Ethan Shenkman

Ethan Shenkman is a partner in the Environmental Practice Group, where he represents a diverse array of clients in trial court and appellate matters, and in matters before federal and state agencies. He is nationally known for his work with climate change policy and regulation, representing clients in rulemakings and litigation concerning biofuels regulation, the Renewable Fuels Standard, phase-out of HFCs, the Clean Power Plan, NEPA and other climate-related litigation.

Ethan brings more than 16 years of government experience to bear in guiding his clients through complex regulatory and enforcement challenges. He served for seven years as a political appointee in the Obama Administration, most recently as Deputy General Counsel at the US Environmental Protection Agency and, prior to that, as Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the US Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division. He previously served as a career attorney and litigator at DOJ.

During his post as Deputy General Counsel at the EPA, he was responsible for Clean Air Act regulations and litigation, cross-cutting administrative law issues, international environmental law, and Native American tribal affairs. He provided counsel for numerous key administration initiatives related to greenhouse gas pollution and climate change, international environmental agreements, free trade agreements, and tribal treaty rights.

In his role at DOJ, he managed a broad spectrum of litigation and policy initiatives, including supervising the Appellate Section, which handles appellate and Supreme Court cases across environment and natural resources law, and the Indian Resources Section. He represented more than a dozen federal agencies on environment and natural resources matters, ranging from NEPA to infrastructure and energy development to the Endangered Species Act.

Ethan has extensive appellate and trial-level litigation experience. He has argued 24 cases in the US Circuit Courts of Appeal and the Alaska Supreme Court.