Biography
Ali Abazari is a partner with Jackson Walker where he practices environmental law. His practice is focused on environmental permitting and compliance assistance, defense of environmental enforcement actions, and environmental aspects of real estate and corporate transactions. He represents a diverse group of clients including mining companies, energy companies, manufacturers, real estate developers, and utilities with an emphasis on CERCLA, RCRA, CWA, SMCRA, OPA, SDWA, NEPA, and their state counterparts. Over the past 20 years, he has also participated in the drafting and development of environmental laws and regulations at the state and federal levels. He has successfully represented clients in contested case hearings in permitting and enforcement matters before various state agencies. Ali was formerly an attorney in the Litigation Division of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) where he represented TCEQ in administrative enforcement matters, and also provided guidance to the various TCEQ remediation programs, including the petroleum storage tank, corrective action and voluntary cleanup programs.
Education
B.A., University of Texas at Austin
LL.M., Tulane University Law School
J.D., Oklahoma City University School of Law
Bar Admissions
Texas
- Served as counsel to BP America, Inc. at the Unified Area Command Post for the Deepwater Horizon incident
- Secured TPDES wastewater discharge permit in contested case proceeding involving opposition by local governmental bodies and environmental advocacy group
- Defended water district in a complex contested water and sewer rate matter challenging district’s budget data and cost allocation methodology, among other challenges
- Represented major U.S. energy company in evaluating environmental conditions at several refineries, remediation of the sites, and transfer of assets
Areas of Focus
- Mine and reclamation permitting and compliance
- Obtaining Clean Water Act permits, including NPDES/TPDES permits, and providing compliance counselling
- Multi-media environmental auditing
- Brownfields redevelopment
- Environmental assessment and remediation projects
- Transactional matters involving sale and acquisition of contaminated properties
- Management of environmental risks in business transactions
- Analysis of federal and state environmental reviews, wetland jurisdiction, endangered species, cultural resources, and permitting issues for the siting of new projects
- Water and sewer utility certificates of convenience and necessity (CCN) and rate matters
- Defending environmental enforcement actions before various federal and state agencies, particularly the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Railroad Commission of Texas
- Waste permitting, management and compliance counselling
- Underground Storage Tank compliance and remediation
- Permitting of underground injection disposal wells
- Emerging legislative and regulatory requirements for the management of coal combustion residuals, carbon capture and sequestration, and related matters
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), 2022-2024
- Administrative / Regulatory Law, 2023-2024
- Environmental Law, 2022-2024
- Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Environmental Law, Environmental Law, esp. Enforcement, 2023
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental & Energy Lawyers, Environmental Law – Enforcement, 2021
- Rising Star, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2006-2010
- Speaker, “CCR Rule Update,” 2020 Coal Combustion Residuals Conference (August 10, 2020)
- Co-Author, “U.S. Supreme Court Finds That Clean Water Act’s Permitting Requirements Can Extend to Discharges Through Groundwater,” Jackson Walker Insights (April 24, 2020)
- Author, “EPA Issues Temporary Policy on Enforcement Discretion for Noncompliance Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Jackson Walker Insights (March 31, 2020)
- “The Admissibility of Scientific Expert Witness Testimony in Environmental Litigation,” SETAC Conference (November 2003)
- “Landowner Liability Defense and Funding under Brownfields Act of 2002,” Lloyd Gosselink Seminar (November 2003)
- “Understanding Environmental Enforcement in Texas: Practical Tools for Navigating the TCEQ Process” (March 2004; July 2004; and October 2004)
- “Brownfields Redevelopment—A Municipal Perspective,” Texas City Attorneys Association Seminar (June 2006)
- “Defending Against Environmental Enforcement Actions and Negotiating Favorable Settlements, Administrative Law in the Environmental Practice,” Austin Bar Association (June 2006)
- “Accommodating Resource Protection Laws in Construction,” Design Law for Texas Architects and Engineers Conference (March 2008)
- “Natural Resources Protection Laws,” Land Law for Civil Engineers and Surveyors (September 2008)
- “State and Federal Site Contamination Law,” Land Law for Civil Engineers and Surveyors (September 2008)
- “Water Law,” Texas Land Law Seminar (May 2009)
- “Handling Your First (or Next) Environmental Law Matter: Finding Your Niche,” Texas Bar Association CLE on Administrative and Civil Enforcement (December 2019)
- State Bar of Texas – Environmental & Natural Resources Law Section
- Austin Bar Association – Administrative Law and Environmental Law Sections
- American Bar Association – Environment, Energy, and Resources Section

August 17, 2023
Attorney News‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 287 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2024 Edition, Including 12 “Lawyers of the Year” and 80 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 287 Jackson Walker attorneys across 5 offices and 82 specialty practice areas in its 2024 edition, including 12 Lawyers of the Year and 80 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (66 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (60 attorneys) and the addition of 35 attorneys as Best Lawyers.

April 24, 2023
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – April 2023
View Jackson Walker’s April 2023 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.

February 14, 2023
Attorney NewsLawdragon Lists Five Jackson Walker Attorneys Among Leading Environmental Lawyers
Jackson Walker announces the selection of Ali Abazari, Leonard Dougal, Michael Nasi, Benjamin Rhem, and Daniel Vineyard to “The Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Environmental Law” list for 2023.

August 18, 2022
Attorney News‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 214 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2023 Edition, Including 11 “Lawyers of the Year” and 41 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 214 Jackson Walker attorneys across 6 offices and 79 specialty practice areas in its 2023 edition, including 11 Lawyers of the Year and 41 Ones to Watch. Best Lawyers listings are based on an exhaustive peer review survey of thousands of attorneys who vote on the legal abilities of others in their practice areas.


February 18, 2022
Client ResultsJackson Walker Appellate Team Secures Precedent-Setting Victory in Texas Supreme Court for Major Texas Mine
On February 11, 2022, the Texas Supreme Court established critical precedent on administrative law principles and the faithful application of the law. Texas mine owner and operator Dos Repúblicas, represented by Appellate Practice Chair Jennifer Caughey and her team, prevailed.




November 16, 2021
Attorney News‘Lawdragon’ Lists 15 Jackson Walker Attorneys Among 500 Leading Lawyers in Environmental, Energy, and Employment Law
Jackson Walker announces the selection of 15 attorneys to Lawdragon‘s list of the 500 leading practitioners in environmental and energy law and corporate employment law.



October 5, 2021
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – October 2021
View Jackson Walker’s October 2021 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.


August 30, 2021
Client ResultsJackson Walker Serves as US Counsel to Grupo Lamosa in Acquisition of Grupo Roca’s Flat Ceramic Division
Jackson Walker acted as U.S. counsel to Grupo Lamosa, S.A.B. de C.V., one of the world’s leading ceramic tile manufacturers, in the purchase of Grupo Roca’s flat ceramic division for $260 million. The transaction includes the acquisition of Tiles Investments and Holdings, SL and its subsidiaries, which have a presence in Spain, Brazil, and the United States.




August 19, 2021
Attorney News‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 178 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2022 Edition, Including 8 “Lawyers of the Year” and 31 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 178 Jackson Walker attorneys across 6 offices and 67 specialty practice areas in its 2022 edition, including 8 Lawyers of the Year and 31 Ones to Watch. Best Lawyers listings are based on an exhaustive peer review survey of thousands of attorneys who vote on the legal abilities of others in their practice areas.



February 11, 2021
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – February 2021
View Jackson Walker’s February 2021 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.