Julian E. Harrell

Climate-Related, Sustainability & Impact Strategy

Julian’s experience in climate-related, sustainability and impact strategy is global in reach and cross-disciplinary, and includes:

• Climate-related, sustainability and impact disclosure/reporting analysis, gap analysis and risk mitigation strategy 
• Regulatory monitoring and advising on mandatory climate-related disclosure regimes
• Strategy, risk management advising and commercial negotiation related to “responsible sourcing” initiatives, including supply-chain management, supplier agreements, social responsibility audits, corrective action responses and overall program/process development
• Climate-related transition plan analysis and advising.
• Environmental benefit claim analysis and advising, including standards and precedent set by the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides, National Advertising Division decisions and U.S. courts

Carbon Markets

Julian’s experience in carbon markets intersects various industries. He has represented clients in agriculture, lending and banking, energy, oil and gas, and telecommunications on matters including:

• Structuring the sourcing, supply, delivery, use and scope emissions claiming for SAF
• Creating pilot programs and offtake agreements for sustainable agricultural supply chains
• Advising lenders and project developers regarding biodigester operations, community solar developments and EV infrastructure
• Evaluating carbon claims for compliance with industry standards (e.g., VERRA / CCB)
• Advising producers, distributors, and purchasers of various fuels on renewable energy credits (e.g., LCFS, 45Q and RINS)
• Structuring offtake agreements for low carbon intensity (CI) fuel pathways, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects, and international reforestation programs

Environmental Law

Julian advises clients on navigating federal and state environmental regulations, including CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. He advocates for clients engaged in commercial and environmental litigation and agency proceedings in federal, state and local venues. Julian also assists clients in managing risk and conducting regulatory diligence in “buy-side” and “sell-side” transactions, including corporate M&A and commercial real estate deals.

His experience includes:

• Defending corporate and manufacturing clients against “toxic tort” claims related to historic and commingled contamination
• Defending corporate clients against administrative challenges to operating and construction permits issued by state and federal agencies
• Defending agribusiness clients in Clean Water Act wetlands cases, including agency and judicial appeals of jurisdictional determinations for federal and state wetlands
• Advising municipalities implementing new sewer infrastructure as required by the Clean Water Act
• Advising corporate and municipal clients in brownfields, remediation, auditing and self-reporting matters, including obtaining the bona fide prospective purchaser (BFPP) defense, entering the Voluntary Remediation Plan (VRP), supplemental environmental projects (SEPs), and civil penalty mitigation

Product Liability

In addition to his environmental practice, Julian represents international life sciences companies, medical product manufacturers and industrial manufacturers in defending their products from product liability, personal injury and commercial claims.

His experience includes:

• Defending medical device manufacturers in multidistrict litigation (MDL) and state court litigation against negligence and strict liability claims, including design defect, manufacturing defect and failure to warn
• Creatively resolving pre-litigation claims and disputes involving alleged mechanical failure of industrial and consumer devices

Personal Interests

Julian practices a personal philosophy of servant leadership. He enjoys working collaboratively with community leaders and stakeholders to marshal and allocate resources to accomplish high-impact objectives, including making the legal profession more diverse, bringing art to disenfranchised demographics and innovating strategies for adapting to a rapidly changing legal profession.