The Obama administration has fast-tracked domestic policy related to climate change and energy independence to the top of its agenda. And California is leading the way for the nation in climate change policy changes, including the new Green Chemistry Initiative and AB 32. These policy changes present unique challenges to corporations and government agencies across the nation, and particularly in California, as they attempt to navigate a new statutory and regulatory environment. From cap and trade to carbon emissions offsets to energy efficiency standards, corporations and government agencies are going to be in need of legal counsel that can assist them in navigating these new regulations.
Given the state’s prominent role in the climate change debate, one of the top priorities for California law firms large and small is to determine how best to position themselves to handle the expected influx of legal work related to climate change. Forming a climate change practice is proving to be an immense challenge for many law firms, since it is still such an amorphous and interdisciplinary practice. Often a client with climate change issues will need legal counsel covering a combination of environmental, corporate, securities, real estate, tax and government relations. In general, firms are taking three distinct approaches to creating climate change practice groups.
