Nicholas McDaniel

Area of Emphasis

Nick McDaniel is a shareholder in the Litigation, Environmental and Energy and Natural Resources groups of Babst Calland. He has extensive experience in environmental enforcement and complex commercial litigation, including significant first-chair trial experience. He focuses his practice on complex environmental matters primarily in the energy and natural resources and manufacturing sectors. Mr. McDaniel has successfully negotiated settlements with regulators and citizen groups resolving environmental compliance violations. He also represents clients in navigating bankruptcy cases.

Prior to joining Babst Calland, Mr. McDaniel worked in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Enforcement Section, where he led an enforcement action and negotiations that secured the largest ever civil penalty under the Clean Air Act, among other cases. In this role, he was awarded the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Excellence – first for litigating and settling a cost recovery action under the Oil Pollution Act related to longest-running oil spill in U.S. history, then for securing CERCLA cost recovery and natural resource damages on behalf of the United States, and later for his record Clean Air Act settlement. He was also the recipient of the 2024 Arthur S. Flemming Award for legal achievement.

Prior to government service, Mr. McDaniel worked at the Environmental Law & Policy Center where he litigated complex energy and rate-making cases before the Public Utilities Commission and in state courts.

Background

Mr. McDaniel graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School and received his J.D. in 2011. He received a B.A. summa cum laude in 2008 from Eastern Kentucky University. After law school, he served as a law clerk to Judge Eugene E. Siler Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Memberships and Affiliations

Mr. McDaniel is admitted to practice in District of Columbia, Massachusetts and Ohio.

Awards and Recognition
  • United States Department of Justice, Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Excellence (2024, 2022, 2018)
  • United States Department of Justice, Younger Federal Lawyer Award Nominee (2024)
  • United States Department of Justice, Outstanding Performance Award (multiple years)
  • United States Department of Justice, Special Achievement Awards (multiple years)
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Gold Medal for Exceptional Service (2021)
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Silver Medal for Superior Service (2023)
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Bronze Medal (2017)
  • Arthur S. Flemming Award in Legal Achievement (2024)