Emily Martinez Lieban
Partner

Overview
Emily Lieban is an attorney in Holland & Knight's San Francisco office and a member of the firm's West Coast Land Use and Environmental Group. Ms. Lieban helps natural resources, manufacturing and energy clients navigate and manage environmental challenges that arise in project development, regulatory compliance and litigation.
Ms. Lieban advises public and private clients on issues arising in the planning and development of projects in renewable and traditional energy generation and transmission, manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure and real estate sectors. Her compliance and permitting practice focuses on environmental impact analyses under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), air quality and climate change regulations, and hazardous waste management. From complex permitting strategies for controversial infrastructure projects to securing individual permits and approvals, Ms. Lieban guides her clients from project scoping and site selection to final approval.
Ms. Lieban also represents clients in both trial and appellate proceedings concerning federal and state environmental laws, including defense of project approvals under CEQA and NEPA, challenges to agency actions and citizen suit defense. She helps clients navigate administrative proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Ms. Lieban also advises clients on product stewardship matters, including California's efficiency regulations, Proposition 65 and waste management.
Previously, Ms. Lieban managed public relations and assisted in legal matters for American Indian Tribes in California, Maine and Washington state, including environmental, tax and sovereignty matters. She has also donated her time on behalf of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and as an attorney coach for Balboa High School's mock trial team.
Representative Experience
Credentials
- Harvard Law School, J.D.
- University of California, Davis, A.B., with highest honors
- California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- California Lawyers Association, Environmental Law Section
- Bar Association of San Francisco
- American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER)
- Generation Citizen, Associate Board Member
- The Best Lawyers in America guide, San Francisco Environmental Law Ones to Watch, 2024, 2025; San Francisco Land Use and Zoning Law Ones to Watch, 2022-2025
- 40 Under 40, San Francisco Business Times, 2024
- Holland & Knight Rising Star, Class of 2023
- Rising Star, Northern California Super Lawyers magazine, 2020-2024