We assist in project planning, pre-development review and approvals, project entitlements and permitting, and related litigation. We have significant experience advising private and public clients on substantive and procedural land use and development law, including zoning, comprehensive plan amendments; conditional use and variance permits; and residential subdivision and commercial development.
We draft environmental regulatory programs; help clients navigate the maze of federal, state and local environmental regulations; negotiate prospective purchaser agreements; assess and manage environmental risks; take our clients through the sometimes daunting task of complex environmental cleanups; and advise on environmental restoration projects.
We have worked with landowners, generators, and other stakeholders on an array of power projects, ranging from traditional hydropower and gas-fired turbine plants to wind farms and other alternative energy projects. This has enabled us to assemble an experienced team of attorneys who can effectively address the variety of siting, development and permitting issues associated with power production plants.
We know the law on wetlands, steep slopes, restricted use lands, critical areas, and storm water drainage, and apply our knowledge to solve problems – whether in the context of pre-development planning or post-development regulatory or enforcement actions.
We use an integrated approach to the redevelopment of "brownfields" property, combining the experience of our real estate, environmental and land use attorneys to facilitate the reclamation and reuse of environmentally impacted properties.
We have significant expertise in assessing insurance coverage and litigating to recover environmental expenditures. We are also skilled in evaluating and utilizing newly available environmental insurance products to actively manage the risks associated with environmental liabilities.
We handle all phases of litigation, from public hearings before local governmental bodies and administrative appeals of land use and environmental decisions, to trials and appellate court actions. Our attorneys have a long history of making new law and successfully representing our clients in court.
We have unparalleled experience in serving as special counsel to regional and local governments throughout Washington. This unique expertise is invaluable in understanding the interplay of public and private rights and finding successful solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
Our attorneys have unparalleled experience in serving as special environmental counsel to tribal governments, helping tribes to protect the quality of the Reservation environment. We pride ourselves on our work with Tribal program staff and Reservation attorneys. This unique expertise is invaluable for non-tribal clients’ interaction with tribal governments, tribally chartered corporations, and other tribal instrumentalities. Our tribal practice includes:
Environmental Grants and Funding
Environmental Program Development
Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements
Legislative Counseling
Natural Resource Damage Claims
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance
Tribal Business Regulatory Compliance
Tribal Endangered Species Act Issues
Tribal Reserved Water Rights
Pollution Prevention in Economic Development
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Land Use and Development