Jimmy Kirkland specializes in environmental law, working with clients on a broad range of matters related to environmental compliance, enforcement, and litigation. He advises clients on hazardous waste compliance and remediation, CERCLA liability and cleanup, redevelopment of environmentally impaired property, air and water permitting and compliance, chemical releases and emergency planning and community right to know.
He has extensive experience assisting agricultural investment managers with due diligence which includes the review and analysis of biological, wetlands, groundwater and surface water permits and environmental conditions and liabilities associated with the acquisition of large agricultural properties.
Jimmy’s early experience includes working for 13 years as an environmental engineer/manager with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division where he developed an understanding of the perspective of both the regulatory agency and the client. Using that perspective, Jimmy builds creative, non-traditional solutions to achieve clients’ goals while satisfying regulatory requirements. Clients continue to work with Jimmy because he has established long-standing, trusting relationships with them and with regulators and helps both sides recognize realistic outcomes.
Presentations and Publications
- “HEMP: New Opportunities & New Risks”, Environmental Bankers Association Risk Management Call, May 2020
- Co-author, The Impacts of Climate Change Law and Trends on a Broad Range of Clients, The Legal Impact of Climate Change, 2013
- DOI Approves First Off-Shore Wind Farm Which May Be the Catalyst for Future Off-Shore Wind Projects, Client Alert, May 5, 2010
- ASTM Releases A New Standard Guide For Financial Disclosures Attributed to Climate Change, Client Alert, April 27, 2010
- EPA Proposes Additional Greenhouse Gas Reporting Requirements, Client Alert, April 19, 2010
- Presentations
- Challenges to EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Regulations, Presentation at the 8th Annual Georgia Environmental Conference, Jekyll Island, Georgia, August 22, 2013
- Legal Corner Questions and Answers, Client Environmental Roundtable Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, July 25, 2013
- What’s New in Environmental, Panel Discussion, Risk Management Association, May 15, 2013
- Due Diligence, Phase II Analytical Results, and Release Reporting in Georgia, Environmental Bankers Association, Rick Management Committee Monthly Call, April 17, 2013
- Environmental Risk Panel Discussion, Client Environmental Roundtable Meeting, Asheville, North Carolina, October 4, 2012
- Hazardous Waste Regulatory Requirements in Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana and Ohio, Presentation to Client, April 16-18, 2012
- Georgia Stormwater Hot Topics – The Latest Developments in Stormwater Regulations, Permitting and Enforcement, Presentation at the 6th Annual Georgia Environmental Conference, Savannah, Georgia, August 25, 2011
- Environmental Risk Panel Discussion, Client Environmental Roundtable Meeting, Orlando, Florida, August 4, 2011
- Impact of Economic Downturn on Stormwater Management, Presentation at the Georgia Water Resources Conference, Athens, Georgia, April 13, 2011
Honors and Awards
- Chambers USA Ranked Lawyer, Environment, Georgia, 2013 – Present
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings) in the fields of Energy Regulatory Law, Environmental Law, 2016 – Present
- Received the Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" Award in the field of Energy Regulatory Law (Atlanta), 2022
Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
- Counsels a wide variety of clients including manufacturers, lenders, real estate developers and purchasers on compliance, environmental risks and liabilities in real property transactions.
- Crafts and negotiates creative and cost-effective soil and groundwater remediation strategies under CERCLA, RCRA and Brownfield programs and voluntary initiatives and State programs, involving clients and consultants across multiple states.
- Obtained a favorable RCRA determination from Kansas that potentially listed waste was not regulated.
- Designs and conducts multimedia regulatory compliance audits of complex industrial manufacturing processes throughout North and South America, including integration of audits with existing ISO 14001 environmental management systems.
- Advises clients on construction and operation permits and compliance requirements, including New Source Review/ Prevention of Significant Deterioration, MACT, Title V and state minor source permits.
