News

Chambers USA: Cascadia Law Group on Top Again

May 19, 2015

Chambers USA continues to recognize Cascadia Law Group as a Band 1 (top tier) environmental law firm in the state of Washington. In its newly released 2015 rankings Chambers also recognizes three of the firm’s partners as notable practitioners:

"Firm founder Rodney Brown has a superb reputation across the market. His extensive experience includes natural resource matters, transportation projects, and energy. Peers describe him as ‘the premier in town.’
Joshua Lipsky specializes in waste management, cleanup, and water quality matters. His broad client base includes industrial clients and other real estate owners.
Peers recognize Tisha Pagalilauan for the quality of her work, describing her as ‘a phenomenal lawyer.’ She has substantial experience concerning CERCLA and the remediation of contaminated sites, as well as CWA and water quality issues."

And Rod Brown continues to be Chambers USA's only Star Individual among West Coast environmental practitioners. The full Chambers rankings can be viewed at http://tw.gs/15S9A1.

Rod Brown among 500 Leading Lawyers in America

April 22, 2015

Rodney L. Brown, Jr. has been named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Over the last decade, Lawdragon's researchers have been selecting attorneys from across the country in over seventy practice areas, from U.S. Supreme Court justices to Fortune 100 general counsel. During this time, fewer than fifty environmental lawyers have been named to the 500. We are delighted to see Rod added to this very select list. Congratulations!

Rodney L. Brown, Jr. and Tisha Pagalilauan Elected Fellows of the American Bar Foundation

May 28, 2014

Cascadia Law Group partners Rod Brown and Tisha Pagalilauan have been elected Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. The American Bar Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization founded by the American Bar Association in 1952. The Fellows is an honorary organization of lawyers, judges and legal scholars whose public and private careers have demonstrated the highest principles of the legal profession.

Membership in The Fellows is highly selective, and is limited to the top one-third of 1% of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction. Rod and Tisha were nominated by Fellows in their jurisdiction, and were elected by the Board of the American Bar Foundation.

Congratulations, Rod and Tisha.

Governor appoints Rod Brown Co-Chair of Carbon Emissions Reduction Taskforce

April 29, 2014

Governor Jay Inslee has asked Cascadia's Rod Brown to help lead his effort to design and implement a market-based carbon pollution reduction program in Washington State. As Co-Chair with Vulcan's Ada Healey, over the coming year Rod will help guide the Taskforce -- whose members include King County Executive Dow Constantine and EPA Region 10 Administrator Dennis McLerran -- as they work to determine the best approach to putting a price on carbon emissions.

Introduced by the Governor at his press event announcing the Taskforce, Rod said, "I volunteered for this job not because I thought it was challenging, but because I think we can actually do this, and do it relatively quickly, and without too much trouble ... I see that there are solutions that we can use in Washington, but that eventually will spread to other parts of the country and the rest of the world."

Video of Press Event:
Governor Inslee Climate Change Announcement, Apr. 29, 2014

Governor Inslee's Executive Order 14-04: Washington Carbon Pollution Reduction and Clean Energy Action, Apr. 29, 2014

Seattle Times:
Inslee Orders a Move Toward Limits on Carbon Emissions, Apr. 29, 2014

Crosscut:
Meet the Governor's new climate change attack plan, Apr. 30, 2014

Jay Manning Helps Governors and Premier Adopt Pacific Coast Climate and Energy Plan

October 28, 2013

Governor Jay Inslee joined Governors John Kitzhaber and Jerry Brown and British Columbia Premier Christie Clarke in announcing the Pacific Coast Climate and Energy Plan. The Plan contains an aggressive agenda for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and moving from fossil fuels to renewables and efficiency. The Pacific Coast agenda commits Washington to imposing a cap on carbon emissions and enacting a low carbon fuel standard. It also includes new initiatives in energy efficiency (appliances and buildings), zero emission vehicles and net energy zero homes, high speed rail, clean fuels for heavy vehicles and marine vessels and many other actions designed to reduce carbon emissions and move Washington and the other west coast jurisdictions to a clean energy economy.

Jay Manning, a Cascadia Partner, was instrumental in helping the four jurisdictions reach this historic agreement. Jay has been supporting the four jurisdictions in the development of the Pacific Coast Climate and Energy agenda since joining Cascadia two years ago. With his exceptional experience in climate and energy issues, his deep understanding of intergovernmental agreements generally and the Pacific Coast Collaborative and his own relationships with key state and provincial leaders, Jay has been uniquely able to assist the states and Province as they worked together and develop this aggressive agenda.

Jay will continue assisting the jurisdictions as they move from plan development to implementation. Jay and the Cascadia team are available to assist businesses, local governments and other organizations that are facing the challenge of addressing climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions or otherwise preparing for climate impacts.

News coverage:

King 5 Seattle: (video link)
West Coast leaders sign pact to combat climate change, Oct. 28, 2013

Northwest Public Radio:
Oregon And Washington Governors Agree To New Controls On Carbon Emissions, Oct. 28, 2013

Jay Manning Helps Teanaway Reach Two-Decade Goal

July 2, 2013

For over 20 years, the conservation community has been trying to acquire a 50,000 acre parcel of land in the Teanaway Valley. The beautiful Teanaway property includes critically important terrestrial and riparian habitat, free flowing streams and incredible recreational opportunities. A combination of tremendous environmental value and vulnerability to development has made the Teanaway the highest priority environmental acquisition in the state. Acquiring the property has eluded us, however, because of high cost, lack of support amongst a few key policy makers and development interests intent on preserving the property's development potential.

Jay Manning, a partner with Cascadia Law Group, has been a critical part of a team that changed all that. In June, the legislature directed the Department of Natural Resources to acquire the Teanaway property and appropriated nearly $100 M for this purpose. Jay led the legislative team that secured legislative authorization and funding for the acquisition. He was also a key member of the negotiation team that put the deal together with the seller, our client, Forterra, and DNR.

News coverage:

Yakima Herald:
Water plan money called 'a home run'

KUOW:
Washington’s $100 Million Land Purchase In Upper Kittitas County

Yakima Herald:
Yakima River Basin work among Inslee’s highlights in first session

Cascadia Law Group

Environmental Attorneys in Seattle and Olympia