Greenhouse Gas Litigation

Emerging Trends and Strategies in a Dynamic Legal Landscape

Recording of a 90-minute CLE teleconference with Q&A


Conducted on Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Recorded event now available


This seminar will examine the legal trends and theories emerging in climate change litigation. The panel will offer their insights and perspectives for counsel who defend and prosecute claims on GHG emission — as well as practical and proactive measures for handling potential GHG claims.

Description

Because the global warming debate is triggering litigation by states, interest groups and private litigants seeking remedies for past or future injuries allegedly caused or likely to be caused by global warming, state governments and environmental groups are seeking relief in court.

The legal theories pursued in these lawsuits are based on a variety of federal and state laws and regulations, including the Clean Air Act, federal wildlife protection laws and energy statutes, common law tort, and state emission regulations and utility laws. Which theory or theories will hold up?

Counsel advising businesses with potential GHG emission issues must understand the scope of the wide-ranging legal theories involved and how the courts are dealing with suits alleging global warming or climate change damages.

Listen as our authoritative panel of counsel, who advise and defend companies on global warming issues, offers their perspectives on defending and prosecuting claims involving GHG emissions, as well as best practices and proactive measures for dealing with GHG claims before litigation.

Outline

  1. Trends in litigation/ Introduction/ Roadmap
    1. Who is suing
    2. What is being challenged and under what laws
    3. Is litigation the appropriate vehicle to address climate change?
  2. Court treatment
    1. Clean Air Act cases
    2. Federal preemption
    3. Coal plant litigation
    4. Tort suits
    5. NEPA cases
    6. Endangered Species Act cases
    7. Securities disclosure
  3. Issues/concerns and strategies for prosecuting and defending claims
    1. Subject matter jurisdiction
    2. Standing
    3. Demonstrating harm/injury
    4. Causation
    5. Political question doctrine

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key questions:

  • What kinds of claimants and litigants are asserting GHG damages?
  • What legal theories and specific laws form the basis for current global warming lawsuits?
  • How are different jurisdictions responding to climate change lawsuit claims?
  • What are the key challenges facing plaintiffs and defendants involved in litigation based on climate change theories?
  • How can companies best position themselves to avoid claims involving GHG emissions in the current legal environment?

Faculty

Professor Michael B. Gerrard, Director, Center for Climate Change Law
Columbia Law School, New York

He joined the Columbia law faculty in January and became Senior Counsel to Arnold & Porter, where he practiced environmental law and was the managing partner of the New York office. His book Global Climate Change and U.S. Law (ABA 2007) has become the standard reference work in the field. He formerly chaired the ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources.

Christina M. Carroll, Partner
McKenna Long & Aldridge, Washington, D.C.

She focuses on complex litigation, including toxic tort and environmental litigation. She handles claims arising out of distribution of products or contamination of air or ground and surface water. She has also worked on a number of CERCLA actions brought by major corporations against the government for recovery of environmental remediation costs and Administrative Procedure Act cases.

Paul E. Gutermann, Partner
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Washington, D.C.

He litigates cutting-edge issues arising under all the major statutes and negotiates environmental issues in corporate mergers, divestitures and restructuring. He represents clients in connection with the development of federal legislation, including efforts to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act.

Ordering

Online CLE - Audio Recording

Includes audio streaming of full program plus handouts (available 24 hours after live seminar).

CLE: Pre-approved for participatory or non-traditional/alternate format credit in: CA, HI*, NY*, WV*. Pre-approved for self-study credit in: AK, AZ, MO, MT, TX*, VT, WA.
Upon request, also available in: CO, CT*, FL, GA, ID, KY, LA*, ME, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OR*, SC, TN, UT, WI, WY. If you are applying for credit in one of these states, make sure to select those states when placing your order.
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Online CLE Audio $149.00
Available 24 hours after the live event

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Recorded Event

Includes full event recording plus handouts (available after live seminar).

CLE: Pre-approved for self-study credit in: AK, AZ, CA, CT, HI, MO, MT, NY, TX*, VT, WA, WV. Upon request, self-study credit is also available in: CO, FL, GA, ID, KY, ME, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OR, UT, WI, WY. If you are applying for self-study credit in one of these states, contact Strafford CLE at 1-800-926-7926 ext. 35 or CLE@straffordpub.com. (*Indicates that Strafford needs to process the CLE — see below to purchase this option.)

MP3 Download (Audio Only) $49.00
Available 24 hours after the live event

How does this work?

CD $49.00 plus $9.45 S&H
Available ten business days after the live event

Program Materials

Requires Adobe Reader 8 or later. Download Acrobat FREE.

Program Materials

Requires Adobe Reader 8 or later. Download Acrobat FREE.

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Customer Reviews

The program was very well organized and the speakers were prepared.

Marti Sharp

Kell Alterman & Runstein

The speakers spoke in an understandable format with lots of examples.

Bill Zornes

Cimarron Lumber

All of the speakers had a wide range of knowledge.

Kimberly Hayes

General Mills

Good handouts and up to date references.

Andrew Davis

Lieben Whitted Houghton Slowiaczek & Cavanagh

All of the speakers were very informative, and being able to ask questions was very helpful.

Larry V. Smith

Jackson Walker

or call 1-800-926-7926

Environmental Law Advisory Board

John J. Allen

Partner

Allen Matkins

Albert M. Cohen

Partner

Loeb & Loeb

Aaron Courtney

Of Counsel

Stoel Rives

Andrew N. Davis

Partner

Shipman & Goodwin

Paul E. Gutermann

Partner

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

Brian D. Israel

Partner

Arnold & Porter

Thomas J. P. McHenry

Partner

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher

Reed D. Rubinstein

Partner

Dinsmore & Shohl

Jeffrey A. Smith

Partner

Cravath Swaine & Moore

E. Gail Suchman

Special Counsel

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan

Gregory D. Trimarche

Partner

Bryan Cave

or call 1-800-926-7926

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