Joshua R. More

Partner and Environmental Practice Co-Leader

Josh employs a strategic, forward-looking approach to solving complex environmental issues for his clients.

Joshua More Portrait

Josh stands apart from other environmental lawyers with his broad experience counseling clients on air, water and waste enforcement, permitting and compliance issues. When working with a client, he focuses on developing unique strategies that are tailored to each client’s business objective.

Josh has litigated complex Clean Air Act issues, widespread groundwater contamination, noxious odors, and challenges to construction and operating permits before federal, state and local judicial bodies. In enforcement matters, Josh offers a practical and efficient approach that does not compromise his client’s relationship with the regulator.

In transactional matters, Josh allocates risks in accordance with the broader objectives of the client. He has managed a wide variety of transactional matters involving environmental due diligence, insurance and risk management. While Josh has managed several large multi-state environmental reviews, he routinely advises clients in connection with single facility transactions.

For compliance issues, Josh employs a building block approach that starts with developing a strong understanding of the company’s business, objectives and risk tolerance. He then applies his extensive experience addressing operational and remediation requirements that impact companies across the United States. Additionally, Josh provides day-to-day advice to electric generating, manufacturing, distribution, waste management, and natural gas transmission and distribution companies.

For Josh, effective environmental counseling begins with a comprehensive understanding of the clients’ needs. He believes that, no matter how skilled the lawyer, effective resolutions require strong communication and a hard-earned foundation of trust.

Client Work

  • Josh counsels multiple power generators in connection with more than 30 surface impoundments and landfills, assisting them with their compliance efforts relative to both state and federal coal combustion residual (CCR) programs.

  • Secured dismissal of litigation seeking to hold a party liable for discharges to groundwater under the Clean Water Act. The decision was an important victory in cases where defendants face claims based upon discharges to groundwater and alleged violations of boilerplate NPDES permit conditions.
  • Trial counsel in Clean Air Act enforcement action brought under the New Source Review enforcement initiative.
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Professional Activities

Josh routinely represents indigent individuals concerning divorce proceedings and landlord/tenant issues.

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Publications

Presentations

  • “Coal Combustion Residual Surface Impoundments,” 2019 Illinois Water Laws and Regulations Seminar, Naperville, Ill. (Nov. 5, 2019)
  • “Legal and Regulatory Perspectives on Closure-In-Place vs Closure-By-Removal,” Coal Combustion Products: Environmental Issues, EPRI, Chicago, Ill. (Sep. 17, 2019)
  • “Regulations,” (presenter) The World of Coal Ash, 2019 Short Course, St. Louis, Mo. (May 13, 2019)
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Recognitions

  • Chambers USA – Environment: Litigation (2024)
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers (2021-2024)
  • The Legal 500 United States – Energy Transactions: Conventional Power (2021-2023)
  • Illinois Rising Star, Thomson Reuters’ Illinois Super Lawyers (2012)

Awards

Awards

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