Partner Terry D. Avchen has put the full force of his 30 years’ of experience and expertise in virtually every aspect of environmental and energy law to work helping alternative energy businesses thrive. Department chair of the Environmental and Energy Group, he has represented companies across the alternative energy spectrum including solar, wind, geothermal and biofuel, and has spearheaded precedent-setting litigation regarding wave energy and water distribution. Concurrently, he has built a highly credentialed department well-versed in environmental/energy-related transactions and litigation, including two LEED accredited attorneys, as well as attorneys highly respected for their knowledge of climate change and carbon credits, alternative and traditional energy and water law.
Mr. Avchen’s client roster includes Bank of America, MGM Grand, Northern Trust, Huffy Corporation, MGM, Vintage Petroleum, Santa Fe Energy, Unocal, along with numerous real estate developers. He successfully represents major oil, gas and utility companies in litigation throughout the country involving oil and gas leases, transmission and distribution, as well as royalty interests.
Mr. Avchen received his Bachelor of Arts degree and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Los Angeles. He also received his Juris Doctorate from the University of California at Los Angeles Law School. During law school, he was a member of both the U.C.L.A. Law Review and Moot Court.
Tired of seeing potentially viable projects “dead on arrival” because of lack of funding, Mr. Avchen, in conjunction with the Firm, spearheaded the founding and development of Environmental Research Advocates, a foundation dedicated to funding scientific research in the areas of environmental and alternative energy. The organization makes two monetary awards each year, and disseminates a list of the Top 100 science projects of the year.
Comprised of top scientist and policy makers from around the world, it’s Board of Advisors includes: Burton Richter (Nobel prize winner) Art Gossard (Nobel prize), Roberto Peccei (Vice-Chancellor of Research, UCLA), Peter Seligmann (Founder of Conservation International), Leslie Cordes (Director of United Nations Foundation) and Steve Cohen (head of Earth Institute at Columbia University), among many others. This project has received wide acceptance at the United Nations as well as at the Department of Energy, and provides a platform to fund some of today’s most innovative ideas.
Mr. Avchen has been recognized on the list of Southern California Super Lawyers since 2004. He was also included in Forbes’ Radio features of “America’s Best Lawyers,” and featured on SkyRadio, which provides in-flight news on America’s top airlines.
He has lectured widely on a variety of environmental topics, including complex real estate transactions, environmental insurance, Prop 65 and environmental law from a business perspective.
Additionally he is actively involved with People Assisting The Homeless (P.A.T.H.). As an instrumental part in the organization’s development, Mr. Avchen was awarded the P.A.T.H. Founders Award.
News/Articles
Recent material include:
- "The Final Shutdown: Attorney Terry Avchen Explains the Legal Do’s and Don't’s for the Successful Shut Down of an Energy Exploration Site,” Exploration-Processing March 2009.
- Lawcrossing.com’s Lawstar profiles Mr. Avchen.
- Los Angeles Business Journal features Mr. Avchen’s successful recovery of $33.8 million from the U.S. government on behalf of his client Steadfast Insurance Co.
- Super Lawyers 2005 profiles Mr. Avchen.
- “Responding to a CERCLA Section 104(e) Request for Information,” Los Angeles Lawyer.
- "Caveat Lender: Strategies for Secured Creditors to Avoid CERCLA Liability," The Corporate Counselor.
- Mr. Avchen regularly publishes newsletters and was recently asked to speak at a major gathering of scientists from around the world in Monterey, California.
