Emily K. Merolli

Emily Merolli’s practice focuses on agency permits for large projects under federal environmental laws. She has experience with many projects, including wind and solar energy, oil and gas leasing and exploration, tribal casinos, and state highway systems. Emily brings to these projects a keen understanding of federal laws that affect clients, such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OSCLA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Emily has assisted clients in matters involving Indian law, climate change, ocean and coastal resources, and offshore renewable energy development. She also counsels clients affected by the ongoing federal effort to develop a national ocean policy.

Emily's clients include international oil companies, municipalities, citizen groups, and nonprofits focused on species issues. As an experienced environmental lawyer, she has represented project opponent and proponents, giving her a valuable dual perspective for evaluating permitting tactics and procedures.

Working closely with consultants, Emily counsels clients during the regulatory process, assesses of litigation risk, develops regulatory and litigation strategy researches and drafts key, often complex, documents critical to the permitting process, and she knows how to build an effective administrative record.

Professional Leadership

• American Bar Association, Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law Section
• American Bar Association, Marine Resources Subcommittee, Vice Co-Chair, Newsletters
• California Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

Related Employment

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of the General Counsel for Fisheries, Silver Spring, MD, Legal Extern, 2006
• National Sea Grant College Program, 2005 - 2006
• Environmental Natural Resources Law Clinic, Vermont Law School, Student Clinician, 2005
• Vermont Law School, Legal Research Department, Teaching Assistant, 2004
• CA Army National Guard Environmental Compliance Department, Sacramento, CA, Environmental Management Assistant, 2001
• The Bay Institute, San Francisco, CA, Research Assistant/Lab Assistant Level III, 2001