He has received numerous awards for his work in the fields of conservation, environmental law and education, including Named the Mobile Environmental Lawyer of the Year for 2011 and 2014 by Best Lawyers, the 2009 Community Partner Award from Partners for Environmental Progress, 2003 National Wetlands Award from the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, D.C., Gulf Guardian Award 2002 – First Place Conservation Education (Ribbit’s Big Splash), the 2003 Governor’s Conservation Achievement Award (“Conservation Educator of the Year” for The Project CATE Foundation) from the Alabama Wildlife Federation, the 2002 Best Environmental Education Award for development of Ribbit’s Big Splash from the Environment Education Association of Alabama, the Wetlands Merit Award from the Environmental Protection Agency in 2000, and the Governor’s Conservation Achievement Award (“Water Conservationist of the Year”) from the Alabama Wildlife Federation in 1987. At the 2011 Fall Meeting of the American Bar Association Section on Environment, Energy and Resources, Neil was presented The Phoenix Award as the Chairman of the Forest Resources Committee for the Committee’s work during the 2010-2011 year. The Phoenix Award is a special recognition given to the Committee that has made an outstanding effort to improve the Committee’s performance over the past year.

Awards

• Chambers USA, Environment
• Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year 2014, Environmental Law, Mobile and 2011; Best Lawyers In America©,
• Environmental Law, Real Estate Law, Litigation – Environmental, Energy Law, Natural Resources Law, Timber
• Law and Water Law; Alabama Super Lawyers© 2008 – 2016, Environmental; Martindale-Hubbell AV®
• Preeminent™; presented the Community Partner Award – 2009 – by Partners for Environmental Progress; received the National Wetlands Award in 2003 from the Environmental Law Institute.
• Best Lawyers In America© 2018 Edition, Energy Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental,
• Natural Resources Law, Real Estate Law, Timber Law, Water Law.
• Best Lawyers In America© 2020 Edition, Energy Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Natural Resources Law, Real Estate Law, Timber Law, Water Law.

He is a member of numerous professional and civic associations, including the Rotary Club of Mobile (President, 1996), the Nature Conservancy of Alabama (Board of Trustees, 1990-1996), The Project CATE Foundation, Inc. (President and General Counsel, 1997-present), Alabama Coastal Foundation (President, 2003-2004), Partners for Environmental Progress (Board Member), America’s Junior Miss, Inc. (Board of Directors, 1996-2002), Society of American Military Engineers (Member 1996 – present), Alabama Chapter, Soil and Water Conservation Society (Member), the International Right-of-Way Association (Member), Governor’s Wetland Mitigation Task Force (Member), Chair of the USGBC – Alabama Chapter (2014); member of the USGBC – Gulf Coast Branch (Past Director of State Chapter) of the Alabama Chapter, and a member of the Environmental Law Institute.

Hand Arendall LLC

Hand Arendall provides its clients with legal services in all areas of traditional civil practice. The firm was organized in 1941 and has more than 70 lawyers, making it one of the largest law firms in the State of Alabama. The firm has a fundamental commitment to providing quality legal services in a timely and cost-effective manner. Cases and projects are staffed with the goal of achieving success for the client with maximum efficiency. With offices in Mobile, Birmingham, Fairhope and Athens, Alabama, Hand Arendall is uniquely situated among the Southeast’s major law firms to provide legal direction to clients throughout Alabama and the Panhandle of Florida.

Hand Arendall’s Land Use and Environmental Practice Group lawyers are experienced in handling and negotiating legal and administrative issues relating to: permitting, zoning, planning, natural resources and conservation (oil and gas, timber, water, fisheries, wildlife), energy, development and redevelopment, stormwater, coastal lands, wetlands, hazardous and solid waste, and utility and linear projects.