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Stacey Geis

Senior Counsel
Senior Counsel
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VCard
VCard

Areas of Focus

Overview

Stacey brings 25 years of experience in regulatory compliance, civil and criminal enforcement, and policymaking to help guide clients through compliance issues, especially those involving environmental and public health and safety regulations. Stacey draws on her years of experience as a prosecutor, regulator, and litigator to navigate compliance challenges, including government-led investigations and unexpected crises. She also leverages her strong relationships across local, state, and federal agencies, in particular in California, as well as her experience representing the United States, State of California, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, industry, NGOs, and community stakeholders to help improve outcomes and minimize risk and liabilities both before and after issues develop. 

Before joining Crowell & Moring, Stacey served as the deputy assistant administrator at the U.S. EPA, where she helped lead the 2,800-person Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. There, Stacey engaged in numerous elevated or high-profile enforcement actions and participated in rulemaking, policy, and legal guidance. She helped implement EPA’s goal of addressing climate change and PFAS, and helped revitalize the agency’s enforcement and compliance programs throughout the country. A former federal and state prosecutor, Stacey has prosecuted some of the largest environmental cases (including some of the largest U.S. environmental disasters) under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and federal hazardous waste laws. She has also prosecuted large white-collar cases, with a focus on corporate liability and noncompliance with highly technical regulations. She has been awarded California Lawyer Attorney of the Year; Top 100 Lawyers in California, and the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award. 

Given the breadth of her experience, Stacey can provide deep insights into the needs, concerns, and goals of all parties involved in compliance, enforcement, and incident response.

Career & Education

    • Environmental Protection Agency
      Office of Enforcement & Compliance Assurance
      Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, 2023–2025
      Senior Advisor, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, 2023
    • Department of Justice: United States Attorneys' Office
      Assistant United States Attorney, Northern District of California, 2004–2014
    • California
      Environmental Circuit Prosecutor Project, California District Attorneys Association
      Senior Prosecutor, 1999–2004
    • Environmental Protection Agency
      Office of Enforcement & Compliance Assurance
      Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, 2023–2025
      Senior Advisor, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, 2023
    • Department of Justice: United States Attorneys' Office
      Assistant United States Attorney, Northern District of California, 2004–2014
    • California
      Environmental Circuit Prosecutor Project, California District Attorneys Association
      Senior Prosecutor, 1999–2004

    • University of Virginia School of Law, J.D.
    • Brown University, B.A.
    • University of Virginia School of Law, J.D.
    • Brown University, B.A.

    • California
    • California

    • Fellow, American College of Environmental Lawyers, 2020–Present
    • Adviser, American Law Institute, Principles of Law – Compliance, Risk Management & Enforcement, 2015–2018
    • Fellow, American College of Environmental Lawyers, 2020–Present
    • Adviser, American Law Institute, Principles of Law – Compliance, Risk Management & Enforcement, 2015–2018

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Representative Matters

Prior matters of note include:

  • While at EPA, worked closely with Office of General Counsel and U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division on implementing two recent Supreme Court decisions— Sackett v. EPA, which limited the definition of wetlands under the Clean Water Act; and SEC v. Jarkesy, which limited the scope of federal administrative proceedings.
  • Led development of EPA’s Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy and provided guidance on EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives.
  • While at U.S. Department of Justice, prosecuted one of largest U.S. retailers for nationwide unlawful hazardous waste disposal practices. Company pled guilty and paid $110 million in addition to compliance measures and community projects.
  • Indicted a large public utility for willful violations of the Federal Pipeline Safety Act stemming from an explosion that killed eight people and destroyed a neighborhood. Company later convicted on six felony counts.
  • Prosecuted the largest oil spill in the San Francisco Bay. Both bar pilot and company pled guilty to Clean Water Act violations with company also pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. Pilot sentenced to prison and company ordered to pay $10 million.
  • Prosecuted one of the first fraud cases in the organic industry. Obtained guilty plea and prison sentence for president of company.
  • After four-and-a-half-month jury trial, obtained bankruptcy fraud convictions and prison sentences for president and co-president of three clothing companies for efforts to conceal millions of dollars during three separate bankruptcies over the course of several years.
  • While at Earthjustice, managed supervised an annual docket of 50+ civil cases; specifically oversaw and litigated dozens of federal and state cases under the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Administrative Procedures Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and California Environmental Quality Act.
  • Successfully challenged the constitutionality of a 2001 state law limiting judicial review of the California Energy Commission’s power-plan approvals to the California Supreme Court.
  • Successfully challenged EPA’s 2017 delay of the Certified Pesticide Applicator Rule under the Administrative Procedures Act.

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Recognition

  • California Lawyer magazine: 2013 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (the CLAY Award), 2014
  • Daily Journal: Top 100 Lawyers in California, 2011
  • Profiled in the Recorder, “Environmental Crime Fighter Is In Vogue and on a Roll,” August 5, 2011
  • Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for multi-district Clean Water Act case, 2007
  • American Bar Association: Award for Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and Policy, 2003
  • U.S. Congressional Recognition for Outstanding Community Service, U.S. EPA Environmental Achievement Award, 2003

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