MIAMI – July 10, 2024 – Six attorneys from global law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A.’s Environmental Practice will speak at the Florida Chamber Foundation’s 38th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School, which will take place July 16-19 in Marco Island, Florida.
The annual event aims to keep Florida Chamber members and organizations informed about the latest changes in environmental and growth management laws and regulations affecting the state, local businesses, and developments. According to its website, the conference brings together 1,200+ attorneys, consultants, developers, state and local government officials, engineers, landowners, and others with an interest in Florida environmental issues.
Among the 300+ speakers, Greenberg Traurig attorneys will present on the following topics:
- Kerri L. Barsh: “NEPA, CWA, and ESA Updates on Evolving Regulations and Policies Under the Biden Administration”
- John V. Chibbaro: “Avoiding Public Hearing Pitfalls: Preparation, Presentation, and Legal Challenges”
- Julie P. Kendig-Schrader and Christopher Torres: “Environmental Permits Under Attack: Preparing for and Defending Your Permits and Other Approvals”
- Maribel N. Nicholson-Choice: “Florida Brownfields: A Comprehensive Technical, Regulatory, and Legal Update”
- Bernadette M. Rappold: “Federal Environmental Regulation and Enforcement Update”
As co-chair of the firm’s Environmental Practice, Barsh represents public and private clients on an array of environmental regulatory, permitting, and litigation matters. These include transactional support and due diligence, environmental assessment and liability matters, climate change, energy and infrastructure projects, wetlands and coastal permitting, complex land use projects, air quality matters, hazardous materials contamination, and other compliance and enforcement cases.
“The environmental legal landscape in Florida and nationally is ever changing,” Barsh said. “Helping business owners and companies understand what these policies mean, how to navigate potential challenges, and what is needed to ensure compliance are all important in today’s regulatory environment.”
Torres is a member of the Environmental & Toxic Torts Litigation Practice and is the administrative shareholder of the firm’s Tampa office. He has an active litigation practice, with an emphasis on business, environmental, toxic tort, real estate, land use, and other challenging matters. He represents clients in class actions, mass torts, and other complex litigation.
“A company’s success may hinge on its ability to keep their projects compliant and resilient against legal challenges,” Torres said. “It’s critical for businesses in Florida to stay abreast of the strategies that can be used to obtain and defend the permits they need.”
Chibbaro is a shareholder in Greenberg Traurig’s Miami Real Estate Practice. He focuses on complex environmental and land use matters advising clients on virtually all aspects of development from initial permitting to government approvals. Chibbaro has represented homebuilders in site analysis and remediation, navigating federal and state regulations, and negotiated contracts across diverse industries.
Nicholson-Choice, a shareholder based in Tallahassee, has 30 years of experience in local government, environmental, land use, and brownfields law, with an emphasis on complex environmental permitting, due diligence, and litigation matters. She participated in writing Florida’s environmental justice legislation and served on the Florida Environmental Equity and Justice Study Commission.
Rappold, a shareholder based in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., focuses her practice on federal and state regulatory issues related to energy, manufacturing, and the environment, including wide-ranging litigation experience. As a former EPA director, Rappold led enforcement of major environmental statutes across diverse industries.
Kendig-Schrader, a shareholder based in Orlando, focuses her practice on land use, environmental matters, and administrative litigation. With sustainability concerns and initiatives cutting across virtually all sectors of business today, she strives to keep her clients ahead of the curve to maximize opportunities and minimize unnecessary costs and risks. Prior to joining the firm, Kendig-Schrader was with the South Florida Water Management District Office of Counsel.
Greenberg Traurig is also serving as a sponsor of the event, which is organized by the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Florida Environmental Network, Inc.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Environmental Practice: Greenberg Traurig’s Environmental Practice represents clients with issues under the environmental and natural resource laws that affect their businesses. The firm’s environmental attorneys assist with securing permits and approvals; negotiating and closing transactions; defending clients in enforcement actions; handling a broad range of environmental and toxic tort litigation; ensuring the understanding and satisfaction of regulatory requirements; preparing for and responding to emergencies; crafting approaches for legacy cleanup issues; and developing solutions for product regulation, market access, and environmental policy challenges. Greenberg Traurig received a first-tier rankings in the "Environmental Law" and "Litigation — Environmental" categories in the U.S. News - Best Lawyers 2024 "Best Law Firms" report and was selected as “Practice Group of the Year” by Law360 for 2022.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig LLP has more than 2750 attorneys in 47 locations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm is a 2022 BTI “Highly Recommended Law Firm” for superior client service and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 500. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 6.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab. The firm is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100% renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy program and is a member of the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program. The firm is known for its philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: www.gtlaw.com.