Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce the continued expansion of its Energy & Natural Resources industry team with the addition of environmental and mining partner Aleava Sayre. She joins the firm from Medtronic, where she served as Senior Principal Legal Counsel. Based in Minneapolis, she will be a member of the firm’s virtual office, The Link.
Sayre focuses her practice on the array of federal and state laws relating to environmental and natural resources as they intersect with all stages of business development, operation, expansion, and closure. Clients engaged in large-scale and complex projects rely on her to integrate seamlessly with the client’s inter-disciplinary team of scientists and technical consultants to assist them in developing and implementing strategic approaches for navigating the environmental review and permitting legal frameworks to obtain regulatory approvals.
“Aleava is a respected authority on environmental and mining matters, with a strong reputation in Minnesota,” said Anna Kimbrell, partner and leader of Husch Blackwell’s Energy & Natural Resources industry team. “Her experience at Medtronic provides a valuable client-side perspective, enhancing our ability to deliver business-focused solutions. Combined with her previous collaborations with our team and her deep subject matter knowledge, she is an outstanding addition as we continue to expand our capabilities nationally.”
With nearly two decades of experience in the varied aspects and contexts of environmental law, Sayre also provides critical support on environmental matters ranging from due diligence, site investigation or remediation, materials of concern, operational compliance, agency investigations or enforcement actions, and litigation. She achieves favorable outcomes for her clients by driving pragmatic and innovative solutions that align the interests of key stakeholders.
Before serving as in-house environmental counsel to a global company, she was a partner at Stoel Rives where she worked alongside partners Greg Fontaine, Robert Kukuljan, Kevin Johnson, and Sara Bergan. Since 2024, Husch Blackwell has expanded its Energy & Natural Resources team with the additions of partners Matt Bonovich, Carrie Collier-Brown, Brian Potts, and David Zoppo.
“Returning to private practice—at Husch Blackwell—allows me to join an expansive team of tremendously talented legal professionals while reconnecting with former colleagues whose skills are a known and trusted commodity,” Sayre said. “I am delighted by the firm’s prioritization of its people and exceptional client service and look forward to supporting and expanding the firm’s mining and environmental practices.”