Toxic torts and high-stakes environmental litigation involve complex legal and technical issues, and multi-million-dollar liability exposure. Such cases can create media concerns and governmental enforcement actions that transcend the individual dispute. Environmental enforcement matters also can present significant business risks, perhaps crippling or even shutting down a company.
When clients face such threats they choose Brad for his and his top-drawer team’s experience and ability to tackle even the most complicated problems. Brad has spent more than 30 years developing a leading practice that includes extensive toxic tort and environmental litigation experience for many domestic and multinational clients in sectors such as energy, chemicals, electronics, construction and real estate development.
Brad’s experience with the fate and transport of chemicals and environmental agents, and their impact on human health and the environment, has led to successful results in many toxic tort, environmental and enforcement matters.
Whether defending litigation or providing guidance, Brad’s ability to handle such complex matters effectively and to get the right results has led him to be recognized as a Leading Lawyer in Chambers USA, an Acritas Star, and a BTI Client Service All-Star.
Brad is the Team Leader of the firm’s Environmental and Toxic Tort practice.
Professional Activities
- North Carolina Bar Association, Environmental and Natural Resources Section
- District of Columbia Bar Association
- Member of DRI, Vice Chair, Solvents and Chemical Exposures
- Member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
- Member of North Carolina Groundwater Professionals
- Member of International Society for Environmental Epidemiology
- Member of International Society for Exposure Analysis
Honors and Awards
- Chambers USA Ranked Lawyer, Environment, North Carolina, 2004 – Present
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings) in the fields of Environmental Law, 2007 – Present; Litigation – Environmental, 2022
- Named a BTI Client Service All-Star MVP, BTI Consulting Group, 2022; BTI Client Service All-Star, 2013, 2014, 2020
- Acritas Star, 2019
Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
- Lead counsel defending a Fortune 100 chemical manufacturer against CERCLA claims brought by USEPA and co-defendants for assessment and remediation costs related to contaminated sediments in a Rhode Island river system
- Lead counsel for Fortune 500 international manufacturer in defense of CERCLA claims by the State of New York related to soil and groundwater contamination at a Long Island, New York facility
- Part of “virtual law firm” defending a publicly owned electric power utility in criminal and civil investigations by the Department of Justice and suits by a non-governmental organization (NGO) related to contaminants allegedly arising from coal ash impoundments
- Lead counsel defending international electronics manufacturer in mass tort action concerning trichloroethylene (TCE) and other chlorinated solvents in groundwater in a residential neighborhood in North Carolina and claims of personal injury and property damage.
- As lead counsel, defended international electronics manufacturer in class action in South Carolina concerning alleged diminution in property values due to TCE and other chlorinated solvents in groundwater. After three years of fact and expert discovery, achieved a favorable class-wide settlement.
- As lead counsel, defended class action in North Carolina involving claims against major refiner/distributor of gasoline for wrongful death, personal injury, property damage and medical monitoring based on alleged exposure to benzene through air emissions and groundwater contamination. Defeated class certification and thereafter resolved individual claims on a favorable basis.
- Lead counsel for international pharmaceutical company in successfully prosecuting claims against a Fortune 100 agricultural chemicals corporation for multi-million-dollar cleanup of former research facility. After two years of fact and expert discovery, achieved favorable settlement.
