WHO WE ARE
At age five, Jennifer Novak decided she had two goals: to be a lawyer and to be a mom. She’s proud to have achieved both. Jennifer is a second-generation California female attorney, who has practiced litigation across a broad spectrum of fields since 1996. As a Deputy Attorney General with the California Department of Justice, she handled cutting-edge legal issues in matters valued in the hundreds of millions and billions of dollars on behalf of the People of the State of California. Now back in the private sector, she founded this law firm to be of service to people who understand the importance of environmental laws but want to keep the regulatory process fair for those who take compliance seriously.
Based upon her experience representing clients ranging from Fortune 500 and national companies, to retirees who operated manufacturing businesses decades ago, she understands the stress and uncertainty that a threatened (or actual) lawsuit brings. Jennifer believes in demystifying environmental laws, providing comfort through stressful times, and working alongside her clients to fight for them every step of the way.
When Jennifer is not managing the firm or representing her clients, you’re likely to find her supporting her son at high school basketball and baseball games, trying to be brave after sending her daughter off to college, volunteering her time to work with students, cleaning up beaches, sorting food donations, and leading the California Lawyers Association’s Environmental Law Section through a pandemic.
EDUCATION
University of California, Berkeley – 1993
University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law – 1996
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PUBLICATIONS
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“A Trial Preparation Checklist,” Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, Feb. 2002
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“The Value of Simplifying Case Presentation,” Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, Feb. 2005
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SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
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PUBLISHED CASES
Megan Meadows has been practicing in California for more than 10 years and recognizes and values the need for creative and sustainable solutions for clients. In the context of litigation and administrative matters Ms. Meadows has worked extensively with many federal, state, and local environmental regulations (including CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Water Act), and has relished researching and advising on novel and unique questions of environmental law. Her primary goals are to get clients the best solutions possible, and to pass along her love for the law in the process.
Megan ran track at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and was featured as a subject in the 2007 documentary “A Lawyer Walks into a Bar” which won the Grand Jury Prize at South by Southwest.
EDUCATION
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—1998
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles—2006
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PUBLICATIONS
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California Lawyers Association, The Practitioner, Solo and Small Firm, Vol. 29, Issue 1, Spring 2023, The Heart of the Matter: How the Heart and Brain Cooperate for Both Good and Bad (Co-author)
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California Lawyers Association, The Practitioner, Solo and Small Firm, Vol. 29, Issue 2, Summer 2023: “CAN IGNORANCE EVER BE A LEGAL DEFENSE? WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW MIGHT PROTECT YOU FROM ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITIES (WITH CAVEATS, OF COURSE)” (CO-AUTHOR)
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American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Law, The Year in Review 2022: Clean Water Act Section 505- Water Quality and Wetlands Committee report-Update on Standing in Citizen Suits
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American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Law, The Year in Review 2021: Clean Water Act Section 505- Water Quality and Wetlands Committee report-Update on Standing in Citizen Suits
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Lawyers Association, The Practitioner, Solo and Small Firm, Vol. 26, Issue 2, Winter 2020. Getting Clients in the Door: How a Client Can Find the Door Even When It's Off the Beaten Path
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Nichole, a Southern California native, holds a master’s degree in Environmental Law and Policy and has gained invaluable experience through internships with key environmental law entities. During her time with the California Department of Justice, she worked with Deputy Attorneys General to represent numerous regulatory agencies, including the California State Water Resources Control Board, Fish and Wildlife, California Air Resources Board, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control. Following her time there, she continued her commitment to environmental law by working with Los Angeles Deputy City Attorneys in the Environmental Protection Unit.
Her unique understanding and respect for a public attorney’s perspectives and goals enable her to collaborate effectively in ways that benefit our clients.
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Nichole’s journey into environmental law stemmed from her background as a scientist. Her experience in the scientific realm and time in the public sector led her to the realization that she wanted to be at the forefront of guiding companies through the intricate landscape of environmental laws. She believes that environmental law provides a platform to show individuals and businesses that compliance and efficient resolution of matters can lead to profits or significant cost savings by reducing penalties and legal fees.
When Nichole is not at work, she enjoys playing basketball at the gym and always looks forward to the chance to explore a new country or visit her parent’s homeland in Colombia.
EDUCATION
Vermont Law School, J.D.
Vermont Law School, MELP (Master of Environmental Law and Policy)
California State University at Monterey Bay, B.S. Biology