A California-based climate-focused law firm called Sher Edling has quietly joined Massachusetts’ ongoing legal battle against oil giant ExxonMobil, according to court filings reviewed by Fox News. The firm’s partners, Vic Sher and Matt Edling, have been admitted to the case on behalf of the state. It remains unclear what role Sher Edling will play in the case and how its involvement will impact the various other lawsuits it is pursuing on behalf of multiple states and cities. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and Sher Edling did not respond to requests for comment.
Former Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, now the state’s governor, filed a complaint against ExxonMobil in 2019, accusing the company of deceptive practices related to climate change. ExxonMobil has pushed back, arguing that Massachusetts’ allegations infringe on the company’s First Amendment right to petition. Sher Edling’s involvement in the case adds to its growing list of climate-related litigation against oil companies. The firm is currently representing several states and cities, with more than a quarter of Americans living in jurisdictions suing Big Oil for climate deception.
Sher Edling has received millions of dollars in funding from left-leaning nonprofits to support its climate litigation efforts. The firm’s funding structure is largely unknown, as the nonprofits shield the identities of their individual donors. One such group, the Collective Action Fund for Accountability, Resilience, and Adaptation (CAF), has wired millions to Sher Edling between 2017 and 2022. The switch from a smaller dark money group to New Venture Fund in 2021 linked Sher Edling’s funding more directly to Arabella Advisors, a firm overseeing a liberal billion-dollar dark money network.
Political figures like Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. James Comer have raised concerns about the role of dark money groups in funding Sher Edling’s climate litigation efforts. Cruz has criticized what he sees as an attempt to bankrupt American energy employers by targeting fossil fuel companies. An ongoing investigation by Cruz and Comer is looking into Sher Edling’s ties to the Biden administration. ExxonMobil, the target of multiple climate-related lawsuits, did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
Sher Edling was founded in 2016 specifically to pursue climate-related litigation against oil companies, arguing that they have long known about the impact of their operations on global warming. The firm’s involvement in the Massachusetts case against ExxonMobil underscores its commitment to holding Big Oil accountable for their contributions to climate change. With a diverse portfolio of clients and ongoing legal battles, Sher Edling’s role in climate litigation continues to attract attention for its impact on environmental policy and corporate accountability.
