Jeffrey H. Wood

Partner

[email protected]

Washington, D.C.

P: +1.202.639.7732
F: +1.202.508.9337
Jeffrey Wood Baker Botts Washington

Drawing from two decades of experience in senior government, in-house corporate, and private law firm roles, Jeff Wood helps clients with federal enforcement, compliance, litigation, permitting, and policy challenges primarily in the energy and environmental fields.

Prior to joining Baker Botts, Mr. Wood served for almost two years as the Acting Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). In that capacity, Mr. Wood led ENRD and its more than 600 attorneys and staff representing EPA, Departments of the Interior, Energy, and Defense, and other agencies in civil and criminal enforcement and defensive environmental, energy, and natural resources litigation.

As the top official in ENRD, Mr. Wood managed a complex organization with an annual budget exceeding $200 million and a docket of more than 6,000 cases and matters. E&E News noted that “Wood maintains a strong relationship with ENRD's career staff” (Greenwire, Oct. 31, 2018). He previously served on the staff of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

At the Justice Department, Mr. Wood oversaw the Division's civil and criminal enforcement programs and was responsible for developing legal strategies and approving briefs in key cases including filings before the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals in coordination with the Office of Solicitor General. In this role, Mr. Wood held the highest level security clearance and worked closely with top leadership at DOJ, EPA, the Interior Department, USDA, the Energy Department, Transportation Department, FERC, NRC and across the Executive Branch, including the White House.

With many years of both private law firm and in-house legal experience, Mr. Wood has handled complex environmental enforcement, regulatory, policy, and litigation matters for electric utilities, energy companies, maritime companies, mining companies, real estate developers, financial institutions, industrial companies and manufacturers, business coalitions, associations, small businesses, and individual property owners. Drawing from his experiences in-house, Mr. Wood brings a common-sense, cost-effective, client-focused approach to his work every day.

With a strong national reputation, Mr. Wood is a frequent speaker on environmental law and policy matters, with recent speeches and presentations at the Environmental Law Institute, Harvard Law School, Vanderbilt Law School, American University Law School, American Bar Association Environmental Law Conferences, the Texas Environmental SuperConference, Air Force Judge Advocate General School's Advanced Environmental Law Course, Baker Institute's Center for Energy Studies (Rice University), and many other venues. He frequently appears in national news to share insights on significant environmental law and policy issues, including recent quotes in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Law360, and E&E News, among others.

Related Experience

  • Over two decades of experience in the practice of environmental and natural resources law.
  • Led the U.S. Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division for two years as Acting Assistant Attorney General and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
  • Representing industrial clients in the energy, chemicals, manufacturing, and transportation sector in response to federal and state environmental enforcement actions.
  • Representing companies and national trade associations in litigation related to major environmental regulations.
  • Represented major business association as intervenor in D.C. Circuit litigation concerning Affordable Clean Energy Rule.
  • Defended in federal district court presidential order concerning offshore energy production in Alaska.
  • Work with Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) on matters related to offshore energy production, lease terms and extensions, and decommissioning activities. 
  • Represented chemical company in environmental citizen suit litigation under the Clean Water Act.
  • Represented energy company in breach of contract and indemnity litigation in federal district court in Florida.
  • Advising energy infrastructure companies in relation to NEPA compliance and project development.
  • Represented chemical company in response to Clean Air Act non-compliance issues.
  • Granted favorable outcomes on behalf of private clients in Clean Water Act NPDES enforcement matters.
  • Represented electric utility in power plant siting litigation.
  • Prepared testimony on energy policy for corporate chief executive appearing before congressional committees.
  • Filed amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit concerning environmental regulation and tribal jurisdiction.
  • Filed amicus brief on behalf of national trade associations in the Ninth Circuit concerning federal regulation of lithium mining
  • Authored and filed environmental law amicus brief in D.C. Circuit on behalf of 205 members of Congress in Clean Power Plan litigation.
  • Served as environmental counsel to a U.S. Senator, and as the Republican Staff Director for the Senate Subcommittee on Water & Wildlife (112th Congress) and Republican Staff Director for the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air & Nuclear Safety (113th Congress).

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