Profile
Andrew (Andy) Spielman focuses his practice on energy, public lands, and natural resources law. He assists clients with policy and regulatory issues related to facility development, public lands use, and environmental permitting processes.
Andy represents wind, solar, and transmission developers, mining companies, and ski areas in both private and public land use matters. A former energy regulator, his work involves helping clients navigate federal, state, and county land use approvals for energy projects, including generation, storage and interstate transmission facilities. A former ski industry executive, Andy has represented dozens of ski areas nationwide, securing approvals for new ski areas and year-round facilities expansions.
Before joining Greenberg Traurig, Andy served as Global co-Head of Energy and Natural Resources and Chair of the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Practice Group at two other international law firms.
Concentrations
- Project permitting
- Renewable energy and transmission
- Public land and land use
- Mining
- Ski area and outdoor recreation development
- NEPA
- Endangered species
Capabilities
Experience
- Secured federal, state, and county land use approvals for more than 4 gigawatts of wind and solar energy, and battery storage, including defending permit challenges in federal court.°
- Counseled public and private transmission developers in permitting new facilities in 12 states, including offshore and international transborder projects.°
- Represented 35 ski areas nationwide as public lands, NEPA, forest service and land use counsel, securing approvals for the nation’s newest public ski area and year-round facilities expansions at resorts nationwide.°
- Acted as counsel to an international gold mining company in a history 1.5 million-acre voluntary, landscape level conservation agreement with the Department of the Interior, among other stakeholders, to promote the conservation of the sagebrush habitat and species in exchange for the potential to earn credits to offset the impact of future mining operations in the state of Nevada.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Spielman prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
- Chair, Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (formally the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission), 2011-2017
- Chair, Colorado’s Regional Air Quality Commission, 2007-2018
- Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1991-1998
- Presidential Management Fellow, The White House, Office of Management and Budget, 1990-1991
- Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, Silverton Mountain, Aspen Heli Skiing & Silverton Mountain Guides Alaska, 2019-2020
- Director and Lecturer, The Future of Oil & Gas Initiative, Colorado School of Mines’ Payne Institute of Public Policy
- Adjunct Professor of Land Use in the Outdoor Recreation Industry, University of Denver
- Guest Lecturer on Public Lands Law, The University of Denver Law School
- Guest Lecturer on National Resource Law, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University
- International Trainer, Environmental Risk and Decision-making, Czech Republic and Ukraine
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2016-2025
- Listed, 5280 The Denver Magazine, "Top Lawyers," Environmental, 2025
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2008-2018
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States, 2016-2018
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Colorado Super Lawyers, 2015-2017
- Listed, National Law Journal, “Energy & Environmental Trailblazers,” 2017
- Listed, Who’s Who Legal, 2012-2014
- Listed, Who’s Who in Energy, Denver Business Journal, 2012-2017, 2019
- Listed, Law Week Colorado, “Barrister’s Best”
- Best Environmental Lawyer, 2016
- Best Renewable Energy Lawyer, 2009, 2012-2018, 2023
- Listed, 5280 Magazine, “Denver’s Top Lawyers,” 2015-2020, 2024
- Listed, Denver Business Journal, “Forty Under 40,” 2006
- Listed, Colorado Statesman, “50 for the Future,” 2007
- Fellow, American College of Environmental Lawyers, 2017-Present
- Advisory Board Member, Global Energy Management Program, University of Colorado, 2012-2014
- Treasurer and Board Member, National Parks Action Fund, 2016-2018
- President, Southwest Regional Advisory Council, National Parks Conservation Association, 2012-2016
- Board Member, Imagination Library of Denver, 2021-Present
- Member, National Ski Areas Association, Public Lands Committee, 2006-2024
- Member, Board of Governors, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, 2016-2018
- Board Chair, Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, 2012-2014
- Board Member, Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, 2010-2012
- Member, Governor’s Task Force on Cooperative Strategies Regarding State and Local Regulation of Oil and Gas Development.
Credentials
- Executive Leadership Program, Oxford University, Said School of Business, 2014
- J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1997
- M.G.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1990
- B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1988
- Alaska
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- English, Native
- Spanish, Conversational