Karlie Clemons Webb

Partner

404.885.3454

More ways to contact Karlie Clemons Webb

Karlie helps clients achieve and maintain environmental compliance in line with their corporate strategy and business goals.

Speaking Engagements

Annual Georgia Environmental Conference 2025
Overview
Representative Matters
Insights
Awards

Karlie assists clients in all areas of environmental compliance for existing operations and environmental due diligence for real estate and equity transactions. Clients turn to Karlie when they are acquiring a property or company, and then rely on her environmental compliance counsel post-acquisition.

Karlie has considerable transactional experience, working closely with the client’s deal team to assess and mitigate environmental risk and to find a workable solution for each asset or equity transaction. She partners with her development clients to ensure that environmental risk is properly allocated and to ensure that environmental issues are addressed throughout development. Karlie’s experience includes cleanup actions and transactions involving hazardous substances and wastes, underground storage tanks (USTs), state hazardous waste and petroleum cleanup programs, Brownfields and Voluntary Cleanup Programs across the U.S., and advising on risks and mitigation measures with respect to vapor intrusion. She also has considerable experience advising clients on environmental diligence strategy for data center development.

Karlie’s environmental compliance work includes counseling clients on regulatory compliance and permitting for operations, particularly under RCRA, CERCLA, and EPCRA, and has included obtaining permits and building compliance programs for large-scale, national programs to help clients meet sustainability goals. She also has considerable experience advising retailers in various industries, from grocers and pharmacies to auto-related retailers and distributors. Karlie also defends federal and state environmental enforcement actions, and she advises on facility-wide environmental compliance issues.

Karlie strives to find solutions that both achieve environmental compliance and are practical for each client. To do this, she works hard to understand each client’s corporate strategy, business goals, and day-to-day operations and challenges.

  • Data Centers: Providing comprehensive environmental due diligence advice for the acquisition and development of multiple data centers in Georgia, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and mitigating potential environmental risks, including advising on the Georgia Brownfield Program.
  • Due Diligence and Brownfields: Represented a national restaurant chain with respect to environmental due diligence for commercial real estate transactions. Representation also included advising on potential liability and regulatory considerations, entering sites in state Brownfields programs, and negotiating contractual provisions. Advised on appropriate environmental precautions related to renovation or other construction projects at properties already owned or leased by clients.
  • Automotive Environmental Compliance: Represented automotive retailers, including car dealerships, related to obtaining any required environmental permits, properly managing hazardous waste streams, and establishing and maintaining an environmental compliance program.
  • Retail Hazardous Waste Management: Represented a national retailer regarding hazardous waste compliance, including, for example, assisting the client in building a comprehensive, national hazardous waste compliance program, and negotiating vendor contracts on behalf of the client.
  • Pharmaceutical Hazardous Waste Management: Represented a national pharmacy chain and national grocery chains on hazardous waste management of retail products and pharmaceutical waste under federal and state regulatory schemes, such as RCRA, including negotiating settlement agreements, building and improving hazardous waste management programs, and responding to notices of violation.
  • Sustainability and ESG Efforts: Assisting a national distributor in the rollout of a nationwide sustainability initiative, including obtaining environmental permits in 48 states with distinct, state-specific regulatory frameworks, advising the client on differing compliance obligations from state to state, and helping the client to build a consistent program that is both compliant and practical for operations in every state; assisting the client with negotiating contracts with vendors to help ensure environmental compliance and to maximize vendors’ use of recycling; and leveraging firm technology resources to help the client’s business teams track progress, as well as leveraging non-attorney timekeepers with technical expertise.
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Environmental Law (2023-2026)
Overview

Karlie assists clients in all areas of environmental compliance for existing operations and environmental due diligence for real estate and equity transactions. Clients turn to Karlie when they are acquiring a property or company, and then rely on her environmental compliance counsel post-acquisition.

Karlie has considerable transactional experience, working closely with the client’s deal team to assess and mitigate environmental risk and to find a workable solution for each asset or equity transaction. She partners with her development clients to ensure that environmental risk is properly allocated and to ensure that environmental issues are addressed throughout development. Karlie’s experience includes cleanup actions and transactions involving hazardous substances and wastes, underground storage tanks (USTs), state hazardous waste and petroleum cleanup programs, Brownfields and Voluntary Cleanup Programs across the U.S., and advising on risks and mitigation measures with respect to vapor intrusion. She also has considerable experience advising clients on environmental diligence strategy for data center development.

Karlie’s environmental compliance work includes counseling clients on regulatory compliance and permitting for operations, particularly under RCRA, CERCLA, and EPCRA, and has included obtaining permits and building compliance programs for large-scale, national programs to help clients meet sustainability goals. She also has considerable experience advising retailers in various industries, from grocers and pharmacies to auto-related retailers and distributors. Karlie also defends federal and state environmental enforcement actions, and she advises on facility-wide environmental compliance issues.

Karlie strives to find solutions that both achieve environmental compliance and are practical for each client. To do this, she works hard to understand each client’s corporate strategy, business goals, and day-to-day operations and challenges.

