THE FIRM This Pittsburgh boutique handles all aspects of state and federal environmental law, from litigation to transactional matters. Attorneys at the firm have cultivated various subspecialties including air, water and waste regulation, mining and Superfund work. The firm works closely with clients in the energy industry, notably those in the Marcellus Shale region, on environmental concerns including air and water regulatory compliance, permitting and land use. It has acted for several manufacturers and chemical companies on the construction, sale and cleanup of site facilities.
Sources say: "The firm with the experts. It's the place to go for air, water and waste issues."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Chester Babst is an expert in regulatory compliance and permitting issues pertaining to the CAA. He also shepherds clients through environmental enforcement processes in administrative and judicial hearings. Sources say he is "a top lawyer who knows his stuff and puts himself in the shoes of the clients." Dean Calland specializes in environmental health and safety matters. He is frequently consulted for his expertise in hazardous waste regulation and enforcement under the RCRA. He advises clients engaged in heavy industries on the environmental aspects of real estate and other transactions. Donald Bluedorn advises a range of utilities on water and wastewater management and brownfields work. Sources comment: "He's been doing it for a long time, he's well connected with the state agency people and he has a thorough understanding of water law." Kevin Garber chairs the environment, energy and natural resources group. He frequently advises clients in the coal, oil and gas industries on permitting and other environmental issues arising from the operation and development of sites. Sources say he is "a very capable attorney who inspires a lot of confidence." Lindsay Howard advises clients on the management of risks and liabilities associated with sites affected by solid and hazardous waste. He also maintains an active Superfund practice. Sources appreciate "his ability to get to the nub of the issue; he's extremely competent and a delight to work with." Joe Reinhart heads the natural resources development group and advises traditional and alternative energy entities on waste and remediation issues. He has significant experience of representing clients, many of which are active in the Marcellus Shale region, before administrative authorities regarding permitting and enforcement. Robert Thomson pursues a generalist environmental practice that encompasses air, water and waste regulation, complex site remediation and OSHA.
THE FIRM This group excels in solid waste management and Superfund work. Attorneys in the firm's Berwyn and Philadelphia offices handle a variety of litigation and other transactional and regulatory environmental issues. In particular, the firm has a growing energy practice focusing on Marcellus Shale oil and gas plays, in addition to renewable energy projects.
Sources say: "A quality full-service environmental group."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Bonnie Allyn Barnett is highly respected for her work on federal Superfund, which lately has focused on major remediation projects concerning waterway sediment. She also has a robust litigation practice and frequently advises on environmental liabilities. Sources say: "She's fabulous, extremely smart and gets the job done in a professional and efficient manner." Engineer Christopher Boyle has devoted much of his time to brownfield redevelopment and site remediation. He also counsels clients on environmental risks associated with real estate and financing. The former chief of the DOJ's Environmental Crimes section, Ronald Sarachan left Ballard Spahr in January 2011 to join Drinker Biddle & Reath's Philadelphia office. He is described as "one of the best" when it comes to defending environmental white-collar criminal actions and assisting clients with internal investigations.
THE FIRM This boutique environmental and energy firm is strong across the board in regulatory compliance, litigation and transactional issues. The firm's litigators are specialists in toxic tort, and individual and class action defense. On the regulatory side, the firm has significant expertise in air, waste and water regulation under both state and federal programs. The team has also handled a number of Superfund and other major site remediation matters. Its natural resources group focuses on the Marcellus Shale region, counseling clients on permitting and other issues. The firm acts for clients such as Ashland, Norfolk Southern and Waste Management.
Sources say: "A fantastic environmental practice; I would recommend it to anyone."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Managing partner Robert Fox divides his practice between litigation and counseling on regulatory compliance and permitting. "He has been instrumental to our company in securing environmental permits," one client observed. He has also advised on several Superfund sites, at present concerning river sediment issues in New York and New Jersey. Marc Gold is a specialist in water regulation, including permitting, compliance and pollution control. He also counsels clients operating in the Marcellus Shale zone. Sources note that Gold has been "doing mineral and coal work for a long time, so it comes to him naturally. He's a very, very good lawyer." Michael Meloy "is one of the smartest environmental lawyers around," according to one source. He is respected by peers for his regulatory advice on waste disposal, national and international brownfields redevelopment and property transactions. He currently represents companies and trade associations regarding Marcellus Shale gas exploration and development. Bart Cassidy focuses on air quality control regulation. He advises chemical and plastics distributor Ashland on its compliance with EPA regulatory programs. Sources say: "He's top-notch." Jonathan Spergel "does what it takes to bring people together in a deal." He regularly advises on environmental issues touching commercial transactions, public funding opportunities for brownfields redevelopment and site remediation matters. Carol McCabe focuses the majority of her time on air and waste regulation, including permit appeals and defense of enforcement actions for industrial companies. Clients say her "assistance on a host of air permitting and compliance matters has been top-notch." Joseph Manko has 35 years of experience in the field of environmental law. He has devoted much of his time to counseling companies on sustainability initiatives.
