BBK Attorneys Earn Spots in The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental Lawyers – The Green 500

Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK) is proud to share that for the second year in a row, attorneys Joseph P. Byrne, Eric L. Garner, Shawn D. Hagerty, Charity B. Schiller and Alisha Winterswyk have been named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental Lawyers – The Green 500, recognizing attorneys shaping environmental law and sustainability.

Joseph Byrne, a partner and member of BBK’s Water and Environmental Law & Natural Resources practice group, advises public and private clients on water law, environmental compliance and government strategy. He serves as general counsel to major water agencies and statewide water organizations, guiding boards and staff on CEQA, water rights, public governance and complex regulatory and policy matters. Drawing on his experience in state government and as a former chair of the California Water Commission, Byrne brings deep insight into California water policy, legislation, and long-term water supply planning.

Eric Garner, former managing partner of BBK and a member of BBK’s Water and Environmental Law & Natural Resources practice groups, is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in water law. Garner has played a central role in some of California’s most significant groundwater adjudications and was instrumental in the development of the state’s landmark Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, while also contributing to water law reform efforts internationally. Garner was highlighted at the outset of Lawdragon’s announcement of the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental Lawyers – The Green 500 as a leading voice in California water use law.

Shawn Hagerty, a partner and member of BBK’s Water and Environmental Law & Natural Resources practice groups. Hagerty advises public agencies in California and nationwide on complex water quality and water supply matters. With a particular focus on federal and state environmental laws, Hagerty’s practice centers on Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act compliance. Drawing on decades of experience as both general and special counsel to public agencies, Hagerty brings a practical, integrated approach to securing and implementing water infrastructure projects.

Charity Schiller, managing partner of BBK and a leading environmental and land use attorney, assists public and private clients on navigating complex state and federal environmental laws. Schiller focuses on CEQA and NEPA and regularly prepares and defends environmental approvals for major projects across California. She regularly guides clients through high-stakes entitlements and successfully defends projects in trial and appellate courts, often resolving disputes efficiently to avoid costly delays. As managing partner, she oversees firmwide operations while continuing to lead some of BBK’s most significant Environmental & Natural Resources matters.

Alisha Winterswyk, a partner and practice group leader of BBK’s Environmental & Natural Resources Practice Group, advises public and private clients on complex state and federal environmental laws, with a primary focus on CEQA and NEPA. She regularly guides clients through environmental review and land use entitlement processes and defends agencies and project proponents in CEQA and NEPA litigation. Winterswyk has reviewed and drafted hundreds of environmental documents and is a trusted advisor on environmentally responsible development. Her practice combines deep regulatory knowledge with practical strategies to move projects forward while managing environmental risk.

Read the full 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental Lawyers – The Green 500 guide here.