Thompson Hine Podcasts Thompson Hine

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, a partner in Canada-based Gowling WLG who practices in the areas of environmental law, renewable energy, land use planning, and development law. 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.