SAN DIEGO — Stoel Rives, an Am Law 200 law firm, today announced that Lindsay D. Puckett has joined its Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources practice group in San Diego as of counsel. She brings more than 15 years’ experience as an environmental attorney in California.
Puckett represents public and private clients in transactional and litigation matters involving the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), endangered species and habitat conservation plans, land use entitlements, conservation easements, alternative energy, coastal development, water issues, and Native American tribes. She also helps her clients obtain local, state and federal permits, including those from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“There is significant activity in California invoking CEQA to challenge development wherever it is occurring; having additional deeply experienced talent in this area will definitely benefit our clients,” said Tina Grovier, Chair of Stoel’s Environmental & Natural Resources practice group. “Our developer clients now have additional talent to help guide them through the planning and development process.”
Puckett’s noteworthy experience includes representing clients on high-profile CEQA matters involving mixed-used development and affordable housing, climate action planning, and a solar project that would substantially offset a water agency’s energy costs. She has also negotiated numerous multi-faceted settlements allowing projects important to the community to proceed.
Prior to joining Stoel Rives, Puckett was a partner in the San Diego office of Best Best & Krieger LLP.
“Stoel Rives has a stellar reputation both for its lawyering as well as its client-first culture,” Puckett said. “In the constantly evolving and complex field of environmental and land use law, being a part of a top-tier team of peers is critical to providing the best possible service to clients, and I know I’ve found the team to do just that at Stoel Rives.”
Puckett received her J.D. from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to law school, she earned her B.A. in American literature and culture from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her professional honors include being selected for the San Diego Daily Transcript 40 Under 40 List of Young Professionals in 2017, and being named an Outstanding Young Attorney by the San Diego Daily Transcript in 2009.
“Lindsay’s reputation precedes her,” said Brian Nese, California Offices Managing Partner. “With her longstanding work on local and regionally significant projects in California, where we continue to grow our client base, she’s a natural fit for our team and we welcome her arrival.”
Ranked No. 8 in the United States according to Law360’s list of the largest environmental law practices, Stoel Rives’ Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources practice group provides clients sophisticated compliance counseling, permitting, regulatory development and litigation counsel. The group’s attorneys incorporate prior agency experience, technical acumen and industry knowledge into their legal advice and leverage strong relationships with agency officials and industry associations. Dozens of attorneys, paralegals and compliance analysts comprise the firmwide national practice group that assists clients of all sizes across myriad industry groups on a wide variety of environmental matters.