James R. Barrett > Latham & Watkins LLP > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile
Latham & Watkins LLP Offices

555 ELEVENTH STREET, NW, SUITE 1000
WASHINGTON DC 20004-1304
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States
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James R. Barrett

Position
James Barrett is the Global Co-Chair of Latham’s Environment, Land & Resources Practice. He advises clients on Environment Social Governance counseling, transactional work, and litigation concerning a broad range of environmental laws. James has also provided services to private equity and strategic company clients in hundreds of transactions covering a broad spectrum of industries, with a particular focus on the energy and oil and gas sectors, including with respect to the acquisition or divestiture of coal, gas, hydro, wind, solar, and nuclear power generation assets.
James’s practice also focuses on licensing and financing of new energy projects, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and power generation assets. His practice also includes defending clients in toxic tort matters, bringing to clients an integrated team of attorneys with the technical and litigation skills necessary to ensure that the client’s interests are fully protected in “bet the company” mass tort cases. His practice includes counseling on issues of potential liability associated with site contamination, as well as current and future regulatory requirements that may impact profitability. James also counsels clients with regard to ongoing compliance with state and federal environmental laws, and assists clients with strategic planning for meeting future regulatory requirements.
James has particular expertise with respect to issues arising under the Clean Air Act and various solid and hazardous waste laws, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. In connection with large project financings (including most prominently with respect to non-US based infrastructure projects), James has significant experience and expertise regarding the application of the “Equator Principles” and the International Finance Corporation’s Environmental and Social Performance Standards to such projects. He has published a number of articles and has spoken at conferences regarding, among other topics, environmental due diligence and the impact of new regulatory requirements affecting the power industry.
James formerly served as Chair of the Washington, D.C. Environment, Land & Resources Department as well as Co-Chair of the firm’s Environmental Regulation & Transactions Practice.
Career
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Real estate > Land use/zoning
Latham & Watkins LLP represents high-profile companies including Paramount Pictures, NBCUniversal, and Invenergy, as well as landowners, developers, and sponsors in large project financing and completion. The firm’s environment, land, and resources practice, led by Washington DC’s Janice Schneider and James R. Barrett, predominantly operates in Los Angeles. Lucinda Starrett
has led many projects aimed at obtaining land entitlements; James Arnone has extensive advisory and litigious land use expertise; and Maria Hoye focuses on entitlements and environmental approvals. LA’s Duncan Moore and Beth P. Gordie also secure approvals from boards and commissions for large and contentious developments. Orange County’s Nikki Buffa and San Diego’s Jennifer Roy advise on energy and infrastructure matters with a particular emphasis on environmental compliance. George Mihlsten has retired from the partnership.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Insurance > Advice to policyholders
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: global offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- Antitrust > Cartel
- International trade and national security > CFIUS
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Finance > Commercial lending: Advice to bank lenders
- Intellectual property > Copyright
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Energy > Energy transactions: electric power
- Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- Environment > Environment: litigation
- Environment > Environment: regulatory
- Environment > Environment: transactional
- Finance > Fintech
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Real estate > Land use/zoning
- Intellectual property > Patents: licensing
- Healthcare > Life sciences
- Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- Antitrust > Merger control
- International trade and national security > National Security
- Intellectual property > Patents: licensing
- Intellectual property > Patents: licensing
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission)
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort
- Finance > Project finance
- Real estate > Real estate
- Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Energy > Renewable/alternative power
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism
- Industry focus > Sport
- Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products
- Finance > Structured finance: securitization
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Tax > US taxes: contentious
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies
Firm Rankings
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance
- International trade and national security > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions
- Industry focus > Education
- Energy > Energy regulation: electric power
- Energy > Energy regulation: oil and gas
- Government > Government contracts
- Insurance > Insurance: non-contentious
- Dispute resolution > International litigation
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation
- Healthcare > Health insurers
- Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing
- Healthcare > Service providers
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: litigation
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Finance > Financial services regulation
- Finance > Commercial lending > Advice to direct lenders/private credit
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense