Georgia officials have chosen the attorneys who will represent the state in the ongoing “water war” between Georgia and Florida. Governor Nathan Deal and Attorney General Sam Olens announced Monday that they appointed Seth Waxman of WilmerHale and Chris Landau and Craig Primis of Kirkland & Ellis LLP to head up the legal effort. The litigation team also includes Bruce Brown, Todd Silliman and John Allen.

“We did not seek this lawsuit, but we will defend Georgia vigorously,” said Olens in a news release. “I have great faith in every member of this excellent legal team, and Georgians should be confident that their interests are being well-represented.”

The attorneys will help defend Georgia against the lawsuit Florida officials filed with the U.S. Supreme Court October 1. The suit alleges that Georgia’s use of water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin hurts Florida’s wildlife and economy further downstream.

“Georgia’s over-consumption of water threatens the existence of Apalachicola Bay and the future economic development of the region,” said Florida Governor Rick Scott the day the suit was filed.

Governor Deal, however, has said that Georgia has tried to negotiate with Florida to no avail.

Tags: Georgia, Florida, U.S. Supreme Court, river, water, war, basin, Apalachicola, Seth Waxman, Flint, Chris Landau, Craig Primis