Karma B. Brown

Karma leverages her extensive permitting and litigation experience under the Clean Water Act (CWA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to help clients navigate complex environmental challenges. She has been at the forefront of many precedent-setting cases in the natural resources sector, litigating high profile, multi-party cases across the country in federal and state courts.

She represents clients across industries, including national trade associations, pipelines, electric utilities, solid waste companies, developers, and water agencies. Karma’s practice focuses on a wide range of environmental and administrative law issues, with an emphasis on natural resources litigation and regulatory compliance, and on the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Karma is widely regarded for her ability to negotiate settlements with the Department of Justice in controversial matters, and clients value her ability to work collaboratively with industry coalitions, states, the federal government and technical consultants.

• Represent coalition of trade associations in federal litigation challenging the US Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) reissuance of Nationwide Permit 12, successfully obtaining a Supreme Court stay of a district court order imposing a nationwide injunction.
• Counsel to energy company in successful defense of challenge to a National Park Service authorization and related ESA and NEPA analyses.
• Counsel to coalition of energy utility companies in litigation before the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the Supreme Court challenging the Corps’ and EPA’s 2015 Rule defining WOTUS.
• Represent coalition of national agricultural and industry associations in litigation challenging rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Corps under CWA section 404 and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the ESA.
• Manage environmental aspects of complex business transactions, including identifying environmental compliance requirements and environmental risks and developing creative approaches to manage such issues to ensure they do not impede the transaction.
• Regularly assist clients on issues relating to Corps jurisdictional determinations and the use of general and individual CWA permits, including administrative appeals under the Corps regulations and defense of permits and NEPA and ESA analyses in federal district and appellate courts.
• Prepare cross-industry amicus briefs on influential CWA and ESA cases before the US Supreme Court and US Courts of Appeals.
• Negotiate settlements of litigation arising under section 404 of the CWA and challenges to ESA regulations, and advise clients on compliance with complex consent decrees.
• Prepare comments on EPA and Corps CWA rulemakings and FWS and NMFS ESA rulemakings.
• Advise natural gas pipeline company, electric utility, and industry groups regarding compliance counseling and permitting under Rivers and Harbors Act section 408.
• Counsel to major waste hauling company in CERCLA and natural resource damages litigation, allocation, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings involving hundreds of parties and state and federal agencies; evaluate technical and legal issues relating to site remediation; advise on evolving legal issues and potential liability associated with the disposal of emerging contaminants; and investigate other potentially responsible parties.

• Recognized as 2021 Environmental Group of the Year, Law360, January 2022
• Selected as a Super Lawyer for Environmental, The Washington Post Magazine, 2013-2024
• Recommended for Environment: Litigation, Legal 500 United States, 2021
• 2021 and 2017 Chambers USA Environment Law Firm of the Year
• Named among Law360’s Environmental Rising Stars, 2012

• Member, American Bar Association Section on Environment, Energy, and Resources
• Member, Legal Action Committee, National Association of Home Builders, 2012–2022
• Member, Legal Affairs Committee, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, 2014–2022
• Vice Chair, Endangered Species Committee, American Bar Association Section on Environment, Energy, and Resources, 2008–2010
• Adjunct Professor, The George Washington University Law School, 2007–2009

• Member of Firm's Pro Bono Committee.
• Represent detainees at Guantánamo Bay in habeas corpus proceedings and numerous asylum applicants before the Department of Homeland Security.
• Recipient of the E. Randolph Williams Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service, 2003-08.