Tim Jones is Of Counsel at GableGotwals, where his practice focuses on environmental and natural resources law, administrative and regulatory law, governmental relations, and litigation matters. Tim has practiced at the forefront of environmental law for more than 30 years – in both industry and government. His experience offers him unique perspectives and enables him to understand environmental issues from every standpoint – having worked as counsel to companies in the food, oil and gas, manufacturing, and energy sectors, as well as from the perspective of the regulators.
Tim also benefits from a deep knowledge of administrative and regulatory law as well as substantial experience with governmental relations, crisis response, environmental enforcement defense, and litigation. His experience also includes advising on corporate sustainability reporting and environmental aspects of business transactions of all kinds (including but not limited to due diligence).
Prior to joining the Firm, Tim served as Senior Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary at a Fortune 150 oil and gas company based in Texas, with major operations in Oklahoma, other midwestern and western states, Canada, and Europe. He advised the Company’s senior leadership and the Board of Directors on federal and state environmental compliance and enforcement defense, litigation, environmental aspects of project development, climate change laws and regulations, environmental aspects of SEC disclosures, emerging contaminants including PFAS, business acquisitions, and sustainability reporting. In addition, Tim served as the company’s legal representative to the Legal Committee of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers trade association.
He also served as Senior Counsel to one of the country’s largest agribusinesses based in Arkansas, where he was the lead attorney for the environmental, food safety, governmental and public affairs, sustainability, and consumer relations departments. Although environmental compliance and defense were the focus of his practice, he also managed litigation, USDA and FDA legal matters, and policy issues, including animal welfare legal responsibilities. Tim developed and implemented lobbying strategies, led the drafting of related legislation at both the state and federal levels, and co-founded the Agricultural Nutrient Policy Council, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association.
Earlier in his career, Tim worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in both regional and headquarters offices, handling complex enforcement litigation and regulatory matters. He also served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Arkansas, where he conducted criminal and civil case preparation and investigations. Additionally, he worked on international regulatory and enforcement issues for the NAFTA Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Secretariat.
Tim has deep ties to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. He is also the founder and president of the Buffalo River Foundation, a nonprofit land trust dedicated to conserving the natural, scenic, and historical resources of the Buffalo National River through conservation easements, property donations, and acquisitions.