Compliance counseling requires a thorough knowledge of existing environmental regulations, laws and regulations in the pipeline, and the marketplace responses to perceived environmental problems, particularly those not yet regulated. Members of the Environmental Practice Group work very closely with clients at the time new legislation or regulations are being discussed or proposed. The Group has worked with federal and state legislators and staff in drafting the legislation or in submitting comments. This hands-on involvement positions the Group members to identify emerging issues as they develop, rather than reacting to changes after they have been implemented. The environmental litigation aspects of the practice provide the experience necessary to assess how courts will treat environmental problems stripped of the other considerations, which frequently color decisions in this area.