Vanderbilt University Law School
Lajuana S. Wilcher
Partner, English Lucas Priest & Owsley Adjunct Professor of Law
Voice: 270-781-6500
Fax: 270-782-7782
Email: lajuana.wilcher@vanderbilt.edu
Personal Website
Area(s) of Expertise
Environmental law and regulation
Education
J.D. Northern Kentucky University
B.S. Western Kentucky University
Biography
Lajuana Wilcher served as the nation’s senior regulatory official for water programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from 1989 to 1993 and as Secretary of Kentucky’s Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet from 2003 to 2006. Now a partner with English Lucas Priest & Owsley in Bowling Green, Kentucky, she has represented municipal, utility, individual, corporate and not-for profit clients in a variety of strategic, regulatory, legislative and litigation matters. Her environmental law practice focuses on developing and implementing solutions to complex environmental public policy, regulatory, enforcement and other legal issues, utilizing her understanding of the inner workings of federal and state government agencies.
In 1989, Professor Wilcher was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the Assistant Administrator for Water at EPA. While at the helm of the Office, the agency developed EPA’s Combined Sewer Overflow Policy and promulgated new regulations addressing storm water, drinking water, biosolids (sewage sludge) and water quality standards for toxics. Ms. Wilcher was instrumental in launching EPA’s watershed protection approach and Clean Water Act section 319 nonpoint source grant program. She also led EPA’s involvement in the Exxon Valdez oil spill litigation negotiations.
From 1993 to 2002, she was a partner in the Washington, D.C. offices of two large, international law firms. When she returned to Kentucky in 2002, she was a partner at English Lucas Priest & Owsley until she began her state government service and returned to the firm in 2006.
She teaches environmental law courses.
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