Green is a popular color these days. More and more businesses are reexamining the manner in which their business practices influence and affect the environment. Located in Asheville, North Carolina, one of the premier cities for sustainable businesses, The Van Winkle Law Firm’s Green Law Group brings skilled and experienced legal counsel to individuals and businesses seeking to navigate the intersections where the law and the environment meet.

With attorneys licensed in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, the Green Law Group provides collaborative legal guidance to businesses and individuals implementing green initiatives and/or selling and producing green services, products and buildings throughout much of the Southeast.

What is green?

Green practices, often referred to as sustainability, always aim to provide high-quality goods and services while simultaneously decreasing the impact on the environment and conserving its otherwise depleting natural resources. Green practices are inherently incorporated in every stage of any enterprise.

Why go green?

Green practices will provide numerous advantages for any businesses. The basic reduction of energy consumption and tax credits will have obvious immediate benefits in themselves: a clear goal of sustainability will also enhance company standing and therefore general interest. All of these practices go into creating a better environment for the present as well as the future.

How Van Winkle can help:

The issue of sustainability is here to stay, but it is also constantly growing and changing…emerging not as a remote, particular arena but as an all-encompassing issue that requires proper consideration. Businesses are looking for answers to the continuous stream of legal issues green practices involve.

Van Winkle has extensive experience in many practice areas and industries to support clients in going green in the most productive, rewarding way possible. Whether legal consultation is needed dealing with advertising claims, food product labels, conservation easements or green building, Van Winkle can provide thorough support with large projects or assist on a periodic consultation basis.

Types of Services

Businesses Involved in Production of Green Products or Selling a Green Service

• Setting up joint ventures to maximize green governmental and private incentives
• Preparing company documents with a green focus, including Bylaws, Shareholder Agreements and Operating Agreements
• Selling securities to investors

• Sustainability tax credits and incentives
• Product labeling and packaging
• Environmental permitting
• Advertising rules
• Contracts for green services or green products
• Computer and internet issues
• Leasing or purchasing real estate
• Protecting intellectual property through trademarks, copyrights or licensing
• Employment law

• Litigation, mediation and arbitration

• Negotiation, structuring and execution of sales and purchases of green ventures

Industries

Commercial Real Estate and Land Use

• Developers
• Realtors
• Brokers

Types of work:

• Contracts for buying green homes or businesses
• Green community developments, planning and covenants
• Home Owners Associations
• Land Conservation Easements
• Environmental regulation and clean-up
• Site approvals, permits, licensing
• Working with green realtors

Construction and Professional Design

• Architects
• Engineers
• Surveyors
• Property owners
• Contractors

Types of work:

• Sustainable construction/building codes
• Architectural/engineering/construction contracts
• Competitive bidding/public works
• Construction claims resolution/litigation

Agriculture

• Organic food suppliers
• Food co-ops
• Restaurants
• Grocery stores
• Distributors

  Types of work:

• Following state and federal guidelines for organic agriculture
• Advertising and labeling

  Manufacturing/Products

• Biofuel Producers
• Textile manufacturers
• Energy Systems
• Building/home materials

Types of work:

• Sales contracts

Non-Profits, Foundations

• Charitable organizations
• Educational foundations
• Civic organizations
• Chambers of commerce
• Fraternal organizations
• Social organizations
• Individual philanthropists

Types of work:

• Incorporation of charitable non-profit organizations
• Development of private and community foundations
• Ongoing management and advising