Tanya C. Nesbitt

Tanya is a partner and co-chair of the Environmental practice, as well as a member of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice, in the firm’s Atlanta and D.C. offices. She represents chemical and automotive manufacturers, consumer products and food and beverage companies, energy and aviation businesses, real estate developers, and financial institutions in environmental litigation and advises them on regulatory compliance and sustainability.

Tanya helps companies develop sustainability and compliance programs that address how products are made, marketed, sold, and disposed of. She counsels on product stewardship compliance, which includes PFAS compliance, microplastics, EPR and environmental marketing and greenwashing claims mitigation. Tanya also advises on greenhouse gas reporting and climate-related financial disclosures, helping companies account for differing jurisdictional requirements when making operational and product decisions.

Tanya defends companies in environmental and toxic tort litigation, including PFAS claims, citizen suits, enforcement actions, and environmental cost-recovery disputes. She has served as lead counsel in federal PFAS multidistrict litigation and represented a chemical shipper in train derailment litigation that resulted in the complete dismissal of claims under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”). Her experience also includes matters involving the Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Superfund liability, wetlands permitting, and National Environmental Policy Act.

Previously, Tanya served as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, defending federal agencies in litigation involving public lands and environmental reviews. Additionally, she serves on the Council of the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources and regularly speaks and publishes on emerging environmental topics.

Tanya works closely with clients to understand their operations and business priorities before recommending a course of action. She helps companies distinguish requirements that demand immediate attention from proposed regulations and unsettled legal challenges, allowing them to make informed decisions about compliance committments. Her government and private practice experience also shapes her approach to disputes, with an emphasis on addressing potential claims early and identifying opportunities for resolution before litigation becomes necessary. When litigation cannot be avoided, she evaluates the most effective path toward settlement or dismissal.