Strong focus on federal and state environmental and natural resource laws; lead counsel on key environmental cases
San Francisco, CA (September 28, 2017) – Venable LLP announced today the addition of Tyler G. Welti, a former trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice's Environment & Natural Resources Division, to its Environmental Practice as counsel in San Francisco. Mr. Welti joins Venable from Morrison & Foerster LLP.
Mr. Welti counsels clients on federal and state environmental, natural resource, and land use litigation, including enforcement actions, citizen suits, National Environmental Policy Act and California Environmental Quality Act challenges, and Administrative Procedure Act lawsuits and appeals. He has been active in handling project development issues involving a federal nexus, including transportation projects, renewable and conventional energy developments, timber harvests, and other infrastructure and natural resource development projects. He began his career as a DOJ trial attorney, where he served as lead counsel on a number of key environmental cases, including challenges to federal management of onshore and offshore oil and gas reserves, mining, protected species, water, and other resources. He received a special distinction award for tireless efforts on behalf of the American public for his work on the Deepwater Horizon litigation.
"With his experience in private practice and with the DOJ working on high-level cases, Tyler has gained extensive knowledge of how to handle the most complex environmental litigation on both the federal and state levels," said Douglas H. Green, chair of Venable's Environmental Practice. "Moreover, his familiarity with the interplay between federal and state regulatory authorities is invaluable. We expect Tyler to help our clients navigate change in this area of law as it continues to be one of the top flash points in Washington, DC, California, and other state governments."
James E. Nelson, partner-in-charge of Venable's San Francisco office, added, "Tyler is a great talent who furthers our effort to build on Venable's existing strength helping clients in highly regulated industries and markets. Leveraging our firm's potent DC presence and expertise enables us to provide comprehensive representation and solutions to our clients with environmental questions and concerns; clients in California and around the country recognize the power and value in Venable's approach. And we have seen that California is at the cutting edge of environmental litigation and regulation, so Tyler's in-depth understanding of the field will allow us to continue to grow this critical practice."
At Venable, Mr. Welti joins an industry-leading Environmental Practice providing counsel in a wide range of areas, including compliance counseling and enforcement defense; land use and the environmental issues associated with infrastructure development; federal and state environmental advocacy; and permitting. The group frequently represents clients before federal and state agencies and in trial and appellate courts throughout the country.
"I have long been aware of Venable's strong national environmental practice, one that has great experience in the courtroom and deep knowledge of the landscape in regulatory agencies and on Capitol Hill," said Mr. Welti. "The firm has made great strides in expanding in California, and I am excited to help further build the practice and be part of this team, giving our clients top-notch environmental counsel."
Mr. Welti received his J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School in 2008 and his B.A. from Yale University in 2002.
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Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, and high-net-worth entrepreneurs and individuals. With over 600 attorneys across the country, including California, Washington, DC, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Virginia, the firm strategically advances its clients' business objectives in the U.S. and around the globe. Venable advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines. For more information, please visit www.Venable.com.