Susan M. Rainey

Partner

214.740.8559

More ways to contact Susan M. Rainey

Sometimes you need a bespoke environmental solution, and sometimes you don't. Susan's environmental experience, first honed at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, helps her identify the scope and relevance of environmental concerns for clients and navigate toward right-sized solutions.

Firm News

582 Troutman Pepper Locke Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2026 Editions
Overview
Representative Matters
Insights
Awards

Susan leverages her background as a former project manager at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to assist clients in solving complex environmental issues. She partners with clients to develop practical environmental diligence and compliance programs, and brings creative solutions to environmental problems.

Susan brings a client-oriented approach to evaluating environmental risks and liabilities. Her clients range from commercial and residential property owners to corporations involved in transactions requiring environmental due diligence.

Susan evaluates environmental risks, secures regulatory closures, and manages remediation projects involving contaminants, such as chlorinated solvents, petroleum, and PCBs. She guides clients through voluntary cleanup programs, corrective actions, and brownfield initiatives across various states. Additionally, Susan helps clients seeking municipal setting designations and development permits for construction over closed municipal solid waste landfills in Texas.

Susan identifies and secures risk mitigants, including environmental insurance policies, brownfield agreements, and recovery from responsible parties. She also provides strategic counsel on ESG policy developments, sustainability strategies, and compliance with state and federal environmental regulations. Susan’s comprehensive approach helps clients navigate compliance, addressing issues like indoor air quality, mold, radon, and stormwater quality, and waste management and disposal concerns.

  • Collaborated with clients to review environmental audits, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, and other environmental information.
  • Assisted clients with assessments and remediation in state and federal environmental agency programs, including voluntary cleanup and superfund programs, addressing permitting and enforcement issues.
  • Guided clients in reviewing due diligence information and environmental insurance availability in corporate, real estate, and lending transactions, identifying cost-effective solutions to environmental risks.
  • Lawdragon, Leaders in Environmental Law (2023-2024)
  • Lawdragon, Leading Lawyers in Environmental and Energy Law (2021)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: “Lawyer of the Year” Dallas, Environmental Law (2026)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®: Environmental Law (2024-2025)
  • D Magazine, Best Lawyers in Dallas, Environmental Law (2018, 2020, 2023-2024)
  • Chambers USA: Associate to Watch, Environmental Law (2009-2015); National Ranking (2016-2025)
Overview

Susan leverages her background as a former project manager at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to assist clients in solving complex environmental issues. She partners with clients to develop practical environmental diligence and compliance programs, and brings creative solutions to environmental problems.

Susan brings a client-oriented approach to evaluating environmental risks and liabilities. Her clients range from commercial and residential property owners to corporations involved in transactions requiring environmental due diligence.

Susan evaluates environmental risks, secures regulatory closures, and manages remediation projects involving contaminants, such as chlorinated solvents, petroleum, and PCBs. She guides clients through voluntary cleanup programs, corrective actions, and brownfield initiatives across various states. Additionally, Susan helps clients seeking municipal setting designations and development permits for construction over closed municipal solid waste landfills in Texas.

Susan identifies and secures risk mitigants, including environmental insurance policies, brownfield agreements, and recovery from responsible parties. She also provides strategic counsel on ESG policy developments, sustainability strategies, and compliance with state and federal environmental regulations. Susan’s comprehensive approach helps clients navigate compliance, addressing issues like indoor air quality, mold, radon, and stormwater quality, and waste management and disposal concerns.

Representation Matters
  • Collaborated with clients to review environmental audits, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, and other environmental information.
  • Assisted clients with assessments and remediation in state and federal environmental agency programs, including voluntary cleanup and superfund programs, addressing permitting and enforcement issues.
  • Guided clients in reviewing due diligence information and environmental insurance availability in corporate, real estate, and lending transactions, identifying cost-effective solutions to environmental risks.
Insights

Firm News

582 Troutman Pepper Locke Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2026 Editions

Firm Events

Executive Women’s Forum CLE Program: Part 1 – Navigating Generational Differences, Part 2 – Interactive CLE Scenario Involving Corporate, Data Privacy & Security, Employment, and Environmental Issues

Press Coverage

Real Estate Caught in ESG Tug of War

Firm News

Troutman Pepper Locke Advises Mutual ‎Capital Group in Acquisition of ICC Holdings

See all insights from Susan M. Rainey

Awards
  • Lawdragon, Leaders in Environmental Law (2023-2024)
  • Lawdragon, Leading Lawyers in Environmental and Energy Law (2021)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: “Lawyer of the Year” Dallas, Environmental Law (2026)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®: Environmental Law (2024-2025)
  • D Magazine, Best Lawyers in Dallas, Environmental Law (2018, 2020, 2023-2024)
  • Chambers USA: Associate to Watch, Environmental Law (2009-2015); National Ranking (2016-2025)

Top areas of focus

  • Member, CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Sustainability Council
  • Leadership Dallas (2021)
  • Board member, CNM
  • Board member, North Dallas Chamber of Commerce
  • Treasurer, Urban Land Institute DFW District Council (2020-2023)
  • Member, Urban Land Institute DFW Center for Leadership (2020)
  • Vice chair, Urban Land Institute DFW Women’s Leadership Initiative Executive Committee (2019-2020)
  • Member, Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Dallas
  • Member, Dallas Bar Association
  • Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
  • Project manager, Voluntary Cleanup and Innocent Owner/Operator Programs, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (2000-2002)
  • Coordinator, Petroleum Storage Tank Responsible Party, Remediation Section, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (1999-2000)

Education

  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 2005, Order of the Coif
  • Boston University, B.A., 1996

Bar Admissions

  • Texas
  • Speaker, “Structural and Environmental Health of Buildings: Indispensable to CRE,” CREW Dallas September Industry Luncheon, September 15, 2021.
  • Author, “Supreme Court Limits the Scope of ‘Waters of the U.S.’: What Developers Need to Know,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, May 31, 2023.
  • Author, “Tale of Two States: Changes in Environmental Cleanup Regulations in Connecticut and New Jersey,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, July 29, 2021.