Contact Information: Contact: Raf Muilenburg (858) 720-8908 Ralph Richardson (213) 617-5542
Sheppard Mullin Launches Sustainability Program
Firm's 'Green' Initiative Embraces Environmental Responsibility; Makes Business Sense
| Source: Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - March 21, 2008) - Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
announced today the launch of the firm's Sustainability Program. Led by
partners Randolph C. Visser and Rafael F. Muilenburg, the firm-sanctioned
initiative focuses on increasing energy efficiency, reducing waste and
saving the firm money.
Driven by Sheppard Mullin's commitment to become a leader in sustainable
business practices within the legal community, this priority initiative
will provide educational opportunities for lawyers and staff to learn how
to become more "green." The program's main goals will be to decrease the
consumption of energy, resources and material; and to advance Sheppard
Mullin as a leader in environmental responsibility, while improving the
firm's bottom line in the process.
As active members of the firm's Global Climate Change practice and experts
in this rapidly evolving area of law, Visser and Muilenburg are experienced
practitioners in environmental compliance, sustainability matters and
related litigation. Visser and Muilenburg will be joined by more than a
dozen attorneys and staff on the initiative's committee, encompassing
several Sheppard Mullin offices, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and
Del Mar Heights.
"More corporations and organizations are paying attention to 'green'
initiatives and expect that their law firms do also. The firm's
Sustainability Program supports the commitment to practices that our
clients are adopting and implementing," stated Visser. "Our initiative has
also been well-received internally, as it strengthens and celebrates the
firm's community and social responsibility. Our attorneys and staff are
proud to be part of a firm that is concerned with sustainability issues."
"This new initiative reflects our commitment to take firmwide
sustainability policies to the next level," commented Muilenburg. "In
addition to improving our own performance, we can assist our clients to
achieve their business goals while attaining the best environmental result.
We will be working with our attorneys and staff to identify 'green' efforts
already underway within the firm, and to help develop plans to drive these
efforts forward firmwide."
The program's launch will include a number of exciting projects, including
implementing efficiency improvements based on internal survey results,
enrolling in the Law Firm Eco-Challenge sponsored by the American Bar
Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, launching an
internal Sustainability Program website containing information about the
initiative's efforts and the realized tangible and intangible benefits, and
launching a new blog, created in cooperation with the Global Climate Change
practice group, that will explore the growing interface between California
legal requirements and sustainability efforts.
Visser and Muilenburg have mapped out a number of focus areas to formalize
important steps towards sustainable business practices and to further
reduce the firm's carbon footprint and implement internal "green"
initiatives. The firm is encouraging all of its personnel to become
involved in identifying innovative ways to improve the sustainability of
its own activities. While serving as committee advisors, Visser and
Muilenburg will continue their respective legal practices in real estate,
land use and environmental law.
Visser is a partner in the Construction, Environmental, Real Estate and
Land Use Litigation practice group in the firm's Los Angeles office. He
founded and co-chairs the firm's Global Climate Change Team. Visser
specializes in environmental compliance, government contracts counseling
and environmental enforcement defense and administrative and judicial
litigation. He has significant experience and expertise in CEQA, NEPA,
Proposition 65, and federal, state and local environmental, water and air
quality laws, including particularly the South Coast Air Quality Management
District, Regional Clean Air Incentives Market Program and other market
incentive environmental programs.
Muilenburg is a partner in the Real Estate, Land Use and Environmental
practice group in the firm's Del Mar Heights office. His primary practice
involves advising and representing residential, industrial and commercial
developers through all phases of the land use regulatory process. An
active member of the firm's Global Climate Change industry team, Muilenburg
is very familiar with state and local laws and initiatives relating to
climate change, control of greenhouse gas and related sustainability
matters. Part of his practice involves promoting approval of projects with
"green development" characteristics through local governments and other
agencies.
About Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Sheppard Mullin is a full service AmLaw 100 firm with more than 520
attorneys in 10 offices located throughout California and in New York,
Washington, D.C. and Shanghai. The firm's California offices are located
in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Century City, Orange County,
Del Mar Heights and San Diego. Founded in 1927 on the principle that the
firm would succeed only if its attorneys delivered prompt, high quality and
cost-effective legal services, Sheppard Mullin provides legal counsel to
U.S. and international clients. Companies turn to Sheppard Mullin to
handle a full range of corporate and technology matters, high stakes
litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's
clients include more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. For more
information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.