Covington hosted the 14th Annual Environmental Transactional Roundtable on May 18, 2018. More than 70 attorneys attended, including from multiple countries outside the U.S., representing 31 law firms and organizations. The event was a great success, and featured panel discussions that sparked lively discussion among participants. The three panels covered product stewardship issues, environmental issues in bankruptcy, and risk management in transactions.

Both co-chairs of Covington’s environmental group, Cándido García Molyneux and Don Elliott, spoke as panelists, joined by eight other practitioners from other firms.  Candido spoke about developing product stewardship and chemical regulation issues in the EU, including the complex rules related to carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR) substances, bans on consumer products, amd Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) registrations and authorizations.  He also discussed significant requirements for transactions involving products with the CE (Conformité Européene) mark and the Nagoya Protocol rules on biological diversity.

Don Elliott discussed best practices in environmental due diligence, including risk management strategies and effective methods for law firms to memorialize the scope, results and client communication of such due diligence.

The Roundtable is an annual gathering at which panels of practitioners meet to discuss current environmental issues and trends in transactional work.  This year was Covington’s first time hosting the event, which has been organized in the past by other leading national law firms.   Past Roundtables have featured discussion of sustainability reporting, climate change liability and disclosures, insurance developments, and lessons from major environmental disasters.

Featured:  Cándido García Molyneux discusses product stewardship developments in the EU.