TEAM

MANAGING PARTNER

Catherine Lee, J.D.

Catherine Lee founded Lee International Business Development in 1997. She focuses her current practice around clean energy, climate change projects, programs and policies in the US and internationally. An attorney who has served clients in South Africa, Brazil, the U.S. and Canada, she advises clients on all aspects of climate policy as well as market-based mechanisms to reduce climate pollution. These include a wide range of activities from creating and managing broad-based coalitions for climate action to advising on carbon tax schemes, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the California Carbon Reduction Law (AB 32), the Verified Carbon Standard and other carbon standards.

She also provides legal services to sellers and buyers of emission reductions, NGOs, private businesses and local governments. Lee has extensive experience in the areas of waste management, renewable energy and community resiliency. Having studied law in Brazil, she is fluent in Portuguese and has a working knowledge of Spanish.

Prior to establishing Lee International, Cathy was in private practice at one of the state's largest firms where she represented clients in many fields including, specifically waste management, managed the firm’s advocacy work before the state legislature and litigated in a wide range of matters.

She is a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University, and the Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University. She is admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts in New York and Maine and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Awards

• ACLU of Maine's Justice Louis Scolnik Award, 2017
• Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine Leadership Award, 2015
• Maine Initiatives Watering Can Award, 2014
• Maine State Bar Association Director’s Award presented by Volunteer Lawyers Association for work in the area of domestic violence, 2005
• Maine International Trade Center's Service Provider of the Year Award, 2000
• Maine State Bar Association’s Caroline Dube Glassman Award for service to women in the community, 1995

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

With a project portfolio encompassing the United States, South Africa, the UK, France, Australia, Egypt, and New Zealand, she has an established network of international clients, contacts and contracts for specialized projects on all aspects of landfilling and landfill gas. Previously employed at Argonne National Laboratory (Illinois) for more than 20 years, she worked with the International Energy Agency expert working group on landfill gas and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on IPCC protocols for methane emissions from solid waste disposal. She served as coordinating lead author of the Waste Chapter of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report from 2004-2007. The IPCC received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for its report.

Dr. Bogner speaks English and French.

Lucy Van Hook, M.Sc. Climate Science and Policy

Ms. Van Hook is an independent consultant specializing in climate science and policy. She was the Fisheries Program Manager at the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association. She worked primarily on projects focused on sustaining the inshore groundfish fishermen of Maine. Projects included building a greater constituency and increasing fishermen engagement in the policy arena, business planning, and most recently, engaging fishermen in the conversation and management responses to the changing ocean environment.

Lucy has been involved in climate change projects since 2005. Currently, she sits on the steering committee of the Maine Climate Table as a representative voice of fishermen and the marine environment. In addition, she is part of a network of Maine organizations working on climate action by augmenting the voices and stories of Maine constituencies already seeing impacts of climate change. Prior to working with MCFA, she worked with Lee International and Climate Focus to develop an approved methodology to quantify greenhouse gas emissions from energy efficiency improvements in residential building under the Verified Carbon Standard.  She earned her masters degree in climate science policy with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary, sustainable approaches to policy development.

Jones & Wagener

Jones & Wagener is a specialist firm of consulting professional engineers and scientists based in South Africa that has been operating since 1966. One of their key strengths is the integration between their scientists and engineers. This close collaboration ensures that their clients experience a seamless process, receiving optimal and sustainable designs and solutions, and streamlining the environmental authorization process. 

The Environmental Sciences and Management Division provides a holistic approach towards environmental sustainability by implementing responsible environmental management to support long term sustainability and ensure legal compliance.  As part of environmental management, Jones & Wagener undertakes all environmental regulatory authorizations, approvals and licensing processes and their associated support requirements.  They offer an integrated authorization process service. Close collaboration between their engineers and scientists ensures that their clients experience a seamless process for the optimal solution. Jonathan Shamrock, who heads the firm’s Waste Engineering Division is a frequent collaborator with Lee International.