Tom blends his environmental sciences background with an expansive understanding of environmental laws to tenaciously protect the rights of his clients. Capitalizing on his deep understanding of wetlands, water, and wildlife law, Tom routinely advises energy and other project developers, investors, and other clients on environmental permitting and transactional due diligence to identify and manage environmental risks, including evaluating compliance, drafting purchase agreements, and negotiating with governmental agencies and private parties. He regularly performs due diligence reviews for wind, solar, and hydro generation asset portfolios and advises clients about the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (NYSDEC) wetland and wildlife requirements. Tom adeptly distills complex environmental legal requirements into workable solutions for his clients.
Tom utilizes his wildlife law experience, combined with a passion for the outdoors, to assist museums, galleries, educational institutions, importers, hunters, and other businesses and individuals with navigating the complexities of obtaining, importing, maintaining, selling, and donating wildlife trophies, specimens, and collections. He often helps clients who are acquiring wildlife, and when wildlife is seized, Tom has submitted petitions for remission and successfully negotiated with the US Fish and Wildlife Service for its return.
Tom also focuses on protecting clients facing enforcement actions or litigation, using his significant environmental experience to advise clients on compliance matters, discuss and negotiate civil and criminal penalties with the NYSDEC and other environmental agencies, cross-collaborate with the firm’s litigators on case strategy, and prepare persuasive arguments concerning environmental claims and defenses. He routinely advises clients on compliance and enforcement matters involving petroleum bulk storage and the Clean Water Act and has defended clients in numerous CERCLA cases, many of which were settled without litigation or successfully dismissed.