Jessica A. Wall

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Partner

Overview

Jessica advises clients concerning environmental, energy and land use issues.  She provides strategic counsel in permitting and transactional matters, project development, renewable energy projects, wetlands and waterways issues, due diligence, land use, site clean-ups, and compliance and enforcement issues.  Her clients include developers, schools and universities, utilities, municipalities, state agencies, and non-profits.  Jessica listens to clients to understand their concerns and develops a practical strategy to help them achieve their goals.  Her representative matters include:

  • Advising a large former energy site in New England concerning environmental issues.
  • Counseling clients, including a national utility, regarding permitting for complex energy infrastructure projects, including review under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA).
  • Representing a non-profit environmental group regarding the largest tidal restoration project in New England.
  • Analyzing wetlands and waterways permitting issues.  Jessica serves as the co-author on the MCLE treatise concerning Chapter 91 and waterfront rights in Massachusetts.
  • Serving as common counsel for a Superfund site.
  • Negotiating power purchase agreements and other contracts for solar and battery energy storage projects.
  • Helping clients navigate sustainability, resiliency, and emerging energy regulatory issues.

Jessica maintains an active pro bono practice.  She is part of the legal team that successfully brought suit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to compel issuance of a rule concerning graphic warning labels on tobacco products, and Jessica also works with Oceana to advance its goal of protecting the world’s oceans.

Jessica’s experience has been recognized by Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyers, as well as the Environmental Business Council of New England.  She is the former co-chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section’s subcommittee on Hazardous and Solid Waste.

BEYOND THE OFFICE

Jess lives in Wellesley with her family.  Outside of the office, she can be found cooking and baking, hiking, and trying to keep up with her young daughter.

PRACTICE AREAS

Credentials

Education

Boston University School of Law, J.D. 2013
Executive Editor, Public Interest Law Journal

Brown University, B.A. 2007

Admissions

Massachusetts

New York

U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts

Recognition

Chambers USA, Massachusetts Environmental Law, 2023-

The Best Lawyers in America©, Environmental Law (2021-2023), Water Law (2023), and Commercial Litigation (2023)

Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2015-2024

Environmental Business Council Ascending Leader Award, 2020

Affiliations

American Bar Association - ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, Fall Conference 2019, Planning Committee Member; Real Estate Litigation Section, Assistant Editor, 2015-2018

Boston Bar Association – Environmental and Energy Law Committee, Co-Chair (2024); former Hazardous and Solid Waste Committee Co-Chair; former New Lawyers’ Liaison

Boston Bar Association - Public Interest Leadership Program, 2017-2018

 

Insights

  • Panelist, Stormwater Enterprise Funds and Permit Implementation – the MS4 and More, Boston Bar Association, October 2019
  • Panelist, Speed Networking with Environmental Lawyers, Boston Bar Association, February 2019.
  • Panelist, CLE: Environmental Standing, Part 1, Boston Bar Association, December 2018.
  • Panelist, Administrative/Regulatory Law, Boston University School of Law Career Conference, October 2018.
  • Panelist, Energy & Environmental Law Society, Boston University School of Law, 2017.

Jessica advises clients concerning environmental, energy and land use issues.  She provides strategic counsel in permitting and transactional matters, project development, renewable energy projects, wetlands and waterways issues, due diligence, land use, site clean-ups, and compliance and enforcement issues.  Her clients include developers, schools and universities, utilities, municipalities, state agencies, and non-profits.  Jessica listens to clients to understand their concerns and develops a practical strategy to help them achieve their goals.  Her representative matters include:

  • Advising a large former energy site in New England concerning environmental issues.
  • Counseling clients, including a national utility, regarding permitting for complex energy infrastructure projects, including review under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA).
  • Representing a non-profit environmental group regarding the largest tidal restoration project in New England.
  • Analyzing wetlands and waterways permitting issues.  Jessica serves as the co-author on the MCLE treatise concerning Chapter 91 and waterfront rights in Massachusetts.
  • Serving as common counsel for a Superfund site.
  • Negotiating power purchase agreements and other contracts for solar and battery energy storage projects.
  • Helping clients navigate sustainability, resiliency, and emerging energy regulatory issues.

Jessica maintains an active pro bono practice.  She is part of the legal team that successfully brought suit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to compel issuance of a rule concerning graphic warning labels on tobacco products, and Jessica also works with Oceana to advance its goal of protecting the world’s oceans.

Jessica’s experience has been recognized by Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyers, as well as the Environmental Business Council of New England.  She is the former co-chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section’s subcommittee on Hazardous and Solid Waste.

BEYOND THE OFFICE

Jess lives in Wellesley with her family.  Outside of the office, she can be found cooking and baking, hiking, and trying to keep up with her young daughter.

Education

Boston University School of Law, J.D. 2013
Executive Editor, Public Interest Law Journal

Brown University, B.A. 2007

Admissions

Massachusetts

New York

U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts

Chambers USA, Massachusetts Environmental Law, 2023-

The Best Lawyers in America©, Environmental Law (2021-2023), Water Law (2023), and Commercial Litigation (2023)

Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2015-2024

Environmental Business Council Ascending Leader Award, 2020

American Bar Association - ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, Fall Conference 2019, Planning Committee Member; Real Estate Litigation Section, Assistant Editor, 2015-2018

Boston Bar Association – Environmental and Energy Law Committee, Co-Chair (2024); former Hazardous and Solid Waste Committee Co-Chair; former New Lawyers’ Liaison

Boston Bar Association - Public Interest Leadership Program, 2017-2018

 

News

Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, Stormwater Enterprise Funds and Permit Implementation – the MS4 and More, Boston Bar Association, October 2019
  • Panelist, Speed Networking with Environmental Lawyers, Boston Bar Association, February 2019.
  • Panelist, CLE: Environmental Standing, Part 1, Boston Bar Association, December 2018.
  • Panelist, Administrative/Regulatory Law, Boston University School of Law Career Conference, October 2018.
  • Panelist, Energy & Environmental Law Society, Boston University School of Law, 2017.