"Green"
living, sustainability, and use of alternative fuels are no longer obscure concepts.
Today, these concerns and related regulations affect the entire economy and
have high interest and visibility. Businesses, communities, and individuals are
feeling the pressure—whether self-imposed or from consumers, stakeholders, or
lawmakers—to improve their ability to operate in an environmentally sound and
sustainable manner. The pressure on businesses will most likely increase, and
the pace of regulatory change is expected to accelerate.
Companies
are struggling to find guidance on these emerging issues, including regulatory
compliance, corporate structure, product development and distribution, labor,
or green practices, as they attempt to adapt and prosper in our rapidly
changing world.
Jones
Walker's Green Law & Sustainability team is a multidisciplinary
group that helps clients anticipate, track, and respond to rapidly changing and
increasingly complex environmental regulations, with a focus on emerging issues
including climate change, green building and sustainable development, green
living and corporate operations, and renewable fuels and alternative energy.
Experience in environmental, business, construction, renewable energy, land
use, natural resources, employment, tax, government relations, and intellectual
property law enables our attorneys to quickly identify and resolve issues
commonly faced by organizations seeking to comply with and succeed in the
dynamic regulatory framework, in which change has been driven by calls for
increased sustainability.
Our Energy
team works with businesses seeking competitive advantage through new green
products touting reduced environmental impact, as well as with companies
striving to improve development, labor, supply chain, distribution, and
production practices. In this new regulatory environment, Jones Walker helps
clients be proactive, rather than reactive.
The
firm's interdisciplinary practice encompasses environmental regulation and
sustainable business practices for public, private, and nonprofit clients. Some
examples are:
- Assisting architects, developers,
landlords, and tenants in structuring agreements for construction
incorporating green building practices or achieving LEED® (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The firm is a member of
the U.S. Green Building Council and the U.S. Green Building Council of
Louisiana.
- Assisting with entity
formation and business structuring, including drafting charter documents
to include principles of sustainability. The firm's construction attorneys
advise on green building issues and product sourcing, development, and
distribution. In securities law, they monitor developing trends in
disclosure of companies' exposure to climate change and levels of carbon
emissions, as well as in corporate tax policy, credits, and incentives.
- Closely monitoring
developments relating to air and water quality issues, emissions caps,
carbon quantification and monitoring, and opportunities for buying and
monetizing carbon offsets.
- Helping clients avoid claims
of unfair trade practices or green washing, as well as defending lawsuits
alleging environmental damage or violations.
- Participating at the
federal, state, and local level in recommending legislation and
regulations related to climate change strategies.
- Protecting the new
technologies developed for sustainability.
- Working with developers and power purchasers on
agreements for purchase or sale of output of renewable energy facilities. The
firm's energy attorneys also work closely with the firm's well-established tax
practice to combine renewable energy tax credits in innovative structures with
new markets, historic preservation, and low-income tax credits.
