience and perspective inform his advice to project developers, debtors, investor groups and financial institutions focused on the business implications of various policy initiatives as well as the environmental risks and liabilities associated with transactions. His thoughts on legal and policy matters are regularly reflected in the mainstream media and trade publications covering energy and environmental issues.
North America - United States • Environment
Bracewell LLP
Bracewell LLP advises on the full spectrum of transactional and regulatory environmental issues throughout the United States, with particular strength in the energy sector. Matters range from energy infrastructure development projects and climate change regulation to major accidents and law enforcement actions. The team has significant experience in the renewable energy and oil and gas sectors, where it routinely advises on complex joint ventures, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and investments. The firm’s environmental, lands, and natural resources group is led by Austin-based Timothy Wilkins, who specializes in environmental litigation, energy transition, climate change, and ESG, and Washington DC-based Jason Hutt, known for representing clients in administrative, civil, and criminal actions related to federal and state agencies that regulate energy and environmental issues, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. The team also includes natural resources expert Kevin Ewing, based in Washington DC, who represents leading companies in offshore wind, LNG and natural gas pipelines projects, and Austin’s Matt Paulson, whose focus is on the oil and gas, power and chemical manufacturing industries.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Key clients
- Equinor Wind
- Phillips 66
- Chesapeake Energy
- Par Pacific
- Gulf Coast Sequestration
- Sixth Street Partners
- Talos Low Carbon Solutions LLC
- King Ranch, Inc.
- Sable Offshore Corp.
- Pioneer Natural Resources
- Titus Oil & Gas Production, LLC
- Competitive Power Ventures, Inc.
- PPL Corporation
- Cactus, Inc.
- Ryan LLC
- Driftwood Energy Operating, LLC
- Synovus Financial Corporation
Work highlights
- Acted as chief counsel to Equinor Wind concerning its offshore wind business in the United States, and advising on all environmental considerations concerning the flagship Empire Wind and Beacon Wind projects.
- Advised Republic Services, Inc. in connection with all environmental aspects of the acquisition of U.S. Ecology.
- Advised King Ranch Inc. in connection with a 106,000-acre lease in Kleberg County, Texas, to oil giant Occidental to support a direct air capture project dedicated to carbon dioxide sequestration.
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Tim’s clients rely on him for the defense of environmental enforcement actions and assistance with the environmental aspects of major transactions and project development matters, including siting and permitting. Tim has also overseen environmental compliance audits involving thousands of locations, handled hundreds of environmental audit disclosures and pioneered the development and use of US EPA’s audit policy for new owners. Although he undertakes matters in all environmental media, Tim has special depth in issues involving hazardous waste. His clients report in Chambers USA that “he’s the premier lawyer in Texas," "the best on all environmental matters,” and “the rare outside counsel who combines subject-matter expertise with outstanding commercial judgment” (2023). They have said that “one of Tim’s chief strengths is his ability to explain the law in a way that anyone can understand” (2019). They have also described him as “a very astute lawyer, liked for his quickness and thorough responses” (2007); as having “a good blend of scientific knowledge and legal acumen that helps navigate challenging regulatory issues” (2021); as having “great business acumen and amazing negotiation skills” (2009); and as capable of delivering “practical, cost-effective solutions for his clients” (2011). Tim was also recognized by Law360 as a 2023 Environmental MVP. In addition to his duties at Bracewell, Tim periodically teaches the course in Corporate Environmental Law at The University of Texas School of Law. Before joining Bracewell, Tim was research assistant to Professor Laurence H. Tribe of Harvard Law School, editor-in-chief of the Harvard Environmental Law Review, and a judicial clerk for the Honorable Henry A. Politz, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Jason Hutt, Timothy Wilkins