OVERVIEW

Our Environmental Law practice focuses on two active areas: contaminated soil and groundwater, and toxic torts.

The firm’s extensive litigation experience in cases arising out of contamination of soil and groundwater includes actions related to federal Superfunds, private cost recoveries, crop losses, and leaking underground storage tanks. Our work on toxic torts matters is exclusively on the defense side and includes Prop 65 matters.

Contaminated Soil and Groundwater

Contaminants at issue in these cases have run the gamutt from pesticides and herbicides through chlorinated solvents and petroleum hydrocarbons.

Hill Farrer attorneys have represented both plaintiffs and defendants in soil and groundwater cases. During the course of trying these cases, we have negotiated innovative settlements which expedite the cleanup of clients’ properties and their return to profitable economic use.

We have advocated for clients in a range of industries, including:

• National Railroad
• Global Pest Control Operator
• Private Water Company
• Agricultural Chemical Distributor
• Real Estate Developers

Sophisticated Settlements

Solutions for contaminated property have grown in sophistication and involve more cooperative efforts than in the past. We are proud of our record in assisting its clients in negotiating with responsible parties, regulators and owners to achieve expeditious and cost efficient site remediation culminating in a “no further action letter.”

Toxic Tort Defense

In our toxic tort practice, the firm represents only defendants in all types of toxic tort cases, including chemical exposure, asbestos in buildings, and California Proposition 65 cases.

With deep experience in jury trials in both single and multiple claimant cases, our attorneys address claims arising out of alleged exposures to a wide variety of hazardous substances, such as solvents and pesticides, and through all of the pathways of exposure: ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption.

Some notable successes include the defense of cases involving new age medical conditions such as reactive airway dysfunction syndrome (“RADS”), multiple chemical sensitivity (“MCS”) and similar claims.