Experience

Government Action / Citizen Suits

• Defend clients in federal and state environmental enforcement actions, including negotiating civil settlements, penalties, supplemental environmental projects, and responding to information requests.
• Represent clients in responding to 60-day notice-of-intent-to-sue letters from environmental organizations.
• Develop comments for clients on proposed administrative rules, state and federal laws.
• Assist clients to voluntarily self-disclose environmental violations, including under federal and state audit policies.
• Represent industrial clients in resolving OSHA citations.
• Assist corporate clients facing criminal investigations.

Compliance Counseling

• Provide regulatory compliance counseling to clients under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act; Toxic Substances Control Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act; and comparable state laws.
• Advise clients regarding the classification and transportation of hazardous materials under state and federal regulatory programs, including requirements prescribed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).

Environmental Permitting

• Assist industrial facilities to obtain and renew wastewater discharge permits.
• Assist public wastewater treatment facility in NPDES permit renewal process.
• Assist clients to obtain WPCF permits under Oregon’s Underground Injection Control Program.
• Assist municipality to renew its NPDES MS4 permit.
• Assist industrial facilities to obtain and comply with air permits, including Title V and Major Source New Source Review permits.

Due Diligence / Environmental Business Transactions

• Conduct environmental due diligence in business and real estate transactions, including on behalf of parties interested in pursuing oil and gas development ventures, acquiring and divesting large-scale manufacturing operations, wind farms and biomass facilities.
• Draft environmental provisions in letters of intent, purchase and sale agreements and related documents in real estate transactions.
• Assist buyers to obtain coverage under environmental permits held by sellers.
• Represent clients in brownfields transactions to negotiate prospective purchase agreements and comfort letters, obtain environmental insurance, enter into post-closing cleanup agreements, and employ other tools to mitigate ongoing liability.

Cleanup

• Represent clients in private environmental cost recovery actions under Oregon, Washington and federal clean-up laws.
• Assist clients in negotiating agreements with federal and state governments, to resolve their potential liability for contamination.
• Negotiate cost sharing, access and other agreements between private parties.

Chemical Management

• Advise clients with immediate and periodic (including Tier IIs, Form Rs, and Form Us) chemical storage and release reporting responsibilities under state and federal law.
• Advise clients with PCB requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act and equivalent state laws.
• Advise clients with chemical import and export requirements.

Honors & Activities

Professional Honors and Activities

• Selected as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” (Oregon) by Chambers USA (currently: Environment), 2017-2019
• Listed among Rising Stars (Environmental), Oregon Super Lawyers^®, 2013-2014
• Selected by the Portland Business Journal as a Forty Under 40 honoree, 2013
• Selected as an “Up & Coming Lawyer” by The Oregon Daily Journal of Commerce, 2012
• Adjunct Professor, Clean Air Act Seminar, Lewis & Clark Law School, 2012
• Steering Committee Member, Northwest Environmental Conference
• Volunteer Attorney, Multnomah County Legal Aid Services Clinic
• Member, Environmental and Natural Resources Section, Oregon State Bar Association
• Member, Sustainable Future Section, Oregon State Bar Association
• Past Mentor Attorney, Multnomah County Bar Association
• Past Mentor Attorney, Lewis & Clark Law School
• Past Member, Oregon State Bar House of Delegates

Civic Activities

• Board Chair and Volunteer, Portland Homeless Family Solutions
• Volunteer, Fences for Fido
• Multnomah County Election Protection Observer

