Christine Jochim is a partner in the firm’s Environment, Land, and Natural Resources practice. With two decades of legal and public policy experience, Christine focuses her practice primarily on the defense of complex enforcement actions involving alleged violations of state and federal environmental, health, and safety regulations. While serving in both in-house and private practice roles, Christine has resolved environmental and other enforcement actions taken by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Department of Interior, and the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, among other regulatory agencies at both the state and federal levels. She represents domestic and international clients in a range of legal forums, including state and federal courts, administrative tribunals, regulatory hearings, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings.
In addition to her enforcement defense work, Christine has also played a strategic business role with clients and former employers. She advises clients in environmental compliance, public policy, transactional due diligence, and permitting actions involving the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), as well as other federal and state equivalent environmental, natural resources, and health and safety statutes and regulations. Christine also supports clients as they navigate internal and external communications with employees, regulators, the press, and community members, particularly in disproportionately impacted communities. During her time as an attorney with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Christine developed a rich understanding of the Atomic Energy Act, which she has brought to her private practice and in-house counsel roles.
Concurrent with her legal studies at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Christine obtained a Master of Environmental and Occupational Health from the University of Maryland School of Maryland. Upon graduation, Christine joined the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, Maryland—first as Honor Law Graduate, and then as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel. Following her government service, Christine joined the Washington, D.C., office of the firm, where she was an associate in the Environment, Land, and Natural Resources practice from 2011 to 2015. She then moved home to Colorado and became a shareholder in the natural resources group of a Denver-based national law firm. Most recently, she served in-house as senior legal counsel to a multinational energy company. In that role, Christine supported the company's US-based environmental, health, and safety, government relations, and communications teams.
- 5280 Top Lawyers, Environmental, 2021-2022
- Lawdragon 500 Leading US Environmental & Energy Lawyers, 2021
- Selected to Colorado Super Lawyers Rising Stars List, 2017-2018
- Alumnus, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Foundation IMPACT Denver leadership development program, January-June 2017
Christine is active in charitable events and nonprofit organizations in the Colorado Front Range. She currently serves as a member of the Women's Bean Project Board of Directors and previously served as member and ultimately chair of the Board of Directors of Groundwork Denver (2016-2022).
Christine is very active within the American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, most recently serving as Education Officer to the Section (2022-2024). Prior to that role, Christine served as a Section Council Member (2020-2022), Conference Planning Chair (Fall 2020), and is the former Chair of the Section's Nuclear Law Committee (2014-2016). Christine routinely represents pro-bono clients in affirmative asylum actions before US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
- Moderator, “The Evolving City: How Cities Respond to Climate Change,” American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Spring Conference, 7 April 2022
- Speaker, “A Regulatory Perspective on Navigating Waters of the United States,” Rocky Mountain Association of Environmental Professionals, 23 July 2020
- Speaker, “PFAS 101: A Technical, Regulatory, Legal, and Legislative Overview of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances,” National Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Clean Water Law & Enforcement Seminar, 22 November 2019
- Speaker, “What Lies Beneath – Lessons Learned and Forecasting the Future of Construction Dewatering” Colorado Environmental Management Society, Fall Conference, 15 October 2019
- Moderator, “Nuclear Law 101,” American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Nuclear Law Committee, 16 August 2017
- Presenter, “Climate Change and Energy/Environmental Policy,” American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Environmental Summit of the Americas, 29 March 2017
- Presenter, “Water Rights and Water Quality: Interrelationships and Implications,” Lorman Webinar, 19 October 2016
- Moderator, “US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Fundamentals,” American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Nuclear Law Committee Teleconference, July 2015
- Presenter, “Preparing for an EPA Inspection is Not a ‘Waste’ of Time,” American Pyrotechnics Association 2014 Winter Conference, 20 March 2014
- Moderator, “International Regulation of Nuclear Materials & US Export Regulations” American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Nuclear Law Committee Teleconference, 3 April 2013
