Bracewell & Giuliani LLP announced today that John A. Riley and Christopher C. Thiele have joined the firm’s Austin office as partners in the environmental strategies practice. Prior to joining the firm, Riley was a partner and Thiele was counsel in Vinson & Elkins LLP’s environmental litigation and regulation practice.

“John and Chris are great additions to our environmental strategies team, particularly in Texas, where there is such strong demand for top environmental legal talent,” said Mark C. Roberts, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP’s managing partner.

Riley represents clients in permitting and enforcement matters in the air, water and waste media. He advises entities in the power generation, hydraulic fracturing, manufacturing and waste disposal sectors in matters before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Thiele’s practice focuses primarily on the regulation of air pollution under the federal Clean Air Act and related state and local laws and regulations, notably in Texas. He represents industrial clients on a wide range of air permitting, rulemaking, compliance auditing, enforcement, and litigation matters, including contested permit proceedings.

Riley was the Director of the Litigation Division at the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (now TCEQ) from 1994 to 1998. While there, he was directly responsible for overseeing the agency’s environmental crimes unit and the development and implementation of the Texas Environmental, Health and Safety Audit Privilege Law and other legislation, rulemaking, and policies.

Thiele began his legal career at Bracewell in 1999. Prior to practicing law, Thiele was an engineer for an environmental consulting firm, where he represented the oil and gas, petrochemical, surface coating and wood-products industries, and was a senior engineer for a major electric utility.

“John and Chris further strengthen our ability to represent the energy, manufacturing, upstream shale, refining and waste industries in Texas and across the nation. In particular, we are pleased to bring aboard their extensive experience in contested case hearings for industrial clients,” said Timothy A. Wilkins, head of Bracewell & Giuliani’s environmental practice.

Riley received his J.D. from Boston University and his B.S. from Cornell University. Thiele received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and his B.S. from Texas A&M University.