THE FIRM Despite the departure of five attorneys to Greenberg Traurig in 2009, this national firm maintains an impressive bench in its Philadelphia office. It has a particularly strong Superfund and air regulation group that advises utilities and industrial clients on permitting and compliance. A growing area of the firm's practice is focused on Marcellus Shale activity, in addition to climate change, alternative energy and sustainability issues.
Sources say: "This firm has always had a strong local presence."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Brendan Collins represents utility and energy clients in civil, criminal and administrative litigation concerning enforcement actions, permit appeals and toxic tort suits. He recently defended an international wind farm developer in noise and vibration nuisance litigation alongside Glenn Unterberger. Robert McKinstry is "a brilliant lawyer with a very significant climate change practice." Recently returned to private practice after a stint as an academic at Penn State University, he has been following developments on federal greenhouse gas regulation and working on air pollution and climate change issues. Glenn Unterberger "is one of the leaders in the field" of air pollution control regulation. He counsels utility, energy and industrial companies before regulatory agencies negotiating and appealing permits. He also advises on transactional matters and handles some litigation and Superfund work. Most recently he and Harry Weiss have represented the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority in the Delaware River Main Channel Deepening dispute. Weiss incorporates aspects of land law and zoning into his practice, and also has experience in oil and gas development in the Marcellus Shale zone.
THE FIRM This group expanded in 2009 with the addition of several experienced attorneys from Ballard Spahr, strengthening its already notable brownfields redevelopment practice. Now the team handles regulatory advice, enforcement actions and site remediation, as well as significant litigation. The firm is currently representing one of the defendant parties to the Fox River litigation, a major Superfund case concerning the allocation of cleanup costs which may run to over $1 billion.
Sources say: "Very good for litigation and environmental claims."
KEY INDIVIDUALS David Mandelbaum has garnered a reputation as "one of the most outstanding environmental lawyers in Pennsylvania." Recently, he has litigated on behalf of gas exploration and production companies against moratoriums on drilling in the Marcellus Shale region. He focuses on litigation, including Superfund and regulatory disputes, as well as transactional work. Samantha Corson works closely with Curtis Toll representing developers and companies in various transactions involving contaminated real estate. Corson's practice is broad and extends to counseling on water and hazardous waste regulatory compliance. Toll's main strength is in the niche area of structured environmental insurance, for which he has a "terrific" reputation. Lately he has represented EnviroFinance Group in its financing of a wetland mitigation bank in the Meadowlands area of New Jersey. Monique Mooney "is a rising star and David's right hand, but she's very smart in her own right." She advises large corporations involved in civil and criminal environmental litigation and regulatory enforcement actions. She is particularly experienced at carrying out internal investigations regarding environmental and OSHA criminal enforcement.
THE FIRM This international firm is strategically located in Pennsylvania and takes full advantage of Marcellus Shale activity. From its offices in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh it advises many big oil and gas extraction and production companies on water issues, regulatory compliance, permitting and other environmental matters associated with the development of energy infrastructure in the region.
Sources say: "Good inventory of work in oil and gas."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Timothy Weston is regarded by some as "the best water lawyer in Pennsylvania." His practice covers environmental counseling, legislative issues and litigation concerning natural resources companies. Recently, he has worked on several PPP wastewater projects across the country and advised on stormwater issues surrounding Chesapeake Bay. Sources say that Craig Wilson is "one of the best for oil and gas regulation." He advises industrial and energy clients, including Chesapeake Energy, on environmental permitting, compliance, zoning and land development. John Englert specializes in health and safety and the remediation of sites affected by hazardous, radioactive and other polluting substances. He also focuses on the development of traditional and alternative energy resources, often advising on regulatory issues related to wind farms.
THE FIRM This firm draws on its national network of offices to provide a broad service to clients on environmental issues. The group, located in the firm's Harrisburg and Philadelphia offices, is part of the firm's powerful litigation team. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius has recently handled a large number of site remediation and contamination disputes for corporations that deal with toxic or hazardous materials.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Former chair of the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board, Maxine Woelfling is a "well-respected generalist environmental lawyer." She focuses on regulatory counseling and litigation concerning air quality, waste, water, brownfields redevelopment and other environmental issues. Sources say she is "very professional, smart and result-oriented." John McAleese is a qualified chemical engineer. His practice spans site remediation disputes, transactional advice and counseling on regulatory compliance. Glen Stuart specializes in toxic tort, environmental and energy litigation. He is experienced in Superfund and has litigated several cleanup cases recently in the tri-state area.
THE FIRM This group focuses on advising the firm's corporate clients regarding environmental risks associated with M&A, real estate transactions and investments. The team handles many deals involving distressed assets, but is now seeing an uptick in positive transactional work. It represents several private equity funds and large companies looking to make strategic acquisitions on both a national and international basis. The firm also counsels these clients on questions of regulatory compliance.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Abbi Cohen is a "great" transactional attorney with an international practice. She counsels clients on the environmental implications of real estate sales, acquisitions and finance. Recently, she undertook due diligence for Covance's acquisition of research and development sites in France and the UK from sanofi-aventis as part of a ten-year strategic alliance between the two companies. John Ix focuses on the transactional side of environmental law. He also counsels on regulatory compliance concerning site remediation and permitting issues, and litigates environmental real estate disputes.
