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Bracewell & Giuliani Adds Two Partners to Austin Office

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP announced that John A. Riley and Christopher C. Thiele have joined the firm’s Austin office as partners. Both join in the environmental strategies practice.

Before joining the firm, Riley was a partner, and Thiele was counsel in Vinson & Elkins LLP’s environmental litigation and regulation practice.

Mark C. Evans, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP’s managing partner was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “John and Chris are great additions to our environmental strategies team, particularly in Texas, where there is such strong demand for top environmental legal talent.”

Riley focuses his practice in permitting and enforcement matters in the air, water and waste media. He also advises entities in the power generation, hydraulic fracturing, manufacturing and waste disposal sectors in matters before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

From 1994 to 1998, Riley was the Director of the Litigation Division at the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (now TCEQ). During that time, he was directly responsible for overseeing the agency’s environmental crimes unit and the development and implementation of the Texas Environmental, Health and Safety Audit Privilege Law and other legislation, rulemaking, and policies.

Thiele’s focuses his practice mainly on the regulation of air pollution under the federal Clean Air Act and related state and local laws and regulations, notably in Texas. He also represents industrial clients in a wide range of air permitting, rulemaking, compliance auditing, enforcement, and litigation matters, including contested permit proceedings.

In 1999, Thiele began his legal career at Bracewell. Before practicing law, he was an engineer at an environmental consulting firm, where he represented the oil and gas, petrochemical, surface coating and wood-products industries, and was a senior engineer for a major electric utility.

Timothy A. Wilkins, head of Bracewell & Giuliani’s environmental practice was quoted as saying: “John and Chris further strengthen our ability to represent the energy, manufacturing, upstream shale, refining and waste industries in Texas and across the nation. In particular, we are pleased to bring aboard their extensive experience in contested case hearings for industrial c

Riley earned his juris doctorate from Boston University, and his B.S. from Cornell University. Thiele earned his juris doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law and his B.S. from Texas A&M University.

International law firm Bracewell & Giuliani LLP has over 470 lawyers in Texas, New York, Washington, D.C., Connecticut, Seattle, Dubai, and London. The firm represents Fortune 500 companies, major financial institutions, leading private investment funds, governmental entities and individuals concentrated in the energy, technology and financial services sectors worldwide. The firm’s primary areas of practice include business law, finance, litigation, government relations and regulatory policy.

In addition, the firm has significant bench strength in all requisite practice areas including government relations, strategic communications, tax, trial, labor and employment law, intellectual property, real estate, government contracting and school and public law.

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