Since it's not news until The New York Times weighs in, we bring you this story about the growth of climate change practices.
Law Firms Prep Clients for Climate Policy Implications

Stalled congressional action on greenhouse gas legislation has not stopped prominent law firms from taking the lead in helping companies navigate the legal, public policy and business implications related to climate change.
"Climate change and renewable energy developments are the next big thing in environmental and energy law," said Michael Gerrard, director of Columbia Law School's new Center for Climate Change Law and senior counsel to Arnold & Porter. "Every law firm that has a practice in either of those areas is trying to position itself so that when the major work arrives, they will be able to grab a good chunk of it."
Businesses face state and regional and -- in some cases -- international emissions restrictions. They seek legal advice on everything from verifying energy credits to addressing Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure requirements, according to Robert McKinstry, the partner in charge of the Climate Change and Sustainability Initiative at Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll.
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"We have a cross-sectional group that works on climate change and carbon changing -- it's a clean-tech group," said  Scott Deatherage, a partner and leader of the Climate Change and Renewable Energy Practice Group at Thompson & Knight.
"There are security issues with respect to disclosure," Deatherage said. "When it comes to incentives, there are a lot of tax issues also. I do work for renewable energy companies and companies developing carbon credit projects both domestically and internationally."
The fast-growing practice area has drawn upon attorneys from existing corporate, energy, tax and, of course, environmental groups.
For example, the Climate Change and Sustainability Initiative at Ballard integrates the environmental, energy and project finance, real estate and litigation practices.
Deatherage said his firm has also tried to steer clients toward the incentives to be gained from a corporate climate change strategy.
"I do work for renewable energy companies and companies developing carbon credit projects both domestically and internationally," he said. "I was contacted to have a client participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project. The company was facing shareholder petitions, and that was the resolution they reached with shareholders -- voluntary greenhouse gas reporting."
Deatherage runs a blog called "The New Carbon Cycle," which offers news and analysis about "the rapidly evolving law and policy surrounding climate change, carbon trading and markets."