THE FIRM Attorneys at this firm have broad expertise in environmental law. They counsel and litigate on issues ranging from complex site remediation and brownfields redevelopment to air, water and waste regulations. Fox Rothschild has five offices in Pennsylvania, including in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Sources say that "for brownfields redevelopment projects, you should have Joel Bolstein on your team." He also advises clients on permitting, regulatory enforcement and government relations. As a deputy secretary at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection he managed the implementation of Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling Act and is solicited for his expertise in this area. Philip Hinerman is regarded by clients as "the full package: he is a very good litigator and he's involved in the city, plus he's got great Harrisburg relations." Hinerman also specializes in regulatory counseling on air, water and soil issues, zoning and land use matters.
THE FIRM This Pennsylvania and New Jersey-based firm specializes in environmental litigation relating to regulatory enforcement and Superfund cases. The group also advises clients, including various Fortune 500 companies, on brownfields redevelopment, air pollution, water quality and stormwater issues.
Sources say: "A litigation boutique with top-tier guys."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Steven Miano has extensive experience of advising clients in state and federal litigation and enforcement actions concerning the CWA, the CAA, hazardous waste laws and Superfund. He is regarded as a "really good regulatory lawyer. He has a nice demeanor; he's proficient and knowledgeable." Kenneth Warren enjoys a "reputation for fundamental fairness and a common-sense approach." He has a broad regulatory and litigation practice that covers climate change, alternative energy issues and water regulation. He regularly counsels the Delaware River Basin Commission.
THE FIRM Saul Ewing operates out of three Pennsylvania offices. The group advises on regulatory, litigation and transactional matters and also has experience in site remediation, including Superfund cases. The firm is frequently retained for its expertise in pipeline pollution matters and several of its attorneys have previously worked at various government environmental agencies.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Carl Everett specializes in Superfund, tort litigation and regulatory compliance. Sources say he is "a fantastic, down-to-earth, straightforward attorney who knows his way around the environmental arena and the agencies." Prior to entering private practice he trained as a chemical engineer and worked as senior counsel for DuPont. Joel Burcat focuses on oil and gas litigation and regulatory compliance, but continues to advise on a steady stream of regulatory enforcement, CERCLA and site remediation matters. Clients say he is “very practical and highly experienced.”
THE FIRM This firm’s environmental practice maintains a strong focus on the energy industry. It advises clients on occupational health and safety, brownfield development, regulatory compliance and transactions involving the exploitation of natural resources. The firm has extensive experience representing clients in the mining industry on air, water and waste compliance issues and in toxic tort litigation. Its office in Pittsburgh is strategically located to tap into the vast array of work arising from the development of the Marcellus Shale oil and gas reserves. The group is also noted for its strong government relations practice in Harrisburg.
Sources say: “A nice practice with multiple offices and great political connections."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Howard Wein counsels and litigates on behalf of clients in the natural resources industry regarding permitting, transactions and compliance with water quality, waste management, mining and air quality legislation. Peers note that he has “handled complex cases for a long time. He is an outstanding lawyer who effectively represents his clients.”
John Carroll is chairman of the environmental practice group at Pepper Hamilton LLP. He concentrates on mineral and natural resources law, shepherding clients through litigation and counseling on regulatory compliance. Sources say:
“He’s a very good lawyer, very careful and focused.” Robert Collings of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP counsels clients in the manufacturing, transportation, retail and real estate sectors on regulatory enforcement and litigation concerning hazardous substances. He cochairs both the environmental and energy practices at the firm. Sources regard him as
“a quality practitioner.” Alan Miller of Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton is well respected by peers for his work in solid waste permitting and compliance, Superfund and other regulatory pollution enforcement actions. He frequently advises on real estate transactions involving contaminated industrial sites and has a vibrant insurance coverage practice.
Louis Naugle is described as a
“very talented, smart environmental lawyer and litigator.” He heads up Reed Smith LLP’s environmental practice and concentrates on representing clients in civil and criminal permitting and enforcement proceedings. He also counsels on regulatory compliance, brownfields development and due diligence.
Kermit Rader of Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin works on regulatory advice, permitting, site remediation and the environmental aspects of transactions. Sources say he
“is very experienced with different situations, has good judgment and knows what he's talking about.” Environmental engineer
Mark Stevens of Langsam Stevens & Silver LLP represents a range of clients in litigation concerning hazardous waste sites, underground storage tanks and site remediation contribution. He also advises on the sale, purchase and environmental compliance of real estate.
Kenneth Komoroski recently moved to Fulbright & Jaworski LLP to head up the firm's new Pittsburgh office. He devotes his practice entirely to Marcellus Shale development issues. Sources say he is
"well known in the oil and gas business." He represents extraction, production and pipeline companies in land use, permitting, wastewater treatment and noise issues.
David Buzzell recently left Drinker Biddle to join specialist firm Land Air Water Legal Solutions LLC. He has a background in engineering and is described as a
"technically sharp attorney who works well with regulators." He represents solid waste collection and disposal operators in the regulation of hazardous, municipal and residual waste.