Christopher Jones

Chris has more than 30 years of experience in the environmental field, including six years as Director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and four years as Chief of the Ohio Attorney General’s Environmental Enforcement Section.

While Director of Ohio EPA, Chris was a two-term elected president of the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), a national organization of all of the directors of state environmental agencies. In this role, he served as the primary liaison between states and the U.S. EPA.

This experience gives Chris a unique understanding of both state and federal environmental regulatory agencies and allows him to provide firm clients with a seasoned perspective on environmental and regulatory matters as well as government relations issues.

Chris has represented businesses and individuals in enforcement proceedings by both U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA. He has counseled clients on regulatory compliance issues related to the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and both hazardous and solid waste issues under RCRA, and he has counseled clients on brownfield redevelopment projects. He has served as an expert witness in a number of cases, including for a brownfield developer in a dispute over a multi-million-dollar redevelopment. Chris also serves as a volunteer mediator for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

Since 2006, Chris has been recognized by Chambers USA, most recently ranked in 2023, Band 2 in Environment in Ohio. Chambers USA researchers noted, "Chris benefits from prior experience serving as the director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. He provides market-leading expertise in various permitting, compliance, and remediation matters." Clients interviewed by Chambers USA said, “Chris has extensive knowledge of environmental law, is very pragmatic, and has deep connections within the regulatory environment in Ohio. He is great, very smart, and knows the laws. Chris not only provides a wealth of knowledge and a strong technical background but is also an incredibly strong negotiator.”

Chris also has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America^® in the area of Environmental Law (2012-2024).

He has an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in Corporate Counsel’s 2012 Top Rated Lawyers Guide to Energy, Environmental & Natural Resources Law.

Chris is former board chair and member of the Greater Ohio Policy Center and is the former chair of the board of trustees of the Nature Conservancy, Ohio Chapter. 

In the past Chris has served as chairman of the Lake Erie Commission, as a governor-appointed member of the Great Lakes Commission, as a member of the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, the Ohio Water Development Authority and the State Power Siting Board. Chris was an original member of the Clean Ohio Council.

Chris is also a member of the Ohio and Columbus Bar Associations.

Honors & Recognitions

• Chambers USA, Environment, Band 2, Ohio (2006-2023)
• The Best Lawyers in America^®, Environmental Law (2012-2024)
• Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rating

Education

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1990

B.A., Ohio Wesleyan University, 1979

Professional & Community

• Greater Ohio Policy Center, Former Board Chair and Member
• Volunteer Mediator, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
• Ohio State Bar Association, Member
• Columbus Bar Association, Member
• Nature Conservancy, Ohio Chapter, Former Chair of the Board of Trustees
• Lake Erie Commission, Past Chairman
• Great Lakes Commission, Former Governor-Appointed Member
• Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, Former Member
• Ohio Water Development Authority, Former Member
• State Power Siting Board, Former Member
• Clean Ohio Council, Former Original Member

Client Feedback

• "Chris not only provides a wealth of knowledge and a strong technical background but he is also an incredibly strong negotiator." – Calfee client, as reported in the Chambers USA 2023 Guide
• "I work as national counsel for a large firm. Calfee assisted us as local counsel. The lawyer we worked with, Christopher Jones, had prior experience as a high-level agency employee and had great insights into the views of the agency, the state government, the attorney general, and other significant parties and stakeholders in a variety of areas. He was able to assist us in meeting with the right individuals and negotiating an end to a consent decree, general advice on air permitting and compliance, and guidance on local law issues. Everything one would want in local counsel." – Calfee client, as reported by U.S. News – Best Lawyers^® in the 2021“Best Law Firms” rankings report
• "Christopher Jones's strength includes 'his great knowledge of the local regulatory environment and procedures,' where he benefits from prior experience serving as the Director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. He provides market-leading expertise in various permitting, compliance, and remediation matters." – Calfee client, as reported in the Chambers USA 2020 Guide