Paul Hastings has strengthened its environmental litigation practice by hiring Brian Israel, the former chair of Arnold & Porter’s environmental practice. Israel, who brings over two decades of experience, will serve as co-head of the environmental litigation practice at Paul Hastings. His tenure at Arnold & Porter included representing major companies like BP in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as well as Chemours Co., CSX Corp., Dow Chemical, Honeywell Inc., Monsanto Co., and Motorola Solutions Inc.
Israel’s move comes amid a wave of regulatory uncertainty following several high-profile Supreme Court rulings, including the June decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. These decisions have limited the power of federal agencies to interpret statutes and to administer penalties, creating both challenges and opportunities for companies.
The lateral hire adds to Paul Hastings’ recent spree of partner acquisitions, such as a 12-lawyer white-collar team in Paris and notable hires in Chicago and Dallas. The firm also secured an 11-partner private credit and restructuring team from King & Spalding in June. Paul Hastings chair Frank Lopez described Israel’s addition as a significant elevation of their platform, enabling the firm to handle complex and important environmental matters for their premier clients.
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