Insights & Presentations

• Presenter, “Cleaner Air Oregon: How is it going?,” Business & The Environment CONFERENCE · EXPO, Portland, Oregon, Dec. 10, 2019
• Presenter, “Advanced Air: Oregon’s New Toxics Rules Explained,” Business & The Environment CONFERENCE · EXPO, Portland, Oregon, Dec. 12, 2018
• Presenter, “Cleaner Air Oregon: The (near) Final Rule,” Cleaner Air Oregon: What the New Toxics Program Means to You?, Stoel Rives seminar, Nov. 28, 2018
• Author, Sponsors’ Note, How Oregon Works: Manufacturing, Portland Business Journal, Nov. 1, 2018
• Presenter, “Clean Air Act Compliance: New Winds Blowing at EPA,” Stoel Rives webinar, May 16, 2018
• Moderator, “Introduction to Air Toxics,” Northwest Environmental Conference & Tradeshow, Portland, Oregon, Dec. 5, 2017
• Moderator, “Air Quality - Charting a New Regulatory Course,” Northwest Environmental Conference & Tradeshow, Portland, Oregon, Dec. 6, 2016
• Presenter, “Navigating the DEQ Enforcement Process,” NEBC Cascade Chapter Luncheon, Feb. 11, 2016
• Moderator: Advanced Air Session, Northwest Environmental Conference & Tradeshow, Dec. 10-11, 2015
• Presenter: “EPA Changes the Rules (Again): Recent Changes to the Definition of ‘Solid Waste,’ ” Oregon State Bar Environmental and Natural Resources Section, Oct. 23, 2015
• Presenter, “The Definition of Solid Waste Rulemaking,” Stoel Rives ELUNR Workshop Series, May 21, 2015
• Presenter, “Oregon’s Revised Air Rules – DEQ Kitchen Sink Rulemaking, It’s Here At Last,” Stoel Rives ELUNR Workshop Series, April 22, 2015
• Presenter, “Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans: Does Your Facility Need One?” Stoel Rives ELUNR Workshop Series, Nov. 19, 2014
• Presenter, “Statutory Update: Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act & CERCLA,” Oregon State Bar, Oct. 24, 2014
• Presenter, “Forest Products Clean Air Act Update,” FRA Western Regional Fall Association Meeting, Oct. 15, 2014
• Presenter, “DEQ to Change Air Rules,” Stoel Rives RDE Lunch Workshop Series, Feb. 13, 2014
• Presenter, “Joining a Nonprofit Board,” Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, Aug. 8, 2013
• Presenter, “Mill Management: A Day in the (Environmental) Life,” Oregon State University College of Forestry, Forest Products Management Development Course, April 29, 2013
• Presenter, “New Boiler MACT Goes Final,” Stoel Rives RDE Lunch Workshop Series, Jan. 24, 2013
• Presenter, “What’s That Thang? Corporate Environmental Responsibility,” PNWIS Conference, A&WMA, Nov. 7, 2012
• Presenter, “Getting The Most from The Consultant/Attorney Team: Improv,” Multnomah Athletic Club, Oct. 25, 2012
• Author, “EPA’s Proposed ‘Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units,’ ” Case Notes: Recent Environmental Cases and Rules, Oregon State Bar Environmental and Natural Resources Section, May 2012
• Presenter, “Emerging Air Quality Requirements,” Northwest Pulp and Paper Association Annual Meeting, June 23, 2011
• Presenter, “Getting the Most from the Consultant/Attorney Team,” Multnomah Athletic Club, May 20, 2011
• Presenter, “Boiler MACT Definition Of Solid Waste: The Rules Are Here,” The Seminar Group, May 3, 2011
• Presenter, “Environmental Law Update: The Recent Changes That You Need to Know About,” GOSH 2011, March 8, 2011
• Presenter, “Boiler MACT/Definition of Solid Waste: The Rules are Here,” Stoel Rives RDE Lunch Workshop Series, March 3, 2011
• Moderator, “Underground Injection Controls and Alternatives,” and “Dealing with the Media: What Do You Do When The Media Contacts You?” Northwest Environmental Conference, Portland, Oregon, Dec. 6-7, 2010
• Presenter, “Environmental Law Update: The Recent Changes that You Need to Know About,” Cascade Occupation Safety & Health Conference, March 9, 2010
• Presenter, “(Underground Injection Control), Well What Is My Business Supposed to Do?” Stoel Rives RDE Lunch Workshop Series, Feb. 17, 2010
• Moderator, “Understanding Environmental Crimes: Practical Information for Your Business,” Northwest Environmental Conference, Dec. 7, 2009
• Presenter, “President Obama’s First 100 Days,” Stoel Rives RDE Lunch Workshop Series, May 7, 2009
• Presenter, “Environmental Enforcement: 2008 Summary and 2009 Preview,” Stoel Rives RDE Lunch Workshop Series, Feb. 19, 2009
• Moderator, “Air Quality Basics” and “Our Energy Future: Challenges to Siting Energy Infrastructure Projects in the Northwest,” Northwest Environmental Conference, Dec. 8-9, 2008
• Presenter, “Air Litigation Update,” Air & Waste Management Association Webinar Conference, Oct. 30, 2008
• Presenter, “Environmental Litigation Update – EP-1 Air Pollution Policy and Regulations,” Air & Waste Management Association 2008 Annual Conference, June 25, 2008
• Guest Lecturer, Clean Air Act Seminar, Lewis & Clark Law School, Fall 2007, 2009
• Coauthor, “Emergency Release Notification Requirements: How Soon Is Soon Enough?” ABA Environmental Enforcement Crimes Committee Newsletter, Vol. 8, No. 2, Feb. 2007
• Editor, Environmental Law chapter, New York Construction Law Manual, 2d Ed., West 2006
• Monthly columnist, The Naperville Sun, 2006

Related News & Publications