BB&K In The News

The Firm's Legal Expertise Dovetails With Environmental Regulations Affecting Solar Developments

The economy has affected nearly every industry, but one area where Southern California-based law firm Best Best & Krieger has seen growth is with renewable energy projects.

Thanks to a number of state and federal initiatives, renewable energy projects have brought in more business than federal stimulus projects, according to Eric Garner, managing partner of the firm.

“There are state and federal initiatives that have been driving the renewable energy projects,” Garner said. “Several of those projects are on a short timetable because those incentives expire this year.”

The firm’s areas of expertise dovetail nicely with the increase in renewable energy projects, according to Garner. “A lot of our expertise is specifically in water, land use, endangered species issues, and environmental laws,” he said.

Best Best & Krieger is a full-service law firm with nearly 200 attorneys in eight offices, and its clients include public agencies, businesses, and individuals. “We represent a lot of water agencies,” said Garner, who is a well-known water rights attorney in addition to being the firm’s managing partner. “A lot of that work involves solar projects for the water agencies because they use a lot of electricity in the treating, pumping, and conveying of energy.”

There are a number of challenges when dealing with environmental and renewable energy projects. Although there is a lot of good that can be derived from renewable energy projects, Garner said they are often located in environmentally sensitive areas.

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