Representation Matters
  • Data Centers: Providing comprehensive environmental due diligence advice for the acquisition and development of multiple data centers in Georgia, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and mitigating potential environmental risks, including advising on the Georgia Brownfield Program.
  • Due Diligence and Brownfields: Represented a national restaurant chain with respect to environmental due diligence for commercial real estate transactions. Representation also included advising on potential liability and regulatory considerations, entering sites in state Brownfields programs, and negotiating contractual provisions. Advised on appropriate environmental precautions related to renovation or other construction projects at properties already owned or leased by clients.
  • Automotive Environmental Compliance: Represented automotive retailers, including car dealerships, related to obtaining any required environmental permits, properly managing hazardous waste streams, and establishing and maintaining an environmental compliance program.
  • Retail Hazardous Waste Management: Represented a national retailer regarding hazardous waste compliance, including, for example, assisting the client in building a comprehensive, national hazardous waste compliance program, and negotiating vendor contracts on behalf of the client.
  • Pharmaceutical Hazardous Waste Management: Represented a national pharmacy chain and national grocery chains on hazardous waste management of retail products and pharmaceutical waste under federal and state regulatory schemes, such as RCRA, including negotiating settlement agreements, building and improving hazardous waste management programs, and responding to notices of violation.
  • Sustainability and ESG Efforts: Assisting a national distributor in the rollout of a nationwide sustainability initiative, including obtaining environmental permits in 48 states with distinct, state-specific regulatory frameworks, advising the client on differing compliance obligations from state to state, and helping the client to build a consistent program that is both compliant and practical for operations in every state; assisting the client with negotiating contracts with vendors to help ensure environmental compliance and to maximize vendors’ use of recycling; and leveraging firm technology resources to help the client’s business teams track progress, as well as leveraging non-attorney timekeepers with technical expertise.
Insights

Speaking Engagements

Annual Georgia Environmental Conference 2025

Speaking Engagements

Navigating the Inflation Reduction Act: Insights on Brownfield Energy Community Credits

Firm News

Case Study: Largest Ever Site Completes Georgia’s Brownfield Program

Articles + Publications

California Adopts Landmark GHG Emissions and Climate Risk Reporting Laws, Eclipsing Anticipated Federal Requirements

See all insights from Karlie Clemons Webb

Awards
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Environmental Law (2023-2026)

Top areas of focus

  • State Bar of Georgia, Environmental Law Section
  • The Florida Bar, Member, Environmental and Land Use Law Section

Education

  • Florida State University College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2009, executive editor, FSU Law Review (2009); Certificate in Environmental and Land Use Law (2009)
  • Florida State University, B.S., summa cum laude, 2006

Bar Admissions

  • Georgia
  • Florida

Court Admissions

  • Georgia State Courts
  • Georgia Superior Courts
  • Court of Appeals of Georgia
  • Supreme Court of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia

Clerkships

  • Hon. Charles T. Canady, Supreme Court of Florida, 2009-2010
  • Moderator, “Georgia EPD Land Protection Branch Update,” Annual Georgia Environmental Conference 2025, August 20, 2025.
  • Speaker, “Navigating the Inflation Reduction Act: Insights on Brownfield Energy Community Credits,” Energy Law Insights, January 22, 2025.
  • Speaker, “EPA’s Final Hazardous Waste Pharmaceutical Rule: How to Comply for Prescription, Non-Prescription and Other Retail Items,” BLR Webinar, March 26, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Update on EPA’s Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule,” Georgia Air and Waste Management Association Regulatory Update Conference, May 2017.
  • Speaker, “New Regulations and Risks: Hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste,” Pharma Law Conference, April 2017.
  • Speaker, “Update on Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule,” Georgia Association of Water Professionals Conference, March 2017.
  • Speaker, “The Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements,” Webinar, November 18, 2016.
  • Speaker, “Chasing Generator Status: Clarifying Definitions, Examining Recent Trends,” Retail Industry Leaders Association Sustainability Conference, September 2016.
  • Co-author, “California Adopts Landmark GHG Emissions and Climate Risk Reporting Laws, Eclipsing Anticipated Federal Requirements,” Troutman Pepper, October 13, 2023.
  • Co-author, “A Closer Look at New Pharmaceutical Hazardous Waste Regs,” Law360, January 4, 2019.
  • Co-author, “How New EPA Hazardous Waste Rule Impacts Retail Pharmacies,” Law360, November 8, 2016.
  • Author, “U.S. EPA Proposes Sector-Specific Rules for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals,” Perspectives on Georgia’s Environment, State Bar of Georgia Environmental Law Section, Winter 2015.
  • Co-author, “EPA’s Hazardous Waste Rule Is Just What the Doctor Ordered,” Law360, September 4, 2015.
  • Co-author, “Pharmaceutical Waste Regulation: Fitting a Square Peg in a Round Hole,” Perspectives on Georgia’s Environment, State Bar of Georgia Environmental Law Section, Winter 2013.
  • Co-author, “Challenges in Pharmaceutical Waste Management: First, Do No Harm,” Natural Resources & Environment, American Bar Association, Volume 26, Spring 2012.
  • Co-author, “EPA’s Proposed Coal Ash Rule,” Natural Resources & Environment, American Bar Association, Volume 26, pages 52-54, Fall 2011.
  • Co-author, “Georgia’s Voluntary Remediation Program: Two Years Later,” Perspectives on Georgia’s Environment, State Bar of Georgia Environmental Law Section, Summer 2011.
  • Co-author, “Overview of EPA’s Proposed Coal Ash Rule: Major Requirements and Industry Reactions,” Perspectives on Georgia’s Environment, State Bar of Georgia Environmental Law Section, Winter 2011.