O'Connor, Devin M.

Devin M. O'Connor

Partner

devin.o'connor@lw.com
    O'Connor, Devin M.

    Devin M. O'Connor

    Partner

    devin.o'connor@lw.com
    Rising Star ‒ Environment: Regulatory

    The Legal 500 US 2024

    Profile

    Devin O’Connor advises clients on cutting-edge federal environmental regulatory issues and litigation under federal environmental law, with a particular focus on large-scale energy infrastructure and transportation.

    Devin leverages her firm grasp of complex environmental and federal land issues to help energy developers and other leading companies navigate an ever-changing regulatory landscape. She guides clients on:

    • Major project development and permitting
    • Compliance with federal environmental regulatory obligations
    • Federal court litigation under environmental laws
    • Federal agency rulemaking
    • Environmental, social, and governance issues

    She anticipates and crafts strategies to address critical issues and competing interests at every stage of a matter. Devin handles a wide range of complicated issues under federal environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act; Endangered Species Act; National Historic Preservation Act; Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act; and Comprehensive Environmental Response, and Compensation and Liability Act.

    A recognized firm leader, Devin has served on Latham’s Global Associates Committee.

    Devin prioritizes giving back to the community and organizes volunteer efforts through Buildable Hours, a nonprofit organization that connects lawyers with Habitat for Humanity construction projects in their communities. She maintains an active pro bono practice, including advising on project development and historic preservation issues.

    Experience

    Devin’s experience includes:

    • Regulatory counseling and defending Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approvals related to offshore wind in federal court
    • Regulatory comments and litigation in the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit regarding vehicle greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy standards
    • Defending federal approvals for wind project development in federal district court litigation over environmental review and avian regulatory issues
    • Advising on environmental review and cultural resource issues associated with federal approval of transmission lines for solar projects
    • Counseling a utility company on cultural resource and endangered species issues related to a groundwater cleanup project
    • Advising on environmental review, endangered species, and cultural resource issues associated with high-speed rail development project
    • Counseling on Department of Transportation Act Section 4(f), National Historic Preservation Act Section 106, and National Environmental Policy Act issues associated with redevelopment at a major metropolitan airport
    • Briefing in the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in defense of federal approvals for an energy project
    • Counseling on alternative-fuel vehicle regulatory code compliance issues
    • Advising on environmental, health, and safety diligence issues, including relating to environmental permit transfers, in M&A transactions
    • Representing the state of Florida in an interstate water rights dispute before the US Supreme Court

    Qualifications

    Bar Qualification

    • District of Columbia
    • New York

    Education

    • JD, Harvard Law School, 2012
    • BA, Dartmouth College, 2009
      summa cum laude

    Practices

    Industries

    News & Insights