Overview

Lisa’s environmental practice focuses on advancing clients’ business objectives in a variety of industries. Lisa has extensive experience in all areas of environmental law, including permitting, enforcement, litigation, acquisitions, compliance, auditing, and rulemaking matters. Lisa has represented clients in obtaining permit authorization through Texas’ contested case hearing process.

Early in her career, Lisa served as a senior enforcement attorney in the Litigation Division of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. There, she was recognized for her outstanding leadership as lead counsel for some of the agency’s most complex and high-profile air and multimedia enforcement cases, and for drafting statewide consolidated environmental enforcement legislation, now codified in Chapter 7 of the Texas Water Code.

Experience

Lisa has served clients on a wide range of environmental issues, including:

PERMITTING

  • Representing clients before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency in applications for air, water, and waste permit applications for major projects
  • Leading and supporting clients in contested case hearings before the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH)
  • Providing legal representation to obtain air and water permits for construction of world scale petrochemical complex
  • Developing and advocating air quality permitting strategies for chemical companies
  • Representing a global client in Class I underground injection control well issues
  • Collaborating with engineering, geology, modeling and toxicology experts related to air and waste issues

ENFORCEMENT

  • Representing industrial clients and businesses in environmental enforcement cases before TCEQ, Texas Attorney General and EPA
  • Strategic counseling and assistance related to regulatory and internal investigations
  • Representing major energy client in Clean Air Act federal citizen suit
  • Extensive experience related to episodic air emissions events
  • Negotiating administrative and civil enforcement settlement agreements

Acquisitions

  • Advising clients in all phases of business transitions related to environmental issues

PUBLIC INFORMATION

  • Evaluating and protecting confidential business information, including trade secrets, under state and federal public information statutes

REGULATORY

  • Counseling clients regarding air, water, and waste regulatory requirements, guidance and interpretations
  • Managing and supporting environmental compliance audits
  • Advising clients on Title V compliance matters
  • Preparing comments to proposed rulemaking, legislation, and advocacy initiatives

News & Publications

Publications

  • Author and Co-Presenter, Permit Hearings at SOAH, Texas Environmental Superconference, August 2022
  • Co-Presenter, Introduction to Environmental Law, Girl Scouts of Central Texas, July 2022
  • Author and Presenter, Environmental Issues for Small Businesses, Irving Chamber of Commerce, August 2021
  • Author, Texas Environmental Enforcement Update, McGinnis Lochridge Producer’s Edge, Vol. 3, Issue 1
    April 2021
  • McGinnis Lochridge Oil & Gas Newsletter: Producer's Edge, Vol. 3, Issue 1
    04.27.2021
  • Presenter, Essential Elements of Navigating a Contested Case Hearing on a Compressed Timeline, Austin Bar Association Anatomy of a Hearing Conference
    March 6, 2020
  • Author and Co-Presenter, If You Want to Play in Texas: SB 709 – Who’s In Your Band?, 30th Annual Texas Environmental Superconference, Austin, Texas
    August 2, 2018
  • Co-Author, Environmental Citizen Suits – A General Overview, NRMCA ConcreteWorks 2015
    September 21, 2015
  • Co-Author, The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste: Solid and Hazardous Waste Issues, 27th Annual Texas Environmental Superconference
    August 6, 2015
  • Co-Author, You Can Lead Legislators to the Watering Hole, But You Can’t Make Them Drink: Environmental Highlights From the 83rd Regular Legislative Session, 25th Annual Texas Environmental Superconference
    August 1, 2013
  • Presenter, Introduction to the Control of Air Quality Enforcement in Texas, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Austin, Texas
    January 2001
  • Presenter, Air Quality Issues: Upset/Maintenance, 12th Annual Texas Environmental Superconference, Austin, Texas
    August 2000
  • Presenter, Introduction to the Control of Air Quality Enforcement in Texas, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Austin, Texas
    July 1999
  • Panel Member, Upset/Maintenance, malfunctions, Startups and Shutdowns, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 Conference
    May 1999
  • Co-Author, 1993 Water Quality Update, State Bar of Texas Advanced Environmental Law Seminar
    January 1994
  • Author, The Cost of Household Hazardous Waste Hits Home, 22 St. B. Tex. Envtl. L. J. 189
    1992
  • Author, CERCLA Settlements and Potential Future Liability, 23 St. B. Tex. Envtl. L. J. 98
    1992

Honors & Recognition

  • Chambers & Partners USA, Environment, Band 3, 2022
  • Chambers & Partners USA, Environment, Band 3, 2021
  • Chambers & Partners USA, Environment, Band 4, 2020
  • Listed in Chambers and Partners USA Guide to America, 2019
  • Outstanding Leadership Award, Outstanding Women in Texas Government, 1998
  • Alpha Phi Omega Active Service Award, Alpha Rho Chapter, 1988

Community & Professional

  • Secretary, State Bar of Texas, Environmental and Natural Resources Section
  • Member, Austin Bar Association, Environment, Natural Resources and Water Law Section
  • Volunteer, Special Olympics of Texas
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation
  • Member, Ginsberg Circle, Center for Women in Law

Education

University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1993

University of Texas at Austin, B.A., 1990

Bar admissions

  • Texas, 1993
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