In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation groups and co-chair of our Corporate Sustainability practice, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Mindy Kairis, Director of Regulatory Law and Government Affairs at Owens Corning. Mindy develops and implements company policies to maintain compliance with environmental laws and uphold rigorous health and safety standards, while also leading sustainability programs aimed at achieving organizational goals and aligning with international reporting frameworks.

Conversations With ESG Gurus In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation groups and co-chair of our Corporate Sustainability practice, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Farhana Morales, Adjunct Professor at the University of Colorado Denver Business School and Senior Manager of Corporate Responsibility and ESG at the Target Corporation. Farhana brings more than two decades of ESG and sustainability experience, including extensive work in the oil and gas industry. At the University, she teaches an innovative ESG course that guides graduate students through developing comprehensive sustainability strategies. This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation groups and co-chair of our Corporate Sustainability practice, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Kim Yapchai, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Teichert, Inc. With nearly 30 years of legal and business experience, Kim is a seasoned C-suite leader known for navigating complex legal challenges for multinational corporations. This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

Conversations With ESG Gurus In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation groups and co-chair of our Corporate Sustainability practice, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Beth Grove, Chief Sustainability Officer and VP of Public Affairs at Lubrizol Corporation. Beth also serves as President of the Lubrizol Foundation, where she leads the company’s sustainability strategy across environmental, social and governance initiatives, as well as overseeing government affairs, community engagement and philanthropy. This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

Regulating Responsibility: The Rise of EPR Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is quickly reshaping how companies approach packaging, waste management, and sustainability. With new state laws emerging across the U.S., established frameworks in Canada, and global models influencing policy, businesses are navigating both complex compliance challenges and new opportunities. In this episode of Environmental L.A.W.S., Tanya Nesbitt sits down with Gareth McDonald, Principal Consultant at Worley Consulting, to break down what EPR really means in practice. They explore: How EPR laws are taking shape across U.S. states Lessons from Canada’s longer track record with EPR Cross-border and global compliance considerations Where EPR policy is headed in the next five years Whether you advise companies, manage sustainability programs, or want a clearer view of the future of product stewardship, this conversation offers practical insights and a forward-looking perspective.

In our latest episode, partner Tanya C. Nesbitt interviews Dr. Jen Wollenberg of Integral Consulting, a leading U.S. science, engineering, and environmental consulting firm, about an emergent contaminant: microplastics. From our tap water and food to consumer products and even the air we breathe, tiny plastic particles have made their way into nearly every corner of our world—and our bodies. Tanya and Dr. Wollenberg examine the science, sources, regulatory landscape, and what the growing presence of microplastics might mean for the manufacturing and consumer goods industries. As the science evolves and public awareness grows, microplastics are increasingly becoming a focal point for litigation, product liability, environmental compliance, and sustainability disclosure. The discussion examines what companies should be thinking about now to stay ahead of the curve as regulatory pressures mount.

1.27.2025_Environmental L..A.W.S. - PFAS Analysis and the Precautionary Principle by Thompson Hine

Preparing for a Second Trump Administration: Reversals, Rescissions and Rollbacks In our latest episode, partner Tanya Nesbitt interviews Nathan Frey, the former Deputy Branch Chief at the White House Office of Management and Budget Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and the founder and current owner of Regulatory Strategies and Solutions Group, about the upcoming presidential transition. They discuss potential rules and policy positions the president-elect may seek to reverse in his second term, such as the SEC Climate Disclosure Rule. The discussion includes analysis of how the Congressional Review Act may play a role in the creation of the president-elect’s environmental agenda. Other topics include the future of the PFAS CERCLA rule and the president-elect’s energy agenda.

Conversations With ESG Gurus Environmental L.A.W.S. In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation practice groups and co-chair of our ESG Collaborative, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Su Ping Lu, Vice President, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel for ESG and International at Honeywell. Su Ping’s responsibilities weave together SEC compliance, securities offerings, corporate governance, M&A and other corporate transactions, ESG initiatives, ethical frameworks, political law navigation, cybersecurity measures and international counsel. This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

Environmental L.A.W.S.In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation practice groups and co-chair of our ESG Collaborative, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Tara Helms, Director of Sustainability North America at Electrolux Group. Tara spearheads the organization’s mission to revolutionize taste, care and well-being experiences, fostering innovative approaches to more enjoyable and sustainable living. This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

During this session, we met Isabel Fields, ESG Coordinator at Hearst. Passionate about fostering positive transformations in corporate settings, Isabel currently contributes to Hearst's ESG team. Her responsibilities encompass leading various initiatives, including Neurodiversity@Hearst, which aims to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by embracing cognitive diversity in recruitment and management practices. Additionally, she oversees projects related to web accessibility, sustainability management and ESG reporting. Please join Heidi B. Friedman, partner and co-chair of the ESG Collaborative, for one-on-one chats each month as she taps into the minds of ESG chiefs to examine how they are championing pragmatic ESG strategies to create innovative business models and building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG footprint. Each session features a “meeting over lunch” with company executives from various industries who are actively paving the way for a sustainable future for their businesses to help secure consumer loyalty and increase employee satisfaction.

