Sher Edling is a left-leaning, plaintiff-side law firm that sues alleged polluters as well as corporations it alleges contribute to climate change catastrophes, such as rising seas, droughts, and floods. Sher Edling represents business, public agencies, cities, and states in environmental legal cases, suing what it considers to be major polluters. ¹

Activities

The firm focuses on three major practice areas. ² The first is climate change, the impacts of which it claims are disproportionately borne by low-income populations and minorities. Sher Edling argues that the oil and gas industry knows that its products contributed to global damage yet purposefully deceived the public. ³

In a law review article, firm partner Vic Sher argued that energy companies knew that the heavy use of their products would “cause catastrophic injuries to communities,” and that, nonetheless, companies attacked climate scientists and conducted a decades-long public information campaign to hide the connection between fossil fuels and the alleged catastrophic outcomes of climate change. ⁴

Sher Edling has contributed to lawsuits filed against conventional energy companies by the states of Delaware, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and a variety of local governments, including the cities of Baltimore, Charleston, Oakland, Honolulu, and New York City. ⁵ For example, Sher Edling argued a case for San Mateo County, Marin County, and the city of Imperial Beach in California that accused ExxonMobil, Chevron Corp, and other major energy companies of contributing to climate change, a case that was finally heard by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. ⁶

The firm’s second focus area is drinking water. Sher Edling works with water suppliers and others to file lawsuits against large corporations it alleges contaminate local water supplies. ⁷ The firm’s clients in its drinking water litigation include the states of Wisconsin, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington, and New Mexico, as well as water districts throughout the United States. ⁸

The firm’s third focus area is land, air, and water pollution, with a particular focus on oil spills, toxic waste, pesticides, and other chemical contaminations in urban, suburban, and rural areas. ¹⁰

People

Sher Edling is managed by four partners: Vic Sher, Matt Edling, Katie Jones, and Stephanie Biehl. ¹¹

Vic Sher has spent his career in environmental litigation, including working as New York City’s lead trial counsel in the City of New York v. ExxonMobil, a contamination case that won a verdict of $104.7 million for the city of New York. Sher formerly practiced law with Earthjustice, previously known as the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, a public interest law firm that litigates cases related to left-leaning climate and energy policy. He was the group’s president from 1994 to 1997.¹²

1. “Expertise.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/expertise/.
2. “Expertise.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/expertise/.
3. “Expertise.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/expertise/.
4. “Form Versus Substance.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/forum-versus-substance/.
5. “Climate Damage and Deception.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/cases/climate-cases/
6. Raymond, Nate. “Chevron, other energy giants must face California climate change cases in state court.” Reuters. April 19, 2022. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/chevron-other-energy-giants-must-face-california-climate-change-cases-state-2022-04-19/.
7. “Expertise.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/expertise/.
8. “Drinking Water and Contamination.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/cases/water-contamination/
10.   The firm’s clients in its land, air, and water pollution include the cities of Imperial Beach, National City, and Chula Vista in California, as well as the Port of San Diego. Another client of the firm in this subject area is the Surfrider Foundation, the world’s largest activist network focused on oceans and beaches. ⁹ “Land, Air, & Water Pollution.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/cases/land-contamination/.
11. “Meet Our Team.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26, 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/team/.
12. “Vic Sher.” Sher Edling LLP. Accessed September 26. 2023. https://www.sheredling.com/team/#vic-sher.