Crowell & Moring's Environment & Natural Resources Group Expands Chemical and Pesticide Experience

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Nov 01, 2010, 10:37 ET

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Crowell & Moring LLP's Environment & Natural Resources Group has gained senior counsel David E. Menotti and partner Warren U. Lehrenbaum to bolster its practice in air, pesticides, and chemical regulation. Based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, the new attorneys bring a wealth of experience representing agribusiness, biotechnology, and manufacturing companies in the wide range of regulatory counseling and litigation needs that arise under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS).

Crowell & Moring partner Chet M. Thompson, former EPA deputy general counsel and co-chair of the firm's ENR Group, said, "David and Warren have earned a national reputation for handling some of the most complex matters for America's largest companies. Their move to Crowell & Moring comes at a critical time for our clients, who are navigating significant changes in environmental law and regulation right now."

Menotti and Lehrenbaum are currently advising clients on a range of rapidly shifting environmental concerns, including a comprehensive review of the Clean Air Act New Source Performance Standards for residential wood heating devices, proposed legislation related to Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and APHIS's proposed overhaul of the regulations governing the approval of genetically engineered crops. They are also active in helping clients navigate what some cite as a "collision course" between the Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation process and the registration of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Their practice ranges from conducting internal compliance audits to leading clients through multi-jurisdictional enforcement actions to obtaining regulatory approvals for chemical and biotechnology products.

"Crowell & Moring offers clients a comprehensive team of environmental lawyers at a time when regulatory and litigation concerns can make a significant impact on a company's ability to sustain its business and grow. This firm understands what's at stake for its clients and brings the right team to the table to help companies identify risk and find solutions to complex problems. We're proud to be part of this practice, which we've known and respected for many years," said Menotti.

The arrival of Menotti and Lehrenbaum builds upon the firm's 2009 addition of five Patton Boggs LLP partners and two senior hires from the EPA and U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). The group is now ranked among the top environmental practices in Washington, D.C. by Chambers USA.

Between 1974 and 1982, Menotti served in various positions at the EPA, including associate general counsel, pesticides; associate general counsel, toxic substances; and associate general counsel, air and radiation. Menotti's practice emphasizes the regulation of hazardous substances under FIFRA, TSCA, the Clean Air Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). His clients include trade associations and domestic and foreign corporations. Menotti received his law degree, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1967.

Lehrenbaum represents clients including chemical, biotechnology, and nanotechnology companies before the EPA, FDA, USDA-APHIS, and other regulatory agencies, where he advocates on behalf of individual products as well as broad policy issues. He assists corporations in obtaining regulatory approvals for their products and helps clients address ongoing compliance and product stewardship issues. Lehrenbaum's practice focuses on issues arising under TSCA, FIFRA, FFDCA, the Plant Protection Act (PPA), the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), and related state and federal laws. Lehrenbaum received his law degree, with honors, from George Washington University Law School in 1989.

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with nearly 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Anchorage, London, and Brussels. Visit Crowell & Moring online at http://www.crowell.com.