Jeffrey Knight | Lawyer

Jeffrey Knight, the leader of Pillsbury’s Washington, DC, Environmental & Natural Resources practice, has spearheaded many challenges to environmental agency rulings and Clean Air Act regulations.

Jeff advises and represents businesses and trade associations regarding environmental risk management, compliance, disclosure and disputes, including renewable energy development and acquisitions, public-private ventures and public-private partnerships, EPA and state enforcement actions, and private party environmental litigation. Jeff advises clients in the energy and infrastructure development, defense, construction, real estate, agricultural, chemical and waste sectors on agency rulemaking and compliance with federal and state environmental laws, including the Clean Air and Clean Water acts, RCRA and NEPA.

Representative Experience

Served as crisis management leader for two national real estate developers regarding environmental investigations and litigation involving public-private venture (PPV) projects across the country.
Led environmental counsel for the owners/developers of 30+ PPV projects with the Department of Defense in the formation, financing, development and operation of housing, utility and energy projects on military bases.
Led environmental counsel for Japan-based NTT Data in its acquisition of Dell Inc.’s IT services businesses for $3.06 billion.

Led environmental counsel for PSEG Power for its acquisition, development and permitting of the Keys Energy Center, a 755-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle energy project in Maryland.

Led environmental counsel for Duke Energy in a $333 million portfolio financing project for 22 solar power projects totaling more than 100 megawatts of generating capacity.

Representing the National Association of Clean Water Agencies in its successful District of Columbia Circuit challenge to Clean Air Act regulations governing sewage sludge incineration.

Representing a coalition in litigation opposing an environmental organization’s effort to force EPA to issue new regulations for 18 different industrial categories under section 112(c)(6) of the Clean Air Act.

Representing national trade associations in EPA risk reviews, rulemakings and DC Circuit litigation challenging or defending approximately 20 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) under sections 112 and 129 of Clean Air Act.

Professional Highlights

Leader of Pillsbury’s Washington, DC, Environmental & Natural Resources practice and chair of the firm’s Attorney Development committee.
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by The Legal 500 U.S., Environment: Litigation (2018 – 2019, 2023) and Environment: Regulatory (2019, 2023)

Associations
- American Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar Association
- Virginia Bar Association

External Publications
- Quoted in “DC Circ. Ruling Adds New Wrinkle To Agency NEPA Reviews,” published by Law360 on November 19, 2024.
- “Wyoming v. Dept. of Interior Rejects Hydraulic Fracturing Rule on Federal and Tribal Lands as ‘End Run’ Around Congress,” published by Law360 on July 1, 2016. Co-Author.

Selected Presentations
- “Emerging Issues in Supply Chain Management: Buy America, Section 889, Proposed Climate Initiatives, and Employment Non-Competes,” Pillsbury’s 2023 East Coast Government Contracts Summit, Northern Virginia, May 16, 2023. Speaker.
- “The Clean Power Plan and Its Potential Impact on U.S. Energy Policy, Markets and the Environment,” at the University of Chicago Law School’s Alumni Law Society event in Washington, DC, March 2016. Speaker.

Education

J.D., University of Chicago Law School, 1996

B.A., Political Science, Amherst College, 1993
magna cum laude

Admissions

District of Columbia

Virginia

Courts

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

Supreme Court of Virginia

Jeffrey A. Knight

Areas of Focus

Practices

Representative Experience

Professional Highlights

Jeff's Insights