Overview
Deidre leads the firm’s environmental practice and specializes in permitting, compliance, and litigation relating to the Clean Water Act (CWA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and other environmental statutes. She was recognized by Law360 in 2021 as MVP of the Year, one of only five lawyers recognized nationwide in the environmental category. Deidre is also consistently ranked in both Chambers and Legal 500 for her experience in novel environmental issues. For example, she is recognized by Chambers USA 2020 for her "experience, talent, and abilities" and praised as "an outstanding environmental attorney" who is "knowledgeable of and connected with federal agencies." Deidre is skilled at negotiating and obtaining permits for complicated energy and development projects. Her clients include oil and natural gas pipelines, electric utilities, real estate developers agricultural interests, state and local agencies, and various trade associations.
Deidre brings over 25 years of practice experience in the water and natural resources space. As part of our energy transition practice, Deidre assists clients with navigating permitting, regulatory, and compliance standards for the development and transmission of new and traditional energy sources. She routinely advises on obtaining CWA section 404 authorizations as well as Rivers and Harbors Act section 408 and section 10 authorizations from the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).
Prior to entering private practice, Deidre served as assistant general counsel of the Army at the Pentagon, advising the Secretary of the Army on environmental and land use issues involving the Corps’ Civil Works and section 404 regulatory program, as well as the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program. Deidre has extensive experience with federal regulatory agencies, military departments, and the US Department of Justice.
Deidre often speaks at industry meetings, prepares comments for the energy industry on environmental matters, and contributes to the firm’s environmental blog, The Nickel Report.
Experience
- Advises electric utilities and other energy companies on permitting electric transmission and other structures across federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Park Service (NPS), the United States Forest Service (FS), the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM).
- Advised several of the nation’s largest interstate natural gas pipelines on environmental permitting and siting matters, regulatory compliance, and litigation under the CWA, ESA, NEPA, and other federal environmental laws.
- Represents land developers on jurisdictional determinations, use of general permits, expedited permitting procedures, and mitigation requirements under section 404 of the CWA.
- Represented mineral rights owner in a challenge alleging Administrative Procedure Act (APA), NEPA, ESA, and NPS regulation violations against a National Park Service approval of a three-dimensional seismic geophysical survey in a national preserve.
- Assists a large oil and gas producer in obtaining Corps approval for channel at a refinery site.
- Advised an interstate natural gas pipeline company on ESA, the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), CWA, and US Coast Guard requirements with respect to an offshore LNG facility and pipeline.
- Advised an interstate natural gas pipeline company on the interplay between BOEM and Corps regulations on abandonment of offshore pipelines.
- Counsel to one of the largest coal companies on a precedential legal challenge to EPA veto authority under section 404(c) of the CWA.
- Lead counsel for a coalition of industry and agricultural interests in various CWA and ESA cases at the US Supreme Court, including Rapanos v. United States.
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- Named one of the Top 10 Influential Environment Lawyers in District of Columbia, Business Today, 2023
- Recognized as a Leading Lawyer (2022-2023) and as a Recommended Lawyer (2020-2021) for Environment: Regulatory, Legal 500 United States
- Recommended for Energy Litigation: Oil and Gas, Legal 500 United States, 2019-2023
- Recommended for Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas, Legal 500 United States, 2019-2023
- Recognized as 2021 Environmental Group of the Year, Law360, January 2022
- Recognized as 2021 and 2017 Chambers USA Environment Law Firm of the Year
- Named a Litigation Star, District of Columbia, Benchmark Litigation, 2021-2024
- Named an MVP in Environmental, Law360, 2021
- Recognized as a Leader in Environment, District of Columbia, Chambers USA, 2014-2023
- Selected as a member of the Lawdragon Top 500 Environmental and Energy Lawyers (2021) and Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Environmental Law (2023)
- Named an Impactful Veteran in Energy, Hart Energy, 2021
- Named among 2020 Women Worth Watching, Profiles in Diversity Journal, 2020
- Listed as a Future Star in Litigation, District of Columbia, Benchmark Litigation, 2016-2020
- Recommended for Energy Regulation: Conventional Power, Legal 500 United States, 2020
- Recognized as a Leading Lawyer (2023) and as a Recommended Lawyer (2017-2022) for Environment: Litigation, Legal 500 United States
- Recommended for Environment: Transactional, Legal 500 United States, 2019-2020
Affiliations
Professional
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Environmental Law Institute Leadership Council
Insights
Legal Updates
Events & Speaking Engagements
Publications
Blog Posts
News
Education
JD, University of Cincinnati College of Law, Order of the Coif, 1996
BA, Duke University, cum laude, 1993
Admissions
District of Columbia
Government Services
Captain, United States Army
Assistant to the General Counsel, United States Army
Meritorious Service Medal, General Counsel of the Army, 2000
Army Commendation Medal, Assistant Chief of Staff of the Army, 1999
