Megan Ault

• Representing an industrial company and landowner in connection with sediment contamination at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site in Oregon.
• Representing a multinational energy company regarding CEQA compliance for the transformation of a refinery to the largest renewable fuels facility in the world, including consideration of land use, environmental permitting, and related litigation for the project.
• Defending a private university against state common law claims filed by a city alleging historical contamination from a federally-funded research and development center operated by the university has impacted the city’s drinking water supply wells.
• Advising an international transportation and logistics company on environmental matters throughout the country, including strategy for compliance and enforcement matters across multiple states and EPA regions.

Megan Ault is a senior associate in Alston & Bird’s Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Group. She advises clients on cost recovery matters, federal and state regulatory compliance involving the EPA, the California State and Regional Water Boards, and the California Air Resources Board, and land use issues under the California Environmental Quality Act. Clients rely on Megan’s experience with complex environmental programs including CERCLA, RCRA, and the Clean Water Act to meet their litigation, enforcement, project development, and remediation needs. Megan previously served as a law clerk to the Hon. Stephanie D. Thacker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Megan received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Duke University, where she served as an executive editor of the Duke Law Journal, co-president of the Environmental Law Society, and a student attorney for the Duke Environmental Law & Policy Clinic. Megan graduated as a member of the Order of the Coif and received both the Duke Law Clinics’ Professional Service Award and the Duke Law faculty’s Environmental Law Award. Megan also worked as a legal extern with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of North Carolina, and served as executive director of the Duke Law Innocence Project.

Megan earned her B.A. in environmental studies, political science, and urban studies, summa cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh.

Bar Admissions

• California

Education

• Duke University (J.D., 2018)
• University of Pittsburgh (B.A., 2012)

Memberships