- Co-author, “Why Colo. Stay Of Trump’s Water Rule Is Noteworthy,” Law360, 2 July 2020
- Co-author, “Managing Dewatering During, After Development,” Colorado Real Estate Journal, April 2018
- Co-author, “Strengthening EPA Water Transfers Rule at the 2nd Cir.,” Law360, 3 February 2017
- Co-author, “EPA Wants More Control Over State-Issued Discharge Permits,” Law360, 25 July 2015
- Contributor, “Overview of Environmental Protection Issues,” Ch. 11, Colorado Land Use Planning and Development Law, 10th ed., Colorado Chapter of the American Planning Association, Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc., 2015
- Contributor, “The Year in Review 2015,” American Bar Association Section on the Environment, Energy, and Resources, 2015
- “EPA Issues Proposed Groundwater Protection Standards for In Situ Uranium Recovery Operations,” 7 Nuclear Law Committee Newsletter 3, American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, August 2015
- Contributor, “The Year in Review 2014,” American Bar Association Section on the Environment, Energy, and Resources, 2014
- Co-author, “In limbo: Federal Appellate Court stays initial date for meeting new ballast water discharge limits, but only for Canadian Shipowners Association members,” 42 Great Lakes Seaway Review 33, April-June 2014
- Co-author, “Supreme Court ‘Not Willing to Stand on the Dock and Wave Goodbye’ as EPA Explores How It Can Regulate Greenhouse Gases from Every Possible Source,” K&L Gates Alert, 25 June 2014
- Co-author, “Facing Two Strikes, EPA Gets a Hit: Supreme Court Upholds EPA Cross-State Air Pollution Rule,” K&L Gates Alert, 1 May 2014
- Co-author, “The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository: What’s Next?” 5 Nuclear Law Committee Newsletter 2, American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, April 2014
- Co-author, “Federal Appellate Court Stays Initial Date for Meeting New Ballast Water Discharge Limits – But only for Canadian Shipowners Association Members,” K&L Gates Alert, 11 April 2014
- Co-author, “Challenge to US Export-Import Bank LNG Financing Raises Questions About Application of US Environmental Law to US-Funded Projects in Other Countries,” K&L Gates Global Government Solutions 2014: Annual Outlook, Feb. 2014
- Co-author, “Going Ballistic Over Ballast Water Regulations,” Environmental Law360, 23 January 2014
- Also reprinted in Policy Law360.
- Co-author, “EPA and Coast Guard Disagree on How to Address Industry Obligations to Meet 1 January 2014 Implementation Deadline for New Ballast Water Discharge Limits,” K&L Gates Alert, 6 January 2014
- Co-author, “The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository: Upholding the Rule of Law,” K&L Gates Environmental Policy Quarterly, Fall 2013
- Co-author, “No Secrets About Pesticides in EU and Possibly Abroad,” Law360, 31 October 2013
- Co-author, “EU Court Orders Disclosure of Proprietary Information on Chemical Substance; May Impact Disclosure Laws Abroad,” K&L Gates Alert, 25 October 2013
- Co-author, “EPA Proposes Strict Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards On New Electric Utilities,” K&L Gates Alert, 1 October 2013
- Co-author, “US Court of Appeals Orders the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to Resume Yucca Mountain Licensing Proceeding, Upholding Rule of Law Over Politics,” K&L Gates Alert, 15 August 2013
- Co-author, “The New 2013 Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance: Certainty for the Industry or Dust in the Wind?” K&L Gates Alert, 20 May 2013
- Co-author, “Climate Change in the Courts: A Mixed Scorecard,” K&L Gates Environmental Policy Quarterly, Spring 2013
- Co-author, “EPA Issues 2013 Vessel General Permit,” K&L Gates Alert, 2 April 2013
- Co-author, “Environmental litigation continues to affect US energy policy: Oregon isn’t spared,” Sustainable Business Oregon, 1 April 2013
- Co-author, “EPA Proposes Revisions to the Renewable Fuel Program to Prevent Fraud and Protect Innocent Traders in Renewable Identification Numbers (RINS); Allows Limited Use of Program Immediately,” K&L Gates Alert, 25 February 2013
- Co-author, “Environmental Litigation Continues to Impact US Energy Policy,” K&L Gates Global Government Solutions 2013: Annual Outlook, January 2013
- Co-author, “Homer City – Has the D.C. Circuit Signaled an Alternative Approach to Judicial Review of Agency Regulations?” K&L Gates Alert, 11 October 2012
- Co-author, “Federal Transportation Law MAP-21 Seeks to Expedite Environmental Reviews,” K&L Gates Alert, 28 September 2012
- Co-author, “D.C. Circuit Calls Strike Two on EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule,” K&L Gates Alert, 24 August 2012
- Co-author, “Sixth Amendment Requirement That Juries Find Facts Necessary to Impose Fines Above Statutory Maximum Raises New Questions for Environmental Prosecutions,” K&L Gates Alert, 25 July 2012
- Co-author, “Two Federal Decisions Signal Further Expansion of Criminal Liability for Environmental Crimes,” K&L Gates Alert, 28 June 2012
- Co-author, “European Union May Adopt More Stringent Sulfur Content Limits for Marine Fuels,” K&L Gates Alert, 13 June 2012
- Contributor, “Law Year in Review 2012,” American Bar Association Section on the Environment, Energy, and Resources, 2012
- Co-author, “EPA Issues Draft of the Next Vessel General Permit for Public Review – Comments Due By 21 February 2012,” K&L Gates Alert, 9 December 2011
- “Studying the Environment in China,” University Of Maryland School Of Law Alumni Magazine, Fall 2008
