HOUSTON - June 15 2017 - Christopher L. Bell, an Environmental and Energy and Natural Resources Practice shareholder in the Houston and Washington, D.C. offices of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, has been selected as an industry leader in the third annual issue of Energy and Environmental Trailblazers published by The National Law Journal(NLJ). Winners were chosen, according to the publication’s editor, for continuing to “make their mark in various aspects of legal work in the areas of energy and environmental law” and for “having shown a deep passion and perseverance in pursuit of their mission, having achieved remarkable successes along the way.” Hundreds of nominations were made for this year’s list of honorees.
Asked by the NLJ to describe one of the areas where he has made his mark, Bell said: “I was one of the lead drafters of ISO 14001, which is the globally accepted standard for good environmental compliance systems. I’ve helped hundreds of facilities implement compliance programs all over the world, and have learned many practical compliance lessons from my enforcement work.”
Bell also served on the U.S. negotiating team for the recently published ISO 37001 anti-bribery management systems standard. This experience contributed to Bell being selected as the EPA Independent Monitor overseeing the nation’s largest investor-owned energy company’s compliance with complex debarment and probation agreements arising from the resolution of a criminal enforcement case brought under the Clean Water Act.
Bell represents clients in civil and criminal enforcement and investigations, litigation, compliance counseling, emergency incident response, and legislative and regulatory advocacy (including appellate challenges to rulemakings) under all of the major environmental, health, safety, and natural resource laws. His enforcement experience includes internal investigations, responding to grand jury investigations and agency information requests, and negotiating consent, probation, and debarment agreements. He also advises clients on the environmental aspects of transactions as well as product stewardship and sustainable development matters.
The firm’s Environmental Practice was recently recognized as one of the top in the country by the 2017 Chambers USA Guide where it appears in the prestigious “Nationwide” list. In 2016, Paul M. Seby, shareholder in the firm’s Denver office, was named an NLJ Energy and Environmental Trailblazer. Kerri L. Barsh and David G. Mandelbaum, co-chairs of the practice, were also honored in 2015.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Environmental Practice
Greenberg Traurig’s Environmental Practice assists 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; negotiate and close transactions; defend clients in enforcement actions; handle a broad range of environmental and toxic tort litigation; ensure the understanding and satisfaction of regulatory requirements; prepare for and respond to emergencies; craft approaches for legacy cleanup issues; and develop solutions for product regulation, market access, and environmental policy challenges.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.