Crowell & Moring Expands Environment & Natural Resources Capabilities with Addition of Thomas A. Lorenzen

Washington, D.C. – June 16, 2015: Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce the addition of partner Thomas A. Lorenzen to the firm's Environment & Natural Resources Group. Lorenzen joins the firm from Dorsey & Whitney LLP. Prior to re-entering private practice in 2013, Lorenzen served for a decade as an assistant chief in the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division, where he oversaw the government's legal defense of all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules and regulations.

"We are thrilled to welcome Tom to our strong and dynamic team. He is a noted environmental lawyer, litigator, and appellate advocate who, during his time at DOJ, worked closely with the White House, the EPA, and other federal agencies to develop and hone many of the environmental regulations that he and his Justice team later defended," said Elliott Laws, chair of the firm's Environment & Natural Resources Group. "As a seasoned litigator with deep experience in environmental policy and rulemaking, Tom brings clients a powerful perspective on navigating the complex web of EPA regulations, which are expected to change fundamentally in the coming months."

As the EPA releases its final carbon dioxide and ozone rules, announces its proposed methane standards for the oil and gas industry, begins to develop carbon standards for aircraft engines, and defends its recent Waters of the United States rule, Lorenzen is deeply engaged in many of these regulatory efforts, working on behalf of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the National Mining Association (NMA), and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), among others. At Crowell & Moring, Lorenzen will serve a range of leading corporate clients, as well as continuing his work on behalf of industry leaders.

While at the DOJ, Lorenzen oversaw the government's defense in many of the seminal environmental cases of the last decade. These include Massachusetts v. EPA, in which the Supreme Court affirmed EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, and Entergy v. Riverkeeper, in which the court held that EPA has discretion under the Clean Water Act to consider or decline to consider costs in determining how to regulate cooling water intake structures. In the D.C. Circuit and the other federal courts of appeals, he oversaw the government's defense in many hundreds of petitions for review of EPA rules and other reviewable final EPA actions, among them, Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA, in which the court upheld the Obama Administration's first suite of greenhouse gas regulations, and New York v. EPA, in which the court upheld most of the Bush Administration's New Source Review reform rules.

At Crowell & Moring, Lorenzen's practice will focus on federal rulemaking and environmental policy development, environmental compliance and due diligence, pre-trial counseling, and appellate litigation. Lorenzen will work closely with Crowell & Moring senior counsel Robert Meyers, the former Acting Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, and others in the group to counsel clients on matters involving federal and state environmental laws and regulations, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and other federal pollution control statutes. He will be part of the broad-based team that regularly provides advice on rulemaking and guidance on the judicial review process through written comment and direct interaction with regulators.

 "Crowell & Moring's Environment & Natural Resources Group is known as a leader in the field, both for the team they have assembled and for the industry leaders they serve. When working across the table from them at DOJ, they were gracious but formidable adversaries who were strong advocates for their clients," Lorenzen said. "I am proud to join this talented, well-respected team, which boasts deep regulatory and litigation experience and is the perfect fit for my clients."

Lorenzen is a recipient of numerous DOJ awards, including the prestigious John Marshall Award for Providing Legal Advice, awarded by the attorney general in 2010 for his work with the White House, EPA, and the Department of Transportation in developing the Light-duty Motor Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Rule. In 2013, and again in 2015, he received the EPA's Gold Medal for Exceptional Service. Lorenzen earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1985 and his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with more than 500 lawyers representing clients in high-stakes litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 and emerging companies as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service, diversity, value-based billing, and legal project management. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County, Anchorage, London, and Brussels.

Primary Contact
Kathy O'Brien
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