Profile
Kerri L. Barsh is Co-Chair of the firm’s Environmental Practice and represents public and private clients on an array of environmental regulatory, permitting and litigation matters, including 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. Kerri is a member of the firm's Executive Committee.
Concentrations
- Climate change
- Environmental compliance, permitting, enforcement, including litigation support
- Transactional environmental work (counseling, due diligence, drafting and negotiation of reps and warrants, disclosures, and indemnities)
- Energy and infrastructure projects, including due diligence, permitting, and NEPA review
- Natural resource mining, permitting and siting
- Brownfields counseling and development
- Electrical generation facilities (power plant and transmission line siting)
- Air quality matters (drafting of contractual protections, remedial assistance and litigation support)
- Land use and comprehensive plan approvals, including litigation
- Landfills (siting, permitting and related regulatory matters)
- Legislation drafting (statutes, ordinances and rules)
- Administrative litigation, including rule-making and permitting challenges
- Global energy and infrastructure
- Catastrophe planning and response
Capabilities
Experience
- Co-counsel for Fane Lozman in U.S. Supreme Court victory in Fane Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach, Florida, vacating an earlier decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in a case with implications for how governments must balance arrest powers with citizens’ constitutional rights of free speech.
- Led the Greenberg Traurig team that represented Dutch Docklands, LLC in the environmental permitting and siting approvals for the proposed development of the Amillarah Private Islands, consisting of 29 artificial residential floating islands and one amenity island. The proposed islands would have been the first floating residential community in the United States.
- Leader of the Greenberg Traurig Environmental team that represented MAT Concessionaire, LLC and its sponsors, Meridiam Infrastructure Fund and Bouygues Travaux Publics, S.A., in the Port of Miami Tunnel project, one of the first greenfield public-private partnerships in the United States.
- Represented the petitioner before the U.S. Supreme Court in a pivotal admiralty jurisdiction case, resulting in a favorable result for our client in January 2013.
- Represented several national rock mining companies in federal, state and local wetlands permitting and associated litigation over quarries in the Lake Belt region of Miami-Dade County, Florida, which included serving as industry spokesperson with the media, as well as liaison with the environmental agencies and local government.
- Represented wind energy company in connection with environmental permitting with the federal agencies in connection with its 200 megawatt wind farm project.
- Represented commercial real estate and railroad company Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) in its $3.5 billion merger transaction, in which FECI has been acquired by a company formed by certain private equity funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC.
- Represented Greenwich Air Services in $1.8 billion, three-party merger; served as chief environmental counsel who drafted and negotiated the environmental reps and warranties and indemnities; oversaw environmental due diligence and compliance activities, including supervision of five regional environmental consulting teams.
- Represented developers, builders, building owners/operators, and lenders in connection with mold-related concerns, including preventive advice; development of mold protocols; drafting of mold addenda; disclosures and risk shifting instruments; hiring and supervision of mold experts; analysis of mold-related legislation; and pursuit of insurance claims.
- Represented electrical generation companies in connection with due diligence, zoning approvals, environmental permitting and related matters.
- Represented several large pension funds, REITs, and developers in environmental and land use due diligence efforts.
- Represented several large developers in land use related litigation, both judicial and administrative, including defense of land use plan amendments and developments of regional impact.
- Represented Broward County in its air permitting and power plant site certification for the north and south resource recovery facilities.
- Represented the City of Miami and Hillsborough County as special counsel relative to multiparty Superfund sites.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law; Land Use & Zoning Law; Litigation - Environmental; Litigation - Land Use & Zoning; Natural Resources Law, 2007-2025
- "Lawyer of the Year," Miami Litigation - Environmental Law, 2013 and 2022
- "Lawyer of the Year," Miami Environmental Law, 2017
- Listed, Lawdragon, “Green 500: Leaders in Environmental Law,” Environmental Regulatory & Transactions, 2023-2024
- The Bond Buyer
- Team Member, Deal of the Year, 2024
- Team Member, Innovative Financing Deal of the Year, 2024
- Listed, Lawdragon 500, Leading U.S. Environmental & Energy Lawyers guide, 2021
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2007-2024
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States, 2016-2024
- Listed, Euromoney's Expert Guides: Women in Business Law, "Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law," 2014, 2017, and 2021-2022
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Florida Super Lawyers, 2007-2024
- Team Member, a Law360 “Environmental Practice Group of the Year,” 2022
- Listed, South Florida Legal Guide, "Top Lawyer," 2020-2021
- Finalist, Daily Business Review, "Attorney of the Year," 2019
- Team Member, a Law360 "Florida Powerhouse," 2018
- Listed, Euromoney's Expert Guides: World Leading Experts in Environmental Law, 2017-2021
- South Florida Power Women, Bisnow, 2018
- Listed, Who's Who Legal, Environmental, 2013-2022
- Global Leader, Environment, 2013-2022
- Selected, Miami Today, "Best of Miami: Thought Leaders," 2016
- Team Member, U.S. News - Best Lawyers®, Best Law Firms Edition, "Law Firm of the Year," Environmental Law, 2016
- Shortlisted, Euromoney Legal Media Group's Americas Women in Business Law Awards, "Best in Environment," 2013, 2015 and 2016
- Selected, National Law Journal magazine, "Energy & Environmental Trailblazer," 2015
- Member, Winning Team, ACG New York Champions Awards, Energy, 2012
- Selected, South Florida Business Journal, one of 25 "Influential Business Women," 2011
- Listed, Business Leader magazine, "Top Impact Law Leaders," 2010
- Listed, Who's Who Legal: Florida, Real Estate, 2008
- Listed, Daily Business Review, "Most Effective Lawyer - Lobbying/Land Use Category," 2006
- Rated, AV Preeminent® 4.9 out of 5.0
- Former Board Member, Law360, Environmental Editorial Board
- Trustee, Builders Association of South Florida
- Greenberg Traurig
- Former Chair, Environmental and Land Use Practice, Employment Relations Committee
- Member, Recruiting Committee, Finance Committee, Hiring Committee, Intake Committee, and Orientation Committee
- Hiring Partner, 1999-2001
- Member, American Bar Association, Environment, Energy & Resources Section
- Member, Miami-Dade Limestone Products Association
- Member, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, Council of Counsel
- Former Member, Miami Bridge
- Former Board Member, Women’s Emergency Network
Credentials
Education
- J.D., magna cum laude, University of Miami School of Law
- B.A., magna cum laude, University of Missouri
Admissions
- Florida
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida