Troutman Sanders is pleased to announce that Brooks Smith, a top-ranked environmental and administrative lawyer, has joined the firm’s Environmental and Natural Resources practice in the Richmond office. He previously served as co-chair of the environmental practice at Hunton & Williams. Smith will help the firm execute various strategic initiatives focused on environmental markets, sustainability, coal, energy, water, and compliance assurance. Law 360 reported this news on Wednesday, August 28. Read more here.

“Brooks’ deep environmental experience and top-flight reputation will further enhance our national capabilities,” said Randy Brogdon, a partner in Troutman Sanders’ Environmental and Natural Resources practice. “Brooks will play an important leadership role in the continued growth of our environmental practice.”

“Brooks is extremely well-respected in Virginia, as well as nationally, for his ground-breaking work in the environmental area,” said John West, Managing Partner of Troutman Sanders’ Richmond office. “His insights and experience will be of great benefit to clients as they navigate the increasingly complex and stringent web of environmental regulations.”

Smith’s practice focuses on a wide range of matters arising under the Clean Water Act, as well as other areas of environmental law. He has been involved in some very significant and innovative water projects, including developing the first interstate water quality trading program in the country for nutrients entering the Ohio River.

Over the past 17 years, Smith has also helped clients develop and implement compliance assurance programs, as well as defend against agency enforcement actions and citizen lawsuits. Smith has participated in over 1,000 environmental audits, and managed scores of compliance investigations, response actions and self-disclosures. He has a diverse client base that includes electric utilities, coal companies, manufacturers, water and wastewater authorities, local governments, developers, agribusinesses, and national and regional trade groups. Smith is also deeply connected to the Richmond community, authoring three books on Richmond history, contributing six years of commentary to public radio, and serving on a number of local non-profit boards and foundations.

“Troutman Sanders is a great fit for my growing practice, because of the firm’s national reputation, entrepreneurial culture, demonstrated commitment to strategic expansion, and the depth and diversity of the environmental team,” said Smith. “I am extremely excited to take this next step in my career, and to have the opportunity to focus on the kinds of strategic initiatives that are ‘top of mind’ with clients as they adapt and innovate within this new era of environmental law.”

Troutman Sanders’ Environmental and Natural Resources practice provides highly specialized experience in all major areas of environmental law. The practice is on the leading edge of a number of significant compliance and enforcement issues before EPA and other regulatory agencies. Firm lawyers have litigated some of the most important environmental and toxic tort cases in the United States.

Smith earned a J.D. from Vermont Law School and a B.A. from the University of Richmond.