Bill Jackson is co-chair of the firm’s national Environmental Law practice group, is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, and is managing partner of the firm’s Houston office.  Bill has one of the most sophisticated and successful environmental and natural resource damages litigation practices in the country.  For more than two decades, Bill has represented states, port authorities, railroads and energy-sector clients in noteworthy contamination cases that are often valued into the hundreds of millions (and even billions) of dollars at stake.  Bill is known and valued as a fierce advocate for his clients and for achieving remarkable results in complex litigation that can involve literally hundreds of parties.  His ability to navigate beyond obstacles that seem insurmountable is the reason his client’s turn to him again and again.

Bill’s multi-dimensional understanding of environmental issues, proven and effectual advocacy skills, and complete understanding of the practical and policy impacts environmental regulation has on industrial, commercial and governmental enterprises, enable him to create an approach to environmental litigation that ends in the right result.  Bill’s focus is to win either in or out of court in the most cost-effective way possible for his clients.  He knows first-hand that environmental litigation can have huge implications to governmental actors, trustee agencies, industry and the impacted communities, and he has unique abilities to bring all parties together and to achieve lasting solutions.

Notably, Bill is currently serving as counsel for several states, territories, and private-sector clients in both litigation and administrative actions related to contamination and natural resource damages from perfluorinated compounds (PFCs).  Previously, Bill was lead counsel for the state of New Jersey in the Passaic River litigation, recovering over $355 million in damages (including $67.5 million in restoration projects) and up to $400 million more in remediation costs, which is the largest settlement of its kind in the state’s history.  Bill also represented the state of Louisiana and the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office in the BP/Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, including leading Jindal Administration efforts to identify and quantify billions of dollars in economic and natural resource damages to the state of Louisiana, all of which were ultimately recovered as part of a $20 billion global settlement, the largest environmental and natural resource damages recovery in history.

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

A powerhouse firm with the heart of a boutique, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP values the success of our clients above all. Skilled practitioners in the areas of litigation, regulatory, real estate, corporate and bankruptcy combine talents to address the unique complexities of our clients’ legal challenges. We are practical in our advice and creative in our approach.

Founded in 1836, we’ve got history behind us, and we’re just getting started. For more than 180 years, Kelley Drye has provided legal counsel carefully connected to our client’s business strategies and has measured success by the real value we create. We apply a wealth of experience to 21st century business problems.

Kelley Drye is a firm of more than 350 lawyers and other professionals practicing in New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; Stamford, Connecticut; and Parsippany, New Jersey. In December 2016, the firm merged with Jackson Gilmour & Dobbs, P.C., expanding our presence into Houston, Texas. Outside of the U.S., the firm has an office in Brussels, Belgium.