Overview

Sher Edling LLP is a law firm based in San Francisco, United States, that specializes in environmental litigation with a particular focus on climate change cases against fossil fuel companies (Sher Edling LLP public profile). The firm operates as a specialized legal entity representing various governmental bodies in complex lawsuits aimed at holding oil and gas corporations financially accountable for climate-related damages and alleged deception regarding climate change impacts (Sher Edling LLP public profile). Established as an operational entity since its commissioning in 2016, Sher Edling LLP has positioned itself within the growing field of climate litigation, representing states, cities, counties, and tribal governments in their legal efforts against major energy producers (Sher Edling LLP public profile).

The firm's practice area centers on environmental law, specifically targeting the fossil fuel industry through strategic litigation designed to address both the financial burdens of climate change and the historical communication strategies employed by oil and gas companies (Sher Edling LLP public profile). Sher Edling LLP represents a diverse range of governmental clients, including state governments, municipal authorities, county administrations, and tribal entities, all seeking legal remedies for climate-related damages (Sher Edling LLP public profile). This broad client base reflects the widespread nature of climate change impacts across different levels of government jurisdiction in the United States.

As an operational law firm, Sher Edling LLP contributes to the legal landscape surrounding climate change accountability, providing specialized legal services to governmental entities navigating the complexities of environmental litigation (Sher Edling LLP public profile). The firm's San Francisco location places it within a major hub for environmental advocacy and legal innovation, allowing it to engage with leading cases in climate change jurisprudence (Sher Edling LLP public profile). The firm's focus on holding fossil fuel companies responsible for both damages and alleged deception represents a dual approach to climate litigation, addressing both the tangible impacts of climate change and the informational strategies employed by energy corporations.

History and Founding

Sher Edling LLP was established in 2016 as a specialized legal entity focused on environmental and climate change litigation. The firm was founded by attorneys Victor Sher and Matthew Edling, who identified a strategic opportunity to hold major fossil fuel producers accountable for their contributions to global climate change. Headquartered in San Francisco, the firm was structured to represent a diverse coalition of governmental entities, including states, cities, counties, and tribal nations, in their efforts to secure financial damages and policy reforms from oil and gas companies.

The firm's founding coincided with a growing wave of municipal and state-level actions against the energy sector. Sher and Edling positioned the firm to leverage existing tort law and consumer protection statutes to argue that fossil fuel companies had engaged in a campaign of deception regarding the scientific consensus on climate change and the potential damages associated with their products. This legal strategy aimed to bridge the gap between scientific evidence of climate impacts and the financial liability of corporate emitters.

Early Litigation and the 2017 Climate Deception Lawsuits

In 2017, Sher Edling LLP achieved a significant milestone in climate litigation history by filing what is recognized as the nation's first climate deception lawsuits. These initial filings marked a pivotal moment in the legal strategy against fossil fuel giants, shifting the focus from regulatory compliance to direct financial liability for alleged misrepresentation. The lawsuits asserted that major oil and gas companies had knowingly misled the public, investors, and policymakers about the role of their products in driving global warming.

The 2017 cases set a precedent for subsequent climate litigation, providing a legal framework that other jurisdictions would later adopt. By targeting the narrative control exerted by fossil fuel companies, Sher Edling LLP helped to establish a new category of environmental torts. This early work laid the groundwork for a broader legal movement that has since expanded to include numerous cities and states across the United States, all seeking to recover costs associated with climate adaptation, mitigation, and damage control.

What is the scope of Sher Edling's client base?

Sher Edling LLP operates exclusively within the public sector, representing a diverse coalition of governmental entities in their pursuit of climate change litigation. The firm’s client base is not composed of private corporations or individual plaintiffs, but rather political subdivisions and sovereign bodies seeking to hold fossil fuel producers accountable for environmental damages and alleged market deception. This strategic focus on public clients allows the firm to leverage the unique legal standing and financial resources of government bodies to pursue large-scale environmental claims against major oil and gas companies.

State-Level Representation

The firm represents several U.S. states in high-profile climate litigation efforts. These state-level clients utilize the firm’s expertise in environmental law to argue that fossil fuel companies have contributed significantly to climate-related damages within their jurisdictions. The states seek financial responsibility from these companies, aiming to recover costs associated with infrastructure adaptation, sea-level rise mitigation, and other climate-induced expenditures. This representation underscores the growing trend of state governments taking legal action to address the fiscal impacts of climate change.

Local Government Entities

In addition to state governments, Sher Edling LLP represents numerous cities and counties across the United States. These local governmental entities face immediate and tangible effects of climate change, including increased frequency of extreme weather events, rising insurance costs, and infrastructure strain. By joining forces with the firm, these cities and counties aim to secure financial compensation from fossil fuel companies for the damages incurred. The firm’s work with local governments highlights the grassroots nature of climate litigation, where municipal bodies play a crucial role in holding polluters accountable.

Tribal Nations

A significant component of the firm’s client base includes Native American tribes. These tribal nations often possess unique legal standing due to their sovereign status and the specific environmental impacts they face, such as changes in traditional lands and water sources. Sher Edling LLP represents these tribes in lawsuits that seek to hold oil and gas companies financially responsible for climate-related damages. This representation is particularly important as tribal nations often bear disproportionate burdens from climate change, making their legal actions both symbolic and substantive in the broader climate litigation landscape.

Other Governmental Entities

Beyond states, cities, counties, and tribes, the firm also represents other governmental entities. These may include regional authorities, special districts, or intergovernmental bodies that have distinct legal interests in climate change outcomes. The inclusion of these diverse governmental clients demonstrates the firm’s comprehensive approach to environmental litigation, ensuring that various levels and types of government can effectively pursue their claims against fossil fuel companies. This broad representation helps to build a robust legal front in the ongoing effort to address climate change through the judicial system.

Why it matters

Sher Edling LLP has established itself as a central actor in the legal landscape of United States climate change litigation. Based in San Francisco, the firm specializes in holding fossil fuel companies financially responsible for climate-related damages and alleged deception regarding the climate crisis. By 2025, Sher Edling had become the dominant law firm in this sector, representing more than two-thirds of such lawsuits nationwide. This level of market concentration underscores the firm's strategic importance in shaping the legal accountability of the energy industry.

Scope of Representation

The firm’s client base consists primarily of governmental entities, including states, cities, counties, and tribes. These clients rely on Sher Edling to navigate complex environmental litigation against major oil and gas companies. The lawsuits typically seek to address both the tangible damages caused by climate change and the historical communication strategies employed by fossil fuel producers. By aggregating these claims, the firm enables smaller jurisdictions to pursue legal remedies that might otherwise be financially out of reach.

Impact on Energy Infrastructure Accountability

The rise of Sher Edling reflects a broader trend in energy infrastructure policy, where legal mechanisms are increasingly used to supplement regulatory frameworks. The firm’s work challenges the traditional liability models of the fossil fuel sector, potentially influencing future investment and operational decisions. As the primary legal representative in this domain, Sher Edling’s strategies and outcomes provide critical data points for analysts, policymakers, and energy researchers tracking the intersection of law and energy transition.

See also