Samuel L. Brown

A copper mine in Congo may not be a common stomping ground for San Francisco-based attorneys.

But that’s where Brown found himself last month, when he traveled to the African nation to help a mining client assess its facilities’ compliance with environmental, safety and social standards.

Working in the U.S. and abroad, the environmental attorney counsels clients in a range of sectors — including manufacturing, land development and food processing — on issues such as permitting, compliance, civil enforcement defense and litigation.

Much of his practice, however, involves keeping his clients out of litigation.

“A lot of what I do is making sure my clients understand their obligations at the federal and state level so they never end up facing an enforcement case or a citizen suit,” Brown said.

Prior to joining Hunton, the Michigan native served as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, before moving to the EPA Region 9 office in San Francisco, where he enforced the agency’s regulatory programs.

Brown said his early experience representing environmental groups and, later, the EPA, proved “invaluable” when he transitioned to the other side of the table.

“I know how the decisions are made; I know how the agency works,” he said. “And I feel like that really helps my clients because I’m able to help them navigate that.”

Looking ahead, Brown said he anticipates seeing “high-level battles” between California and the federal government regarding environmental issues, from climate change to wetlands protection.

“California views itself as the vanguard of the resistance to the Trump administration on many issues, but on the environment in particular,” he said. “I think it’s still to be determined what the state does in response and how that shakes out.”

If the federal government reduces its enforcement of environmental requirements, Brown said, states may increase their enforcement or see a rise in citizen suits. Either way, Brown plans on being well-prepared.

The attorney — who in his spare time enjoys backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains with his wife and two young sons — said his success is rooted in gaining an acute understanding of both the business objectives and the regulatory environment under which his clients operate.

“Part of the job is helping clients make those business decisions in a really complicated environment that is constantly changing,” he said, adding, “I always want to make sure I know the facts and I know the law better than anybody else in the room.”

— Mark Armao