Environmental & Toxic Tort Litigation

Our attorneys have experience in litigation involving federal environmental statutes and state environmental laws. The Firm also provides immediate on-site assistance to clients in emergency situations, such as accidental releases of regulated substances into the environment.

Early Response to Minimize Litigation Costs

We have assisted facility owners with implementing emergency response procedures; reviewing proposed press releases and other public communications about emergency events; preparing and reviewing incident reports to government agencies; identifying and securing evidence; preparing follow-up reports; and developing strategies for handling or averting anticipated litigation. From the first awareness of an accidental release, we begin working closely with our clients to avoid litigation by attempting to identify and resolve potential property damage and toxic tort claims as quickly and efficiently as possible.

When Litigation is Unavoidable

We have successfully represented industry in toxic tort and environmental lawsuits of varying complexity, including class action and multiple plaintiff cases. Examples of matters we have handled for our industry clients include:

• Serving as coordinator of a network of law firms defending a national docket of over 2,000 toxic tort cases involving over 10,000 plaintiffs who claim to have contracted lung diseases from exposure to products containing silica.

• Defending against toxic tort claims alleging death, injury, and fear of cancer from plant air emissions.

• Defending against product liability claims alleging injury or illness from exposure to chemical products or components.

• Defending against premise liability claims in which plaintiffs claim exposure to toxic substances used during work-related activities.

• Defending against environmental tort claims alleging environmental damage from pipeline leaks and ruptures.

• Defending against environmental tort claims alleging property and groundwater contamination from disposal of toxic waste.

• Defending against class action and multiple-plaintiff cases alleging reduction of property values or loss of profits due to environmental damage from oil pollution and air emissions and groundwater.

• Defending against class action and multiple-plaintiff cases alleging losses by coastal businesses due to environmental damage from oil pollution.

• Defending against multiple-plaintiff and multiple-defendant personal injury cases alleging death or injury from exposure to asbestos and silica.

• Prosecuting claims against a seller of petroleum products for damages caused to refinery equipment by the introduction of contaminated petroleum into pipelines.

Team Players You Can Count On

Working with in-house trial counsel and other law firms in the defense of toxic tort lawsuits has given us the adaptability to provide legal representation and support at any level of involvement and responsibility — from a supporting role as second-chair or local counsel, to lead or supporting counsel on a single or multiple-firm legal team, to national coordinating counsel for a large contingent of toxic tort cases involving a single category of products. Through our participation in multiple-firm defense ventures, we are particularly oriented toward working as part of a team to satisfy our clients’ needs with complete respect for their relationships with other law firms.