ORANGE COUNTY – Sept. 29, 2021 – Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP is expanding its Environmental Practice in California to meet client demand with the addition of Shareholder Hazel Ocampo in the firm’s Orange County and Los Angeles offices.
Ocampo guides clients through the intricacies of federal, state, and local environmental regulations including the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and California’s Proposition 65. She was previously with Allen Matkins.
As part of her practice, Ocampo regularly defends companies subject to potential enforcement actions by governmental agencies for alleged violations of environmental regulations. She handles matters before the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), Regional Water Quality Control Boards, local Department of Environmental Health and Air Pollution Control Districts, among others.
“We are very pleased that Hazel has joined the firm. She will expand our environmental and regulatory compliance capabilities in California and beyond. Her experience handling environmental issues at all levels of government will be invaluable as we assist our clients with addressing their environmental challenges,” said David Weinstein, chair of the firm’s Environmental and Toxic Tort Litigation Practice.
Prior to entering private practice, Ocampo worked for the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and assisted with the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). She was selected for the prestigious Executive Fellowship in the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) where she handled matters relating to water and soil contamination and automotive issues during former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration.
“Environmental concerns regarding water supply and conservation are at the forefront of our client issues here in California. Hazel has the experience and knowledge to help our clients navigate the regional, state, and national environmental regulations,” said Susan L. Heller and Bruce Fischer, co-managing shareholders of the firm’s Orange County office.
Ocampo has successfully represented a variety of industrial operators, including national telecommunications companies, aeronautic manufacturers, international vehicle manufacturers, metal recyclers, food processors, real estate developers and dry cleaners in cases involving air emissions, vapor intrusion, contaminated groundwater and surface water, marine sediment and contaminated soil.
“Greenberg Traurig’s entrepreneurial culture and global platform will provide me with an exciting opportunity to better serve my clients’ needs and to expand my practice both in California and beyond,” said Ocampo. “As a first-generation Mexican-American woman, I wanted to join a firm with a long-standing commitment to cultivating and retaining diverse talent, and I found just that at Greenberg Traurig.”
Ocampo earned her B.A. from the University of California and her J.D. from Cornell Law School.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Environmental Practice: Greenberg Traurig’s Environmental Practice counsel clients with issues under the environmental and natural resource laws that affect their businesses. The firm’s environmental attorneys assist with securing permits and approvals; negotiating and closing transactions; defending clients in enforcement actions; handling a broad range of environmental and toxic tort litigation; ensuring the understanding and satisfaction of regulatory requirements; preparing for and respond to emergencies; crafting approaches for legacy cleanup issues; and developing solutions for product regulation, market access, and environmental policy challenges. Greenberg Traurig received a first tier ranking in the "Environmental Law" and "Litigation — Environmental" categories in the U.S. News - Best Lawyers 2021 "Best Law Firms" report.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2300 attorneys in 40 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. The firm is net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage and Mansfield Rule 4.0 Plus Certified. Web: www.gtlaw.com