Environmental attorney Kimberly Bick has joined Irell & Manella LLP’s Newport Beach office as senior counsel.  Bick focuses on environmental compliance issues and provides legal advice on allocation of risks in real estate and corporate transactions. In addition, she handles complex litigation matters involving environmental issues.

“Kim’s extensive knowledge of environmental compliance and regulatory issues helps to ensure our firm’s ability to meet client needs across a broad range of litigation, corporate and real estate matters,” said Elliot Brown, managing partner of Irell & Manella.  “We are tremendously pleased to have her on the team.”

With more than 20 years of experience, Bick has handled cost recovery actions under CERCLA, RCRA and the state equivalents; defense of agency enforcement actions, including criminal defense; mass toxic tort defense; CEQA, NEPA and ESA litigation; green chemistry and e-waste compliance; and corporate transactions and responsibility counseling.  Bick specializes in advising on Global Reporting Initiative programs and other environmental and social responsibility (ESR) issues, such as responsible sourcing, supply chain transparency and responsible manufacturing.  In addition, she advises clients on pending shareholder proposals involving ESR issues and helps prepare for and defend clients in shareholder litigation regarding ESR issues.

Prior to attending law school, Bick worked in the aerospace industry as an environmental engineer, developing and implementing facility compliance programs for air, water and hazardous waste, and serving on the Operating Industries, Inc. Superfund Site Technical Committee and the Stringfellow Superfund Site Steering Committee.  After law school, she clerked for Judge Patricia Wald of the U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia. Bick earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School, with distinction, where she was a member of the Stanford Law Review.  She earned both her M.S. in civil engineering and her B.S. in environmental earth sciences from Stanford University.