Kristina Garcia Nelson
Office: 904.565.1235
Email: knelson@flenvlaw.com
Kristina G. Nelson has practiced in the area of Environmental Law for twenty years. She has both local government and private practice experience. Prior to forming Finger & Nelson, PLLC, Ms. Nelson served as Assistant General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel for the City of Jacksonville. As Assistant General Counsel, Ms. Nelson assisted the City and its independent agencies, and authorities, including JEA and the Jacksonville Port Authority, in managing and controlling potential environmental liabilities at the federal, state and local level. Prior to joining the Office of the General Counsel, Ms. Nelson was in private practice where she practiced exclusively in the environmental field, advising clients on environmental permitting, regulatory compliance and environmental issues in business litigation and transactional matters. Ms. Nelson began her career in Jacksonville, Florida at Rogers Towers, P.A. as an associate practicing in the areas of environmental and intellectual property. She moved to Washington, D.C. where she was an associate with Collier Shannon Scott, PLLC in the environmental group advising clients on issues relating to health and safety, energy and the environment. She then joined McGuire Woods LLP’s Environmental Department, where she continued her practice of environmental law.
Ms. Nelson’s practice is focused on helping clients effectively manage environmental risks, address environmental contamination and comply with environmental laws. Ms. Nelson has extensive experience in dealing with solid and hazardous waste, hazardous substances, air and water issues. She also defends enforcement actions brought by the Environmental Protection Agency and Florida Department of Environmental Protection, typically in the administrative context. In addition, she often provides substantive advice in federal and state environmental litigation, including toxic tort, cost-recovery actions, and citizen suits. Furthermore, Ms. Nelson has an undergraduate engineering degree from Vanderbilt School of Engineering, which helps her to understand complex environmental reports and technical issues.
Education
- Florida State College of Law, J.D., 2001
- Vanderbilt University, B.E., 1998
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- The District of Columbia
- Virginia
Professional Affiliations
- Jacksonville Bar Association, Environmental and Real Estate Co Chair, 2017-present
- Jacksonville Women Lawyer’s Association
- Florida Brownfield Association, Board Member, 2018-2020
- Alumni, Chester Bedell Inns of Court
Civic Involvement
- Groundwork Jacksonville, Board Member, 2015 to present
- Scenic Jacksonville, Board Member, 2015 to present
- North Florida Green Chamber, Policy Committee Member, 2020 to present
- The Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Member 2013 to present
Distinctions
- AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Florida Elite Lawyer, 2020, 2021
Articles
- A Little “Sunshine” in Charrettes, National Charrette Institute, 2007 Best Practices Report, co-authored with Daniel K. Slone.
- Due Diligence Assessments of Real Property: New Standards Created by the Proposed “All Appropriate Inquiry” Rule, ABA Waste Management Committee Newsletter, June 2005, Kristina G. Nelson.
- An Overview of the Clean Air Act, Occupational Hazards, April 30, 2004, co-authored with Russell S. Frye.