Supreme Court’s Loper Decision: Immediate and Long-Term Impacts on EPA Regulation In our latest podcast episode, partner Devin Barry and managing associate Aren Olson from Thompson Hine’s Environmental practice group discuss the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo on pending U.S. EPA regulations. They delve into the concept of "Chevron deference," examining how the Loper decision affects this principle and its subsequent impact on some of the U.S. EPA’s most contested rules under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, such as the Greenhouse Gas Rule for utilities, the Good Neighbor Rule and WOTUS.

What’s With All These AG Letters? Tips for Ensuring Your ESG Program Avoids Antitrust Scrutiny Tanya Nesbitt is a litigator and partner in Thompson Hine’s Environmental practice and co-leader of the firm’s Greenwashing Defense & Litigation group. She helps companies navigate the rules governing the mandatory disclosure of climate-related risks. She also counsels clients on the reputational, litigation, and regulatory risks associated with greenwashing. She frequently speaks and writes about greenwashing litigation and its implications for companies’ ESG goals. In this episode, Tanya and her colleague Caitlin Thomas, also a partner at Thompson Hine, discuss ongoing antitrust challenges to joint industry sustainability alliances and climate targets. They analyze how the antitrust trust laws may be used to scrutinize sustainability efforts and provide some best practices for avoiding potential pitfalls.

HFC Phasedown & Regulation: Turning Up the Heat to Turn Down Global Warming Joel Eagle, partner, and Ashley Kirk, associate in Thompson Hine’s Environmental practice group are joined in this episode of Environmental L.A.W.S. by guest Alex Sadvari,an environmental lawyer and partner in the Toronto, Canada office of Gowling WLG. Joel, Ashley, and Alex discuss the international phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are widely used in the refrigerant, propellant, and foam blowing industries, and examine the similarities and differences in the U.S. and Canadian approaches to HFC regulation. They also explore the international agreements governing HFC regulation, discuss why HFC regulation and phasedowns are important tools for combatting climate change, and provide insight into some of the challenges U.S. and Canadian entities face in complying with changing HFC regulations.

In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation practice groups and co-chair of our ESG Collaborative, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Jen Huffstetler, Chief Product Sustainability Officer and Vice President/General Manager of Intel Future Platform Strategy and Sustainability. She is responsible for driving the integration and execution of the corporate-level product strategy to drive future growth across client, cloud, network and edge to deliver sustainable computing for a sustainable future.

In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation practice groups and co-chair of our ESG Collaborative, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Averil Edwards, Managing Counsel of Environmental and Sustainability at United Airlines. She advises and represents the airline on environmental and sustainability matters, including United’s near-term 2050 decarbonization strategies and commitments and sustainable aviation fuel procurement and clean technology investments. She is also a member of the legal department’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee. Averil is very involved in her local community, serving as a governor-appointed board member of the Illinois International Port District, a municipal corporation; secretary of the board of directors of Ladies of Virtue, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the lives of girls in Chicago’s underserved communities; and an associate board member of Cabrini Green Legal Aid. This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation practice groups and co-chair of our ESG Collaborative, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Kristin Campbell, former Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief ESG Officer at Hilton Worldwide. She will provide insights into her experiences at the organization and share how she helped navigate the hospitality giant’s consumer-driven business while keeping its ESG strategies, public governance and compliance initiatives as top priorities. This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

What’s New in Air? A discussion of developments in Environmental Justice and U.S. EPA’s PM 2.5 standard. Devin Barry, partner, and Audrey Avila, counsel in Thompson Hine’s Environmental practice group, bring their air expertise to the forefront in this episode. Devin specializes in advising large manufacturing clients on air permitting requirements for the construction of new and existing emission sources, proactive compliance counseling, and defending clients in enforcement actions by state agencies, U.S. EPA, and U.S. DOJ. Audrey, who recently joined Thompson Hine’s Chicago office, brings valuable experience from her time as an Assistant Attorney General in the Environmental Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s office. In this episode, Devin and Audrey discuss the latest environmental justice developments in Illinois, involving disputes over the relocation of a scrap metal recycling facility and an important settlement impacting environmental justice nationwide, and the U.S. EPA’s recent rulemaking to reduce the PM 2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Their discussion includes key takeaways for companies navigating these dynamic issues under the Clean Air Act.

In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation practice groups and co-chair of our ESG Collaborative, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Susan Lester, former Senior Director of ESG at Otis Elevator, the world’s largest provider of elevators, escalators and moving walkways. While at Otis, she provided counsel, thought leadership and trendspotting on all aspects of ESG and sustainability. Prior to joining Otis, Susan created and managed the ESG program at McDonald’s. This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

Greenwashing & Carbon Management Solutions on the Road to Climate Justice Tanya Nesbitt is a litigator and partner in Thompson Hine’s Environmental group and co-leader of the firm’s Greenwashing Defense & Litigation practice group. She helps companies navigate current mandatory disclosure rules related to the disclosure of climate-related risks. She also counsels clients on the reputational, litigation, and regulatory risks associated with greenwashing. She is a frequent speaker and author on litigation related to greenwashing and its implications for companies’ ESG goals. In this episode, Tanya is joined by Dr. Christian Braneon, formerly of Carbon Direct, to discuss how greenwashing can serve as a hurdle to achieving climate justice in the carbon management sector. Their discussion includes mitigation strategies and how technology can both harm and assist efforts to reduce the prevalence of greenwashing.