Ronald Tenpas > Vinson & Elkins LLP > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile
Vinson & Elkins LLP Offices
2200 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE NW
SUITE 500 WEST
WASHINGTON, DC 20037-1701
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States
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Ronald Tenpas
Work Department
Environmental & Natural Resources
Position
Partner
Career
Ron Tenpas is one of the country’s preeminent environmental litigators. A former Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, Ron represents clients in civil and criminal investigations related to alleged environmental violations, imports and other matters. He also represents companies and trade associations in commenting on proposed regulations and in litigation challenging new regulatory provisions.
In counseling clients, Ron draws upon 12 years of experience in the Justice Department. As AAG, a title he held from 2007 until 2009, he managed a 700-person division that included 400 lawyers. He oversaw civil and criminal litigation arising under more than 150 environmental and natural resources laws.
In addition, as AAG Ron defended the government when the government was sued in connection with its own use of natural resources. Ron also advised Cabinet and White House officials on policy and litigation risks associated with the environmental laws. Under Ron’s watch, the Justice Department secured what was at the time the largest criminal penalty under the Clean Air Act.
Before he was appointed AAG, Ron served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General, as the U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Illinois, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Maryland and the Middle District of Florida. He investigated and tried white-collar matters related to healthcare fraud and public corruption.
A Rhodes Scholar and editor-in-chief of the Virginia Law Review, Ron served as a clerk to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Environment > Environment: litigation
Manufacturing, oil and gas, mining companies turn to the environmental & natural resources team at Vinson & Elkins LLP for its ability to handle high-stakes contamination cases. Ronald Tenpas leads the group from Washington DC, representing clients in criminal investigations related to environmental violations. The deep bench fields Matthew Dobbins , of the Houston office, whose handles indemnification claims and industrial incidents, Washington DC’s Corinne Snow, who is sought after for her experience challenging as well as defending federal regulations and the Houston-based Brandon Tuck, whose background in environmental and natural resources law, equips him to handle a spread of environmental issues surrounding project development and enforcement defense mandates.
United States > Environment > Environment: regulatory
The environment and natural resources department at Vinson & Elkins LLP is a key point of contact for clients seeking assistance with investigations, permitting, incident response, as well as litigation. Practice head Ronald Tenpas leads from Washington DC, working with energy, oil and gas, manufacturing and chemicals companies on enforcement, prosecutions and investigations and violations of the CAA. In the Houston office, Brandon Tuck deals with natural resources law, handling a spread of project development and permitting matters for clients within the infrastructure, energy and maritime sectors, alongside Matthew Dobbins, whose focus lies within regulatory counselling and transactional matters, particularly relating to energy transition.
Lawyer Rankings
- Environment: litigation United States > Environment
- Environment: regulatory United States > Environment
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Government > Government relations
- Energy > Energy regulation: oil and gas
- Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- Energy > Renewable/alternative power
Firm Rankings
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- Energy > Energy litigation: oil and gas
- Finance > Project finance
- Transport > Aviation and air travel: finance
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Antitrust > Cartel
- Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Energy > Energy regulation: electric power
- Environment > Environment: litigation
- Environment > Environment: regulatory
- Environment > Environment: transactional
- Government > Government contracts
- Tax > International tax
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Tax > US taxes: contentious
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)
- Real estate > Real estate
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- Industry focus > Sport
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- Real estate > Land use/zoning
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism