Washington, District of Columbia, United States
I help companies in the auto, energy, chemicals, and manufacturing sectors navigate the most consequential environmental, health & safety, and mobility challenges — when regulatory strategy, enforcement risk, litigation exposure, and business continuity collide. Chambers USA clients describe me as “strategically clever and creative,” “attentive and thoughtful,” and “willing to go above and beyond.” I have been Chambers ranked for Environment and Automotive for several consecutive years and recognized as a three-time Law360 Environmental MVP — reflecting sustained leadership in high-stakes matters. As global co-leader of Sidley’s Environmental, Health & Safety practice and co-chair of the firm’s Automotive & Mobility sector group, I have spent nearly three decades representing companies facing bet-the-company environmental and mobility matters — major incidents, government investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, and high-stakes litigation. I have represented companies and senior executives before federal and state courts and regulatory agencies including EPA, DOJ, CARB, DOT, and NHTSA, leading litigation defense, internal investigations, crisis response, and market-entry strategies across some of the most complex matters in these industries. A core part of my practice focuses on regulatory strategy and market entry — advising emerging technology companies, new market entrants, and established industry leaders on navigating complex regulatory frameworks as they launch new products, technologies, and business models. I regularly counsel clients in emerging fields such as AI and robotics on engaging with regulators, anticipating enforcement and compliance risk, and building defensible regulatory strategies that support growth rather than slow it. Before entering private practice, I spent nearly a decade at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Enforcement Section, where I led enforcement matters for federal agencies and counseled senior government officials on the enforcement implications of regulatory and policy decisions. That experience gives me a prosecutor’s perspective on how government thinks — and how to stay ahead of it. I am routinely the first call for companies confronting high-stakes environmental or mobility challenges — whether entering a highly regulated market, facing regulatory scrutiny, or responding to an enforcement or crisis event that demands judgment and credibility with regulators. If you’re navigating a matter where regulatory strategy, enforcement risk, or crisis response intersect, I welcome the conversation.
Justin’s clients concentrate in heavily regulated industries, including auto and mobility, energy, refining, chemicals, wood products, and mining. Justin litigates and counsels across the spectrum of U.S. environmental, transportation, and administrative laws, including the Clean Air Act (Title I, mobile sources, fuels, RFS), climate change, incident response, RMP, NHTSA, Clean Water Act, CSB investigations, CERCLA litigation, APA claims, FOIA litigation, NEPA, Clean Water Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Justin’s representative matters include: In the auto and engine sectors, representing companies, boards, and senior executives before EPA, CARB, DOJ, NHTSA, and/or the SEC in civil and criminal enforcement proceedings, as well as conducting numerous internal investigations, audits, due diligence reviews, and compliance engagements over alleged AECDs, IUVP and IUCP, tampering, OBD, fuel economy, safety defects, and TREAD reporting In the energy sector, representing refiners, midstream, and E&P in criminal investigations, civil enforcement actions, litigation, compliance matters, and major incidents, including the successful defense of a midstream company in an environmental criminal investigation that resulted in a declination of prosecution In the construction industry, defending companies and individuals in criminal and civil government enforcement actions, including matters involving asbestos and lead paint United States v. Derive Systems, Inc. (D.D.C.) (Title II consent decree for aftermarket tuners) United States v. Lima Refining Co. (N.D. Ohio) (refinery CAA consent decree) Representing trade associations, ad hoc coalitions, and companies in major environmental rulemakings and related APA litigation, including AFPM, API, the Chamber of Commerce, ACC, the RMP Coalition, and the Air Stewardship Coalition
Founded Sidley's global auto and mobility sector group with Martin Wellington. Co-Lead the group with Adam Raviv and a Leadership Committee of other Sidley partners
Justin focused on environmental enforcement defense, internal investigations, and strategic counseling, particularly under the Clean Air Act Title I (stationary sources), RMP and Title II (mobile sources, RFS and fuels). Justin also represented clients on litigation and compliance matters across the spectrum of U.S. environmental, transportation and administrative laws including crude-by-rail cases, STB matters, PHMSA proceedings, CSB investigations, CERCLA litigation, APA claims, defense of Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act actions, FOIA suits, TSCA - RRP, Motor Vehicle Safety Act investigations, NEPA defense, and FACA claims. Justin's representative matters included: 1. Representing an oil & gas company in the proceedings arising from the Deepwater Horizon incident; 2. Representing refiners, electric utilities, mining companies and other heavily regulated industries in enforcement proceedings, cost recovery proceedings, investigations, citizen suits and audits; 3. Representing OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and after-market suppliers before EPA, CARB and NHTSA in enforcement proceedings and internal reviews arising under Title II of the CAA and the Motor Vehicle Safety Act; and 4. Working with several refiners on RFS, benzene and sulfur matters, including strategic counseling, litigation, internal investigations, and M&A. 5. Obtaining the dismissal of a NEPA challenge to an OpSpecs amendment that allowed a carrier to serve a new airport. In addition to these matters, Justin served on the Leadership Team of the Global Auto Sector Group
Represented EPA and other federal agencies in complex enforcement matters such as Clean Air Act (CAA) cases against electric utilities, oil and gas companies, refineries, mining companies, and other industry sectors. Other matters included defending senior officials at the Department of Interior against bad faith claims brought for regulatory actions taken in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon incident. Supervised and directed teams through all stages of litigation and trial. Counseled senior government officials on the enforcement implications of government policies and regulations. Secured record-setting judgments, verdicts and settlements in cases valued at over $5 billion in a range of matters including CAA, CERCLA, CWA, bankruptcy matters, and OCSLA claims.
Represented Fortune 500 companies and trade associations in complex litigation in trial and appellate courts, as well as internal investigations. Litigation matters included obtaining a dismissal of a putative class action against a pesticide manufacturer over alleged violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act arising from alleged atrazine contamination of water supplies. Also successfully represented refiner in several matters including CERCLA claims brought at former refinery sites and mines. Counseled clients on environmental issues under all major environmental statutes including CERCLA, CWA, RCRA, SDWA, FIFRA, HMR and NEPA. Regulatory counseling experience in several industry sectors including auto manufacturing, nonroad engine manufacturing, aviation, aerospace, cement, chemical manufacturing, construction, flat glass production, IT, pharmaceutical manufacturing, POTWs, refining, solid waste disposal and trucking.
Research assistant for Professor Jonathan Z. Cannon, former General Counsel of EPA