Biography
Chris's principal area of practice is environmental law, with emphasis on compliance counseling, transactional environmental issues, enforcement defense, and resolution of environmental disputes. His practice focuses on air, solid and hazardous waste, water quality; and related environmental regulatory issues. He works on a daily basis with federal and Texas environmental laws and agency regulations and policies that affect the petrochemical, refining, power generation, manufacturing, natural resources, and real estate industries.

Chris advises clients about regulatory requirements affecting their operations, works with clients to identify cost-effective compliance solutions, and assists clients in minimizing the consequences of noncompliance. He helps clients resolve potential noncompliance by demonstrating compliance; negotiating penalty reductions and appropriate corrective action requirements; performing self-audits and obtaining related enforcement benefits; and helping develop supplemental environmental projects.

Chris represents clients in transaction-related environmental matters, including identifying and evaluating significant environmental issues; negotiating environmental risk allocations; drafting contract provisions to address specific environmental issues in asset purchase, stock purchase, real estate sales, and project finance and other financing agreements; and preparing environmental disclosures for securities offerings. He has represented asset sellers and buyers in bankruptcy proceedings. Chris also has performed numerous internal investigations of alleged environmental misconduct, and represents individuals and corporations in criminal environmental prosecutions.

Vinson & Elkins' environmental law practice was recently ranked among the top five in the world by the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, which described Chris as "an excellent counselor."  In ranking him in the top tier of environmental lawyers in Texas, Chambers USA has described Chris as a "classy and witty advocate, with a good sense of perspective,"  "a skilled interpreter of the regulations," and  "a worldly lawyer to whom you would refer all of your most pressing business needs." He has been listed in Best Lawyers in America® since 1994.