Thompson Hine Podcasts

In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation groups and co-chair of our Corporate Sustainability practice, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Kim Yapchai, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Teichert, Inc. With nearly 30 years of legal and business experience, Kim is a seasoned C-suite leader known for navigating complex legal challenges for multinational corporations.

This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

Conversations With ESG Gurus

In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation groups and co-chair of our Corporate Sustainability practice, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Beth Grove, Chief Sustainability Officer and VP of Public Affairs at Lubrizol Corporation. Beth also serves as President of the Lubrizol Foundation, where she leads the company’s sustainability strategy across environmental, social and governance initiatives, as well as overseeing government affairs, community engagement and philanthropy.

This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

Regulating Responsibility: The Rise of EPR

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is quickly reshaping how companies approach packaging, waste management, and sustainability. With new state laws emerging across the U.S., established frameworks in Canada, and global models influencing policy, businesses are navigating both complex compliance challenges and new opportunities.

In this episode of Environmental L.A.W.S., Tanya Nesbitt sits down with Gareth McDonald, Principal Consultant at Worley Consulting, to break down what EPR really means in practice. They explore:

How EPR laws are taking shape across U.S. states

Lessons from Canada’s longer track record with EPR

Cross-border and global compliance considerations

Where EPR policy is headed in the next five years

Whether you advise companies, manage sustainability programs, or want a clearer view of the future of product stewardship, this conversation offers practical insights and a forward-looking perspective.

In our latest episode, partner Tanya C. Nesbitt interviews Dr. Jen Wollenberg of Integral Consulting, a leading U.S. science, engineering, and environmental consulting firm, about an emergent contaminant: microplastics. From our tap water and food to consumer products and even the air we breathe, tiny plastic particles have made their way into nearly every corner of our world—and our bodies. Tanya and Dr. Wollenberg examine the science, sources, regulatory landscape, and what the growing presence of microplastics might mean for the manufacturing and consumer goods industries. As the science evolves and public awareness grows, microplastics are increasingly becoming a focal point for litigation, product liability, environmental compliance, and sustainability disclosure. The discussion examines what companies should be thinking about now to stay ahead of the curve as regulatory pressures mount.

1.27.2025_Environmental L..A.W.S. - PFAS Analysis and the Precautionary Principle by Thompson Hine

Preparing for a Second Trump Administration: Reversals, Rescissions and Rollbacks

In our latest episode, partner Tanya Nesbitt interviews Nathan Frey, the former Deputy Branch Chief at the White House Office of Management and Budget Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and the founder and current owner of Regulatory Strategies and Solutions Group, about the upcoming presidential transition. They discuss potential rules and policy positions the president-elect may seek to reverse in his second term, such as the SEC Climate Disclosure Rule. The discussion includes analysis of how the Congressional Review Act may play a role in the creation of the president-elect’s environmental agenda. Other topics include the future of the PFAS CERCLA rule and the president-elect’s energy agenda.

Conversations With ESG Gurus

Environmental L.A.W.S.

In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation practice groups and co-chair of our ESG Collaborative, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Su Ping Lu, Vice President, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel for ESG and International at Honeywell. Su Ping’s responsibilities weave together SEC compliance, securities offerings, corporate governance, M&A and other corporate transactions, ESG initiatives, ethical frameworks, political law navigation, cybersecurity measures and international counsel.

This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

Environmental L.A.W.S.In this episode, Heidi Friedman, a partner in our Environmental and Product Liability Litigation practice groups and co-chair of our ESG Collaborative, hosts a one-on-one conversation with Tara Helms, Director of Sustainability North America at Electrolux Group. Tara spearheads the organization’s mission to revolutionize taste, care and well-being experiences, fostering innovative approaches to more enjoyable and sustainable living.

This discussion originally took place as part of our Power Huddle: Inside the Minds of ESG Gurus series. These conversations examine how company executives from various industries are actively paving the way as ESG trendsetters and championing pragmatic ESG strategies to align with business values while building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG goals and practices.

During this session, we met Isabel Fields, ESG Coordinator at Hearst. Passionate about fostering positive transformations in corporate settings, Isabel currently contributes to Hearst's ESG team. Her responsibilities encompass leading various initiatives, including Neurodiversity@Hearst, which aims to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by embracing cognitive diversity in recruitment and management practices. Additionally, she oversees projects related to web accessibility, sustainability management and ESG reporting.

Please join Heidi B. Friedman, partner and co-chair of the ESG Collaborative, for one-on-one chats each month as she taps into the minds of ESG chiefs to examine how they are championing pragmatic ESG strategies to create innovative business models and building a sustainability framework to advance their company’s ESG footprint. Each session features a “meeting over lunch” with company executives from various industries who are actively paving the way for a sustainable future for their businesses to help secure consumer loyalty and increase employee satisfaction.

Supreme Court’s Loper Decision: Immediate and Long-Term Impacts on EPA Regulation

In our latest podcast episode, partner Devin Barry and managing associate Aren Olson from Thompson Hine’s Environmental practice group discuss the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo on pending U.S. EPA regulations. They delve into the concept of "Chevron deference," examining how the Loper decision affects this principle and its subsequent impact on some of the U.S. EPA’s most contested rules under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, such as the Greenhouse Gas Rule for utilities, the Good Neighbor Rule and WOTUS.