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Caroline Lee

Caroline E. Lee

Associate
About

Caroline E. Lee has a multifaceted environmental practice, with extensive experience in the areas of regulatory compliance, environmental matters concerning corporate and real estate transactions, land use, government enforcement actions, and environmental and product liability litigation, with a particular interest in water law. Caroline has represented clients in a range of industries, including real estate, commercial and solar development, industrial, chemical, and agricultural sectors, corporate successors, and other landholders, advising under federal, state, and local environmental, water, and natural resource laws.

In particular, Caroline has experience advising clients on matters regarding emerging contaminants, including PFAS; regulatory enforcement; investigation, remediation, and management of Superfund and other historically contaminated sites; vapor intrusion risk mitigation; water supply and rights issues including under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act; managing environmental diligence; negotiating and drafting a wide variety of contracts in corporate and real estate transactions; environmental, health, and safety and product compliance advising; environmental, social, and governance advising; and obtaining permits, entitlements, and other project approvals. She works on behalf of clients regularly interfacing with local, state, and federal environmental agencies. Her litigation experience includes administrative law, petitions for writ of mandate, and civil litigation, with involvement in all facets of motion practice, fact and expert witness development, as well as trial.

Bar admissionsCalifornia

EXPERIENCE

  • Represented major commercial developer in complex, contentious, and high-profile project involving the investigation and remediation of hazardous and radioactive contamination. 
  • Provided counsel to major oil company in cutting-edge carbon capture and sequestration project under California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard. 
  • Represented professional sports client on brownfield redevelopment for new stadium. 
  • Advised private and public clients on water supply and quality issues, including advising under SGMA, California's historic legislation to manage groundwater, prior to and during its implementation.
  • Defended litigation challenging projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and other state, federal, and local planning and environmental statutes and regulations. 
  • Defended global chemical manufacturer in lengthy and high-profile jury trial.
  • Defended enforcement actions and complex civil lawsuits under CERCLA, RCRA, and state-equivalents.
Education
  • J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law 2013
  • B.A., University of California at Santa Cruz
    with honors

Awards

  • Law Clerk, Hon. Edward Chen, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. 
  • Law Clerk, White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Washington, D.C. 
 

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Board Member, Bar Association of San Francisco, Justice and Diversity Center 

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