Thorough understanding of how environmental matters impact businesses, with an impressive track record of assisting companies to successfully overcome and manage environmental challenges and achieve their corporate objectives

Comprehensive knowledge and experience in dealing with all major issues of environmental law, including transactions, litigation, insurance, compliance counseling, project development, legislative and agency policymaking, international environmental regulation, and crisis management

Acknowledged authority on assessing environmental issues in significant business practices including merger and acquisitions, restructuring, bank financings, and securities offerings

Ever-changing laws and regulations on domestic and international levels as well as increased public scrutiny have made environmental matters critical concerns for most business enterprises. Weil’s broad-based Environmental practice group addresses all areas that can affect businesses’ day-to-day operations and strategic business plans with sophisticated and cost-effective representation. By working seamlessly with other firm practice groups our attorneys provide clients with the transactional, litigation, counseling, restructuring, and legislative services necessary to achieve their goals in a wide variety of business and legal contexts.

Weil’s Environmental practice group analyzes the environmental and health and safety aspects of hundreds of major transactions and restructurings across all business sectors, providing comprehensive support to buyers, sellers, lenders, and investors involved in acquisitions and mergers, divestitures, real estate development and acquisitions, public offerings, and debt and equity financing. We assist clients with coordinating due diligence; provide guidance on regulatory compliance and potential liabilities associated with target companies; evaluate the effect of transaction-triggered laws and permit transfer obligations and requirements; and negotiate and draft environmental contract language, public disclosure information, and permit applications and transfers. We also work with clients to structure transactions to minimize the likelihood of successful successor liability claims.

Our Environmental lawyers also work with the firm’s Business Finance & Restructuring Department to address environmental issues arising in bankruptcy proceedings, including addressing claims related to environmental liabilities and structuring transactions to discharge liability to the extent possible under the Bankruptcy Code. In doing so we advise debtors as well as creditors on the implications of environmental liabilities, often developing creative approaches for addressing them in the context of liquidations and restructurings.

With its strong litigation background, our Environmental practice group provides environmental counseling, including auditing and recordkeeping, hazardous substance release reporting, site investigation and cleanup, permit transfers, insurance coverage for pollution conditions. We also defend clients in civil, criminal and administrative enforcement proceedings arising under CERCLA, RCRA, and other federal and state environmental laws, often crafting creative settlements to limit future liability, and we also handle a variety of private litigation matters involving the allocation of clean-up obligations under environmental laws and contractual arrangements and insurance coverage for environmental liabilities.

Our Environmental lawyers have significant experience working directly with federal and state governments in developing comprehensive environmental protection statutes, and provide counsel regarding trade agreements and related negotiations. We currently are monitoring legislative developments with respect to climate change issues in order to ensure the issues are addressed in transactions, client business plans, and disclosure obligations.

Weil’s Environmental practice partners have had distinguished government careers, including service in the Environmental Enforcement Section of the US Justice Department. They are acknowledged authorities on US and international environmental law and are frequently recognized by such publications as Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America and SuperLawyers.