Stacie B. Fletcher is a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and is co-chair of the Environmental Litigation and Mass Tort Practice Group.  Ms. Fletcher has handled a wide variety of cases under federal and state environmental statutes, including serving as lead counsel on numerous enforcement defense matters with U.S. EPA and state agencies.

Ms. Fletcher was recognized by Chambers USA as a leading environmental lawyer in the District of Columbia in 2021 and 2022.  According to Chambers USA,  clients note that Ms. Fletcher is “[h]ighly skilled in federal and state environmental enforcement matters,” and that she “has a tremendous grasp of environmental issues and she is dialed in on what is going on at the agencies. . . .  She is extremely thorough; her oral and written work product is outstanding.”  Ms. Fletcher is recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in the area of Environmental Litigation by The Legal 500 US 2022.  She was also named by Lawdragon among the Leaders in Environmental Law for 2021 and 2023.  In 2018 and 2019, Ms. Fletcher was recognized as a Euromoney LMG “Rising Star” in the area of Environmental Law.  From 2017 to 2021, she was recognized by The Legal 500 US as an up-and-coming “next generation” lawyer in the area of Environmental Litigation and, from 2014 until 2017, as a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in Environmental Litigation for the Washington D.C. area.  Ms. Fletcher sits on Law360’s 2022 Environmental Editorial Advisory Board.

Representative engagements include:

• Represented Mercedes-Benz and Daimler in an investigation relating to compliance with Clean Air Act requirements governing emissions after-treatment and in related settlement of civil claims with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Attorney General, the California Air Resources Board, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. United States v. Daimler AG et al., No. 02564 (D.D.C. 2020) & California v. Daimler AG, No. 02565 (D.D.C. 2020).
• Obtained summary judgment for a pulp and paper manufacturer in a series of lawsuits alleging that air emissions from the client’s facilities have caused personal injuries and property damage. International Paper v. Brantley, 09-cv-230, 2017 WL 2292767 (M.D. Ala. May 24, 2017). In 2018, Euromoney LMG recognized this victory as a “Matter of the Year.”
• Successfully prosecuted a $250 million CERCLA cost recovery action against the United States represented by the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division. During a two-week bench trial in federal district court, Ms. Fletcher cross-examined key government experts and directed examination for a critical fact witness on the government’s affirmative defenses. The court entered declaratory judgment requiring defendant United States to pay 29% of the client’s future remediation costs. Lockheed Martin Corporation v. United States (D.D.C.).
• Representing energy and chemical manufacturing clients in enforcement actions alleging violations of the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review program, the New Source Performance Standards, and the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. Most recently, Ms. Fletcher was counsel representing Tesoro Corporation in a company-wide federal enforcement action alleging violations at six of the company’s seven refineries. In crafting the settlement for this enforcement action, the parties developed several initiative measures under EPA’s Next Generation program.  EPA promoted the innovative aspects of the settlement in its annual report and listed Tesoro as its third most important enforcement matter in 2016, following the Volkswagen diesel settlement and BP Deepwater Horizon.
• Defended refiner in federal enforcement action alleging violations of the Title II regulations governing fuel quality. United States v. Tesoro Corporation (D.D.C.). In lieu of responding to defendant’s motion to dismiss, the government dropped over one-half of its claims.  The matter later settled on favorable terms.
• Counsel for Fortune 500 company and its subsidiaries in three separate hazardous waste and/or Clean Air Act federal enforcement matters. As a recent example, in 2017, Ms. Fletcher defended the company’s subsidiary against EPA claims that one of its facilities violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in its management of hazardous waste. After moving swiftly to gather critical rebuttal evidence, the client secured written declination of further enforcement from EPA.
• Defended rocket motor manufacturing company in state court toxic tort litigation alleging personal injuries and medical monitoring damages for alleged groundwater contamination. This case was brought by Tom Girardi (the famed plaintiffs’ counsel featured in the movie “Erin Brockovich”). After securing a pivotal ruling from the San Bernardino Superior Court excluding key expert witnesses for the plaintiffs, the court dismissed all claims raised by the bellwether plaintiffs.  Fletcher handled key experts on the source of the groundwater contamination and the standard of care for waste disposal practices.
• Representing trade association of automobile manufacturers challenging state regulations limiting greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. Green Mountain Chrysler Jeep v. Crombie; Central Valley Chrysler Jeep v. Goldstene; and Association of International Automobile Manufacturers v. Sullivan.

Ms. Fletcher received her law degree from the University of Virginia, where she was Executive Editor of the Virginia Law Review.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Davidson College.

Ms. Fletcher is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia.