Gerald D. (Jerry) Higdon is an experienced environmental lawyer with 28 years of experience representing private and public parties in avoiding, managing, and resolving environmental liabilities and facilitating environmental sustainability solutions through brownfields redevelopment and the development and scaling of renewable energy.
Known for his pragmatism and imagination in solving environmental problems, his work on behalf of clients extends throughout the country.
Jerry is a long-time member of the Houston and Texas environmental legal community, and thus regularly advises members of the energy industry regarding management of environmental issues affecting the renewables/alternative, upstream, midstream, and downstream energy sectors.
Jerry routinely defends clients in state and federal environmental enforcement proceedings, develops and implements environmental permitting and planning strategies to facilitate a client’s more rapid response to its changing business climate and growth opportunities, and assesses, structures, and negotiates the allocation of environmental risk affecting transactions.
Jerry also represents potentially responsible parties at federal and state Superfund facilities, counsels on cost-effective and efficient remediation strategies, assists in the review and modification of operations to address environmental compliance issues for manufacturing, industrial, or waste disposal facilities, and represents clients in litigation and other disputes regarding responsibility for environmental liabilities.
Representative Experience:
- Analyzing and structuring an air permitting strategy for waste-to-energy facilities to be co-located at numerous industrial facilities in multiple jurisdictions
- Environmental permitting for the recovery of methane from closed municipal solid waste facilities for beneficial re-use as an energy supply for industrial operations
- Coordinating the due diligence, risk management and regulatory remediation strategies to permit the development of former oilfields
- Structuring facility closure strategies to reduce environmental liability and maximize value of emission reduction credits associated with emission sources
- Representing international manufacturers in connection with the registration, sale, distribution and marketing of products with anti-microbial or pesticidal properties in compliance with Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act requirements
- Leading the effort to obtain the first Municipal Setting Designation Certificate issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for property in Houston, Texas
- Representing a party purchasing and re-developing a former state superfund site for commercial operation
- Representing an international oil field services company in an environmental indemnity dispute involving manufacturing, mining and storage facilities around the country and abroad. The case settled during the third week of trial.
Professional History :
- Partner, Locke Lord LLP
- Partner, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (2006-2009)
- Partner, Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP (2004-2006; 1998-2001)
- Partner, Higdon & Holt LLP (2003-2004)
- Law Office of Gerald D. Higdon (2002)
Professional Affiliations :
- Member, Houston Bar Association, Environmental Section
- Member, Environmental & Natural Resources Section, State Bar of Texas
Education :
- J.D., with honors, The University of Texas School of Law, 1990
- B.B.A., Finance, magna cum laude, Texas Tech University, 1985
Admissions : Texas
Cost
Rate : $$$