Experience

Represent public and private clients in all aspects of environmental litigation, with particular emphasis on CERCLA, RCRA, Porter-Cologne and Hazardous Substances Account Act (HSAA), in both state and federal court.

Defend clients against governmental enforcement actions, including cleanup and abatement orders, cease and desist orders and unilateral administrative orders.

Represent and advise clients in real estate transactions involving contaminated property, including environmental due diligence, disclosures, and deed restrictions and advise clients regarding strategic deal structuring for allocating and minimizing potential environmental liabilities.

Lead counsel representing a Northern California city in a complex, multi-party, soil and groundwater contamination case brought pursuant to the federal Superfund statute (CERCLA).

Lead counsel representing a municipality in an action involving alleged PCE contamination of the soil and groundwater at an active printing press site, brought pursuant to the California Superfund statute (HSAA).

Lead counsel for a Northern California water district in prosecution of claims against adjacent landowners for contamination of multiple drinking water reservoirs.

Lead counsel for defendants in multiple environmental criminal enforcement actions brought by the California Environmental Circuit Prosecutors.

Served as lead counsel for multiple private entities in defense of administrative enforcement actions brought by various State agencies and departments, including the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, State Water Resources Control Board, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, the Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Pesticide Regulation.

Lead settlement negotiator for Southern California landowner pursuing CERCLA response cost contribution against multiple current and former landowners and tenants.

Represent fireworks manufacturer in defense of complex, multi-party, perchlorate contamination litigation in multiple United States District Court actions.

 Represented retailer in defense of Proposition 65 enforcement action for failure to warn of health risks arising from exposure to hazardous substances.

Served as lead counsel for large state contractor in Department of Health audit dispute, achieving zero reimbursement victory for client.

Represented Northern California county in eminent domain proceedings.

Represented Southern California water purveyer in defense of water rights dispute involving litigation of Native American water interests.

Represented major energy company in power plant siting and permitting process.

Lead counsel for multiple public and private parties conducting soil and groundwater contamination investigation and remediation under government order.

Lead environmental counsel for multiple developers acquiring property located on a former Northern California military base.

Represented major defendant in successful mediation of multimillion dollar CERCLA contribution action involving Colorado mining town.

Represent multiple clients pursuing reimbursement from the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Cleanup Fund.

Lead environmental counsel for various buyers and sellers of commercial and agricultural real estate, including negotiating environmental provisions, overseeing environmental due diligence process, preparing disclosures and providing strategic deal structuring advice.

Advise clients regarding compliance with, and scope of, environmental due diligence requirements in real property transactions.

Represent clients in procurement of environmental insurance.

Advise clients regarding emergency spill reporting obligations.

General
Former Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary for the Office of California Governor Gray Davis, Legal Affairs.

Former Research Assistant for the Office of the Coordinator for Business Affairs for the United States Department of State.

Former Voter Registration Supervisor and Elections Monitor for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, serving in Bosnia Herzegovina and Republika Serbska.

Former Intern for the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.

MEMBERSHIPS

American Bar Association, Member

National Brownfield Association, California Chapter, Member

State Bar of California, Environmental Law and Real Property Sections, Member

United States District Court for the Eastern, Northern, Central and Southern Districts of California, Admitted to Practice

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Admitted to Practice

Sacramento County Bar Association, Member

EDUCATION

University of California, Los Angeles School of Law (J.D., 2000)
University of California, Davis (B.A., magna cum laude, 1996)

PUBLICATIONS

Shopping Center Management Insider & Professional Office Building Management, Vendome Publications, “ New EPA Rule Requires Buyers, Tenants To Broaden Environmental Investigation,” November 2006, Contributor and Insider Source

Commercial Tenant's Lease Insider & Commercial Lease Law Insider, Vendome Publications, “Tenants Can Protect Against Environmental Liability By Complying With EPA Rule,” November 2006, Contributor and Insider Source

Journal of International Law and Foreign Affairs, Former Staff Member

PRESENTATIONS

Association of Commercial Real Estate (ACRE), “Make More Money, Successfully Close More Transactions: New Federal Due Diligence Requirements,” 2006, Presenter

Lorman Education Services, “Environmental Concerns in Commercial Real Estate Transactions,” 2006, Presenter

Lorman Education Services, “Commercial Real Estate Financing: Environmental Aspects of Commercial Real Estate Transactions,” 2005, Presenter