Paul Hastings Adds Prominent Band 1 Litigator to Leading Environmental Practice

LOS ANGELES and WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 1, 2024) – In a move that unites two Chambers Band 1-ranked environmental litigation practices, Paul Hastings LLP today announced preeminent litigator Brian D. Israel has joined the firm as a partner and co-head of the firm’s environmental litigation practice. He will work out of the firm’s Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., offices.

Band 1-ranked by Chambers, Israel has represented Fortune 500 companies in several of the nation’s largest and most complex environmental matters. He was lead counsel to BP in its environmental dispute resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and a trial attorney at the Deepwater Horizon Clean Water Act (CWA) penalty trial. Other major clients have included Chemours, CSX, Dow Chemical, Honeywell, Monsanto, and Motorola, among others. His practice focuses on crisis management and counseling, including climate issues, as well as federal and state environmental enforcement matters. He is one of the nation’s leading lawyers for Natural Resource Damages (NRD) claims and co-author of a definitive treatise on NRD claims. Israel is also co-editor of the recent ABA publication about the law and practice of environmental, social, governance (ESG) issues.

“Brian is one of the nation’s leading environmental lawyers, and we are thrilled to welcome a Band 1 litigator and team to combine forces with our Band 1 team,” said firm Chair Frank Lopez. “We believe his extraordinary record of accomplishments, together with the depth and breadth of his experience, further elevates our platform as the leader in an increasingly active practice area enabling us to represent our premier clients on their most complex and important matters.”

Israel joins from Arnold & Porter, where he was chair of the firm’s environmental practice group and co-lead of the firm’s ESG working group. At Paul Hastings, he will co-chair the Chambers Band 1-ranked environmental litigation practice with Navi Dhillon.

“I’m elated to be joining the top-ranked environmental practice at Paul Hastings and to collaborate with this exceptional team,” said Israel. “The firm’s unequaled interdisciplinary resources and global reach provide an outstanding platform for my practice, and I look forward to helping the firm’s clients navigate their most pressing environmental challenges.”

Prior to entering private practice, Israel was an Honors Trial Attorney in the Environmental Enforcement Section of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), where he handled several high-profile cases, including the largest NRD trial at the time. At DOJ, he litigated claims on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Israel earned the Distinguished Service Award for his achievement in a jury trial involving the Clean Air Act.

Israel is the latest prominent litigator to join Paul Hastings over the last year. Other noteworthy additions include white collar and trial lawyer Renato Mariotti (Chicago); data and cybersecurity litigator Michelle Reed and trial and regulatory enforcement lawyer Manuel Berrelez (Dallas); a 12-lawyer white collar and investigations team led by Antonin Lévy (Paris); a six-partner IP litigation team (Palo Alto and Washington, D.C.); white collar and investigations partner Stuart Alford KC and international arbitration and commercial litigation partner Oliver Browne (London); white collar and investigations partner Adam Fee (Los Angeles/Century City); and complex commercial litigator Paul Genender (Dallas). 

About Paul Hastings
With widely recognized elite teams in finance, mergers & acquisitions, private equity, restructuring and special situations, litigation, employment, and real estate, Paul Hastings is a premier law firm providing intellectual capital and superior execution globally to the world’s leading investment banks, asset managers, and corporations. For more information, visit www.paulhastings.com.