Former Federal Prosecutor Joins DLA Piper

October 30, 2013 – DLA Piper announced today that Teri Donaldson has joined the firm’s Litigation practice as a partner in the Houston and Tampa offices.

Donaldson has a broad environmental, energy and white collar practice involving both litigation and transactional matters. She has participated in numerous high-profile investigations and prosecutions, having tried more than 50 cases as lead counsel and defended against several grand jury investigations and enforcement actions during her 25-year career.

In addition to her trial experience, Donaldson conducts environmental due diligence and advises national and international companies on managing environmental liabilities and risk associated with mergers and acquisitions and the sale of large assets. She also supervises the environmental permitting of major energy projects, including terminals and pipelines, and provides counsel on matters related to shale gas development.

“Teri is among the most highly regarded environmental lawyers in her field in Texas, and her experience as both a litigator and regulatory general counsel will be an invaluable resource to our clients in Houston and to our litigation and energy operations around the globe,” said Ileana Blanco, managing partner of DLA Piper’s Houston office.

Donaldson joins DLA Piper from Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, and earlier in her career, she served as general counsel for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. In this role, Donaldson provided counsel to the department secretary and appeared before administrative agencies and in federal and state court regarding several environmental statutes, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Remediation, Compensation and Liability Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Prior to that, Donaldson served as an assistant US attorney and was designated the lead environmental crime prosecutor for the Middle District of Florida. As part of her commercial litigation experience, Donaldson successfully prosecuted hundreds of felony cases involving bank fraud, health care fraud, and other white collar matters.

“Teri’s arrival expands our environmental litigation capabilities, as she brings strong credentials in serving clients in the energy industry and helping them navigate the myriad risks inherent in doing business internationally or locally,” said Jack Langlois, head of DLA Piper’s Energy practice in Houston. 

Donaldson has received awards from multiple federal and state agencies, including the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Coast Guard, and the Inspector General, among others. Notably, she has been honored with a Special Commendation from the US Attorney General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in connection with various litigation and investigation matters. 

Donaldson earned a J.D., with honors, from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and a B.A. from the New College of Florida. 

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