Elliott Laws is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Crowell & Moring where he is co-chair of the firm's Environment & Natural Resources Group and is a member of the Government Affairs Group. He provides strategic counseling and legal, policy and crisis management advice on environmental and energy policy issues, regulation and litigation, addressing Superfund [CERCLA] and Hazardous Wastes; Brownfields Redevelopment; Environmental Remediation; Chemical Regulation; Clean Air; and Clean Water. Elliott is frequently sought for advice regarding site specific, as well as, general issues faced by major corporations in the environmental regulatory and policy areas, as well as internal corporate and operational environmental management matters. With his deep environmental experience, he is able to help guide these clients through complex negotiations and development of innovative resolutions at the highest levels of the federal government.
In 2011 he was appointed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to serve as Administrative Trustee for the environmental response trust that oversees the approximately $800 million trust established by the U.S. Government to clean up and repurpose for redevelopment the former properties of "Old" General Motors Corp. He is managing this role through a separate entity, EPLET LLC, of which he is the Managing Member.
In 2017, Elliott was appointed as a public member of the Administrative Conference of the United States. In 2018, he was appointed as a member of the Department of Energy’s Environmental Management Advisory Board (EMAB).
Elliott was elected a Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers in 2008. He was also listed in Who's Who Legal: Environment in 2023, ranking the very best attorneys across the United States and across clients and peers; in addition, he has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a top environmental attorney since 2014. Elliott was named by Lawdragon as one of "500 Leading U.S. Environmental & Energy Lawyers" in 2021.
Elliott formerly served as President of Safety, Health and Environment for Texaco Inc. While at Texaco, Elliott was responsible for the development and oversight of worldwide environmental and safety policies and positions, including climate change, sustainability, environmental management systems, and corporate audit and responsibility programs supporting the underlying strategic and business objectives of the corporation. Elliott was also principal advisor to the CEO and other senior corporate officials on environmental policy matters. His work with Texaco included working with business unit leaders to integrate environmental goals of the corporation into the business unit plans. Finally, he supported business units on international project and policy development including interaction with international business partners and coordinated with the Legal Department and Government Affairs Office on major environmental claims.
As Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response at the Environmental Protection Agency, he was responsible for regulatory and policy development and implementation for solid and hazardous waste management. This included the Superfund, RCRA, Brownfields and underground storage tank programs. Previously, he was a Justice Department and EPA attorney and a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney.
Education
- St. John's University, B.A. (1977)
- Georgetown University Law Center, J.D. (1980)
Affiliations
Professional Activities and Memberships
- Regent, 2016: American College of Environmental Lawyers
- Fellow, 2008: American College of Environmental Lawyers
- Council Member: American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy and Resources
- National Board Member: Trust for Public Land
- Board Member: Environment and Energy Study Institute
- Public Member: Administrative Council of the United States
- Former Secretary/Treasurer and Board member: Environmental Law Institute. Elliott authors the "The Business of Environment," published in the Environmental Forum
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