Lesley A. Firestone

Lesley’s litigation practice includes both defending and challenging permitting decisions before government agencies and the S.C. Administrative Law Court. She has also handled appeals before the S.C. Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

Lesley has represented clients in proceedings before the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control on matters including Brownfield Agreements (Non Responsible Party Voluntary Clean Up Contracts), underground storage tanks, coastal zone dock permitting, solid waste landfill regulations, NPDES permits, and hazardous waste regulations. She also represents clients on wetlands issues before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, coastal resource management matters before the S.C. Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, and Endangered Species Act issues before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition, she regularly reviews business transaction documents to provide counsel on potential environmental liabilities and regulatory requirements.

Notable

• Best Lawyers in America, Administrative / Regulatory Law, 2023-2025; Energy Law, 2024-2025; Environmental Law, 2024-2025, Real Estate, 2025, Commercial Litigation, 2025
• Charleston Regional Business Journal Women of Influence Honoree, 2024
• Charleston Regional Business Journal, 2020 Forty Under 40 winners, 2020
• South Carolina Super Lawyer Rising Star, Environmental, 2019-2021
• University of South Carolina Law School CALI Awards: Advanced Legal Research; Secured Transactions; Death Penalty Seminar
• Leadership Charleston class of 2020, Charleston Metro Chambers of Commerce 
• Member, American Bar Association Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal, 2009-2011
• Phi Beta Kappa, University of South Carolina
• Page, South Carolina State Senator Greg Ryberg, 2006-2007
• In State Consultant and author for South Carolina Chapter, Brownfields Law and Practice, Matthew Bender and Co., Inc., 1998

News

Affiliations

• Council Member, South Carolina Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division; Environmental & Natural Resource Section

• Charleston County Bar Association

• Member, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Technical Committee

• Member, Charleston Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Technical Committee

• General council member, SC Bar Environmental & Natural Resource Section