Troutman Sanders LLP

How America and the world address greenhouse gas emissions has become one of the major issues of our time affecting every segment of the economy. Society faces fundamental challenges in producing and using energy, and as we move into a future where carbon bears a price, winners and losers will emerge. For individual companies, much depends on helping government make the correct policy choices, on planning intelligently for the future, and on taking advantage of the opportunities – and avoiding the risks – created by a carbon-constrained environment.

Many law firms now have climate change practices. The difference with Troutman Sanders is that our attorneys have not just recently come to the issue – we have been active on climate change issues for nearly two decades. In the United States, we have been involved in climate change legislative and regulatory proceedings from the early 1990s, and have served as counsel in many of the landmark climate change proceedings and lawsuits, including the Massachusetts v. EPA Supreme Court decision that determined that greenhouse gas emissions are Clean Air Act "air pollutants." Internationally, we helped write the rules for carbon trading as implemented in the EU following the Kyoto Protocol. And both here and abroad we have done a number of innovative carbon deals and have a robust renewables and alternative energy practice.

Cutting-Edge Representation

Our long experience is not our only advantage; breadth of experience also sets us apart. Because of our broad expertise, we have been able to specialize in different aspects of climate change law and policy such as:

• Carbon Policy, Regulation and Legislation
• Litigation
• Carbon and Other GHG Credit Trading
• Project Investment
• Renewable & Alternative Energy
• International Trade Issues
• Disclosure and Corporate Compliance

Leadership and Expertise

The firm’s attorneys have testified before Congress on multiple occasions on climate change legal issues. They are also routinely invited to speak at various climate change conferences. In the last several years, firm attorneys have spoken on these issues at conferences and seminars organized by, among many others, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Edison Electric Institute, Georgetown University Law School, the Library of Congress Congressional Research Service, the American Bar Association, Law Seminars International, and the Carolinas Air Pollution Control Association. We have also appeared on C-SPAN.

Troutman Sanders embraces diversity as a cornerstone of our future. It means, in part, a commitment by all of our attorneys and all other personnel to a shared vision and the establishment of a workplace environment that is fully inclusive. The Firm values diversity in that it enables the Firm both to take full advantage of the knowledge and talents of a multicultural team in order to meet and exceed individual and business goals and client expectations, and to meet the Firm’s obligation to provide the broadest possible range of opportunities to the members of the communities served by the Firm.

Troutman Sanders defines diversity as an environment of inclusion, in which race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability, background and social and ethnic group differences are accepted and valued, and all members of the Firm can contribute to their fullest potential to achieve the Firm’s business goals.

Troutman Sanders supports many initiatives that foster an inclusive environment and help all its personnel balance commitments to clients and family:

Domestic Partnership Benefits

Troutman Sanders offers domestic partnership insurance benefits and has a longstanding policy against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Women’s Forum

The Troutman Sanders Women’s Forum is a framework to increase the visibility of our women lawyers and their accomplishments, provide expanded professional and business development opportunities, and provide a supportive environment for the continued recruitment, promotion and retention of women lawyers firm-wide.

Moms' Group

The Moms' Group at Troutman Sanders includes both full and part-time women lawyers with children of all ages and provides the opportunity to discuss issues of common concern among a support network such as part-time employment options with the firm and child-care providers.

Charitable Giving

The firm allocates a significant amount of its annual charitable, diversity, and civic contributions budget toward nonprofit organizations and bar associations with a diverse constituency or whose mission directly influences the issue of diversity.  These organizations include the Latin American Association, National Association of Chinese Americans, Stonewall Bar Association , Georgia Hispanic Chamber,  National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), Equality Virginia,  Stakeholders, Inc., Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), YWCA, HRNEW, The Urban League, and Catalyst, Inc.

Recruiting

Troutman Sanders proactively recruits a diverse team of lawyers by visiting law school campuses and participating in minority job fairs, including the Lavender Law Job Fair, Southeast Minority Job Fair, Mid-Atlantic BLSA Minority Job Fair and Virginia Bar Association Minority Job Fair.  The firm also sponsors a variety of associations that connect minority law students to internships and job opportunities in the legal industry. 

Ongoing efforts to promote and foster an inclusive environment are lead by the Troutman Sanders Diversity Committee. Its primary goals are to implement the firm’s philosophy on diversity, ensure a welcoming workplace for all personnel, and make an impact on the community through charitable giving and pro bono service.

Members of the Diversity Committee are:

Sallie A. Daniel, Chief Diversity Officer
Ronald R. Ross, Chairperson **
Pamela S. Belleman ** 
Robert L. Bourguignon **
Julie L. Burgener **
Albert C. Hwang **
Molly F. James **
Jennifer Mathis **
Joseph M. Parker **
John M. Ramirez **
E. Fitzgerald Veira **
Sonia K. Bain
Sandra L. Brown
Michael D. Hobbs, Jr.
Roscoe C. Howard, Jr.
Prashant K. Khetan
M. Kevin McCusty
George L. Scruggs
Rebecca W. Shanlever
Wendelin W. Silliman
Anthony F. Troy
Jerome Walker
Farah S. Ahmed * 
Meredith N. Baron *
George G. Booker *
Alonso J. Cisneros *
Tameka M. Collier *
Sara H. Doran *
Kaleen Serena Ford *
Becki F. Kieffer *
Adam S. Libove *
Christina M. Lucio *
Nora Garcia Nickel *
Tashwanda C. Pinchback *
S. Kaveh E. Rashidi-Yazd *
Jimmy R. Rock *
Tania S. Sebastian *
Ashante Latanya Smith *
Matt J. Sperling *
Juliet G. Sy * 
Whitney S. Waldenberg *

* Elected by Associates
** Office Committee Chair