Teresa Jones counsels energy, chemical, manufacturing, infrastructure, and technology companies on complex environmental regulatory matters, with a primary focus on enforcement defense, incident response, government investigations, environmental litigation, and transactional due diligence. She advises energy, chemical, manufacturing, infrastructure, technology, consumer products, and other industrial clients on complex environmental matters arising under federal and state regulatory programs.

Teresa regularly supports defenses for industrial clients in enforcement proceedings involving the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, the Department of Justice, and Texas environmental agencies. She has extensive experience managing multi-agency incident response matters requiring simultaneous coordination of document productions, witness interviews, privilege review, and regulatory strategy across multiple federal and state investigatory bodies. Her incident response work includes coordination with EPA on Risk Management Program inspections, responses to OSHA citations and abatement measures, management of CSB investigation document requests, and responses to DOJ grand jury subpoenas.

Teresa maintains an active environmental litigation practice, supporting complex state enforcement proceedings involving air emissions, groundwater contamination, and environmental damages claims. Her regulatory counseling practice encompasses Clean Air Act compliance, including NSPS applicability, New Source Review, Title V permitting, and fenceline monitoring. Teresa has also worked on novel regulatory strategies challenging agency rulemaking actions.

Before joining the firm, Ms. Jones served in roles at the White House, the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of General Counsel, and within municipal government—bringing nearly a decade of cross-sector experience in government affairs, environmental policy, and stakeholder engagement to her practice. This background provides her with practical insight into the intersection of environmental regulation, legislative processes, and agency decision-making that informs her enforcement defense and regulatory strategy work.

Teresa earned her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she served as a Business Law Fellow and an extern in the EPA Office of General Counsel. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and English from the University of Mississippi.

Community Leadership

Teresa maintains an active commitment to public service, community leadership, and professional development.

For nearly three years, Teresa co-founded and leads a pro bono driver's license restoration clinic that has assisted over 300 indigent community members in restoring suspended licenses or receiving reinstatement guidance, earning national recognition through the Pro Bono Institute's Koch Pro Bono Partner of the Year Award. She served as a volunteer Commissioner on the Emergency Recovery Commission for Rolling Fork, Mississippi, following the catastrophic 2023 tornado, where she led long-term recovery planning, raised over $20,000 in direct aid for displaced families, and coordinated with federal and state emergency management agencies. Teresa is the founder of Black Women in Environmental Law, the first professional network for Black women attorneys practicing in the environmental and energy law sectors, which hosts quarterly programming with in-house and outside counsel at energy and chemical companies.

Thought Leadership and Recognition

Teresa publishes and speaks regularly on environmental regulatory topics, including enforcement trends, incident response considerations, cosmetics regulation, and environmental justice. She has presented at the National Bar Association Annual Convention, the Houston Bar Association Environmental Law Section, and Baker Botts’ firm seminars. Teresa is a 2025 National Bar Association 40 Under 40 honoree, a University of Mississippi 40 Under 40 honoree, and a recipient of the Texas Lawbook Creative Partnership of the Year Award.