Picture of Lauren J. Rucinski

Lauren J. Rucinski

Senior Associate

Lauren Rucinski is a senior associate in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 2016 and practices in the environmental law and intellectual property groups.

Lauren helps clients navigate environmental regulatory applicability for new and existing facilities and expansion projects. Her practice spans permitting, compliance, enforcement, litigation, and transactional issues, as well as rulemaking efforts at both the state (Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality) and federal (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) level. Lauren also advises clients on the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers/Clean Water Act Section 404 dredge and fill permitting process. She has experience in the National Environmental Protection Act (“NEPA”) program and similar state level programs, as well as in environmental justice issues and renewable energy opportunities. She advises a wide range of clients including petrochemical facilities, oil refineries, natural gas terminals, solar farms, and commodity processing plants.

Lauren helps clients protect and maximize the value of their businesses' intellectual property by advising them on all aspects of patent, trade secret, copyright, trademark, and unfair competition law. She is a registered Patent Attorney. Her practice includes patent prosecution, opinions, licensing, and counseling services. Her work spans a wide range of technical areas, including mechanical inventions, computer software, construction materials, and other compositions of matter.

Lauren combines her legal experience with her background in Aerospace Engineering and Ocean Engineering to further the Intellectual Property interests of her clients. She is licensed to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She is listed in Louisiana Super Lawyers as a Rising Star for 2022-2023 and The Best Lawyers in America as a One to Watch for 2024.

Representative Experience
  • Representation of a chemical and plastic products company regarding their compliance with Louisiana state and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations
  • Prepare comments to EPA rulemaking on behalf of Louisiana industry groups
  • Representation of oil refinery regarding compliance with environmental laws and defense in administrative enforcement proceeding
  • Perform environmental due diligence for Louisiana chemical company merger and acquisition
  • Provide environmental permitting advise for solar farm development in Louisiana
  • Representation of an international oilfield services provider in defense of allegations of patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and various business torts
  • Management of a Louisiana University's patent portfolio, including prosecution, maintenance, and USPTO Examiner negotiations
Education

Lauren earned her B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and Ocean Engineering with a minor in Green Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2013. She earned her J.D./D.C.L., magna cum laude, from the LSU Law Center in 2016, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif, the Louisiana Law Review, and the Civil Mediation Clinic. Lauren also served as the President of the Public Interest Law Society and received the Louisiana State Bar Association's 2016 Law Student Pro Bono Award.

Admissions
  • Admitted, Louisiana, 2016; United States Federal Court for the Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of Louisiana; United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals; United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; United States Patent and Trademark Office
Memberships
  • Baton Rouge Bar Association (Young Lawyers Section Council Member, 2019; Law Day Co-Chair, 2020, 2019; Committee, 2018); Louisiana Air & Waste Management Association (Secretary 2020-2022; Newsletter Committee, 2019); Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Pathfinder
Articles, Publications and Presentations
Community Service
  • Board Member, Public & Industry Relations Director: Lafayette & Baton Rouge, Women's Energy Network South Louisiana Chapter, 2019
  • Board of Trustees, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge, 2020-2021
  • Parish Advisory Council, Boys & Girls Club of Metro Louisiana, 2022-2023
  • Boys and Girls Club of Metro Louisiana, Annual Baton Rouge Fundraising Dinner Chair, 2021, 2022, 2023
  • Board Member, We Produce Grads, 2018-2021
  • Co-Chair, Baton Rouge Bar Association, Law Day