Erika has significant litigation and appellate experience in both federal and state courts. Her work includes a range of high-stakes state and federal matters at each stage of litigation, including settlement negotiations, mediations, arbitration, discovery, and trial. She has first-chaired numerous arbitrations and trials, as well as supported large, complex trial teams. Recent successes include successfully excluding a critical adverse expert witness from a federal court trial in a contaminated site matter, successfully defeating class certification in high-stakes litigation in California, and negotiating an early, favorable resolution of citizen suit actions alleging Clean Water Act violations in California and Washington.

Erika also has deep regulatory expertise with federal and state stormwater, wastewater, spill prevention and countermeasure (SPCC), and Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. This includes assisting clients with environmental, health, and safety audits, compliance assessments, and internal investigations, providing counsel on high-stakes enforcement and compliance matters, foreclosing enforcement escalation, and successfully negotiating penalty reductions. Additionally, Erika has a strong command of international, national, and state treaties, laws, and regulations impacting the fisheries and aquaculture industries. She also frequently counsels clients on how best to navigate complex state and federal permitting requirements implicated by marine carbon dioxide removal operations.

Erika co-leads B&D’s Water Practice, and co-founded and leads B&D’s Fisheries & Aquaculture industry group. Her strong background in environmental sciences continually informs her legal practice.