Day Pitney's Environmental and Land Use attorneys are experienced in all facets of environmental issues and real estate development. Since the 1970s, we have successfully defended clients in major toxic tort cases, including large class action and multiparty suits. Active in national Superfund cases since 1981, when the first Superfund cases were filed, we often have a leading role in defending potentially responsible parties, whether as PRP common counsel or as counsel to an individual entity in complex cost-recovery and allocation litigation. We also assist corporate, developer and institutional clients navigate the local, state and federal regulatory and permitting process. Though having a national practice, Day Pitney attorneys are experienced and actively involved in New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts–states known for their complicated yet innovative land use and environmental regulations.
Day Pitney is also actively engaged in land use litigation either defending development approvals or challenging denials. Given some of the high-profile victories on behalf of clients, Day Pitney was recognized as the Real Estate Litigation Group of the Year in 2014. Day Pitney stays connected to the development community by being actively involved in various organizations such as NAIOP and the New Jersey Builder's Association.
Our environmental and land use lawyers can help with environmental permitting, auditing, management systems, emergency planning and counseling on federal, state and local requirements. We draw on our close working relationships with federal, state and local environmental and land use agencies and our tracking of current developments to maximize our value to you.
Areas of focus include the following:
- Buyers and sellers and landlords and tenants with respect to the environmental aspects of transactions involving raw land, office buildings, industrial facilities and retail centers
- Disputes among current site owners, tenants and former owners over responsibility for cleanup actions and related costs
- Condemnation matters involving complex valuation issues arising from the presence of environmental contamination
- Land use litigation, including real property tax appeals, riparian rights, tax foreclosures, condemnation, eminent domain and valuation litigation
- Regulatory enforcement, including actions involving air, water, storm water, hazardous and solid waste, spill prevention, toxic release reporting, chemical importing and labeling and related penalty assessments
- Federal and state claims for natural resources damages due to soil, surface water, groundwater and sediment contamination
- Criminal environmental enforcement matters, including matters with potential criminal implications
- Litigation associated with all aspects of property acquisition and development, including zoning, planning and permitting
- Prosecution and defense of personal injury, property loss and business interruption claims relating to environmental conditions, including mass tort actions & citizens' suits for all environmental media
- Matters involving wetlands and water allocation issues