Lauren’s practice focuses primarily on global product stewardship, responsible sourcing, and corporate sustainability.
She advises clients across a range of industry sectors on environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures, responsible sourcing of raw materials including “conflict minerals” and forest products, as well as human rights and labor issues in corporate operations and supply chains. She advises on issues including interpretation and implementation of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s conflict minerals rule, supply chain due diligence, and the preparation of conflict minerals disclosures. She also assists clients with supplier outreach and engagement and coordination with industry groups on conflict minerals requirements.
Lauren also provides strategic counseling to clients on corporate sustainability-related goals and initiatives, new products with environmental attributes, and submissions to sustainability ratings and rankings organizations. She advises on corporate social responsibility and supply chain environmental requirements more broadly including voluntary environmental reporting, paper sourcing and Lacey Act compliance, and human rights and labor issues in the supply chain. Her practice also extends to product-related environmental requirements such as material restrictions in the U.S. and Europe, worldwide product safety regulations, and product take-back and recycling. She is well-versed in California state-specific product issues, particularly those related to Proposition 65 and California Safer Consumer Products regulations.
Lauren has significant experience advising on federal, state and international regulation of environmental marketing and advertising claims. She regularly reviews marketing and advertising materials for the Firm’s clients in a variety of sectors, with particular emphasis on environmental claims relating to electronic products such as energy efficiency, design for recycling, reduced use of substances of concern, and product packaging and logistics. She also advises clients on the development of internal procedures and guidance documents for environmental claims and provides training on compliance with U.S. and worldwide environmental marketing restrictions.
Lauren has participated in several legal secondment arrangements, including for a Fortune 50 technology company, where she served in an “in-house” capacity advising daily on environmental regulatory compliance and litigation activities.
While attending law school at Vermont Law School, Lauren interned with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. At Yale University, Lauren wrote her master’s project on Kyoto Protocol implementation in Russia and participated in clinical projects with the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Protection Agency, Defenders of Wildlife, and Connecticut Farmland Trust.
