Catherine has more than 20 years of experience as an environmental lawyer. Her practice includes remediation and development of contaminated properties, brownfields, due diligence, reporting requirements, hazardous waste, post-closure uses of landfills, Proposition 65, OSHA appeals, asbestos issues, air permits, mold-related matters and cleanup cost recovery.
Catherine's clients include homebuilders, REITs, public agencies, agricultural cooperatives, scrap metal recycling facilities, international manufacturers, retail and commercial property owners and a national recreational vehicle rental company.
Representative Work
Remediation and development of contaminated properties into single and multi-family housing projects
Securing insurance defense costs for a dry cleaner sued for cleanup
Advising clients on environmental accounting matters, including FIN 47
Securing Coastal Commission approval of an affordable housing project
Publications
"Managing Soil Vapor Intrusion Risks," Real Estate Alert (May 2012)
"Contaminated Property and Insolvency: Who Pays When Responsible Parties File for Bankruptcy?" California Real Estate Journal (September 2009)
"Update: Tenant Liability Under CERCLA," State Bar of California, Real Property Section E-Bulletin (July 2009)
"Costly Cleaning," co-author, San Francisco and Los Angeles Daily Journals (September 2007)
"New Standards for Environmental Due Diligence," California Environmental Insider (August 2006)
"Firms Must Be Mindful of Assets' Environmental Obligations," San Francisco and Los Angeles Daily Journals (May 2006)
"Property Purchasers Must Heed New Standards for Environmental Due Diligence," East Bay Business Times (March 2006)
"Counsel Must Advise Potential Buyers About New CERCLA Liability Defenses," San Francisco and Los Angeles Daily Journals (November 2002)
"Recent Superfund Amendments: New Defenses to CERCLA Liability and New Standards for Pre-Acquisition Environmental Due Diligence," co-author, California Real Property Journal (Fall 2002)
"Dirty Land, New Laws Will Promote Remediations of Brownfields," San Francisco and Los Angeles Daily Journals (November 2001)
"New Regulations for Prop 65 Disclosures," Prop 65 News (July 2000)
"Evil Additive: State Board Releases Draft MTBE Guidelines," San Francisco and Los Angeles Daily Journals (May 2000)
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Presentations
"Environmental Issues Affecting Real Property in Bankruptcy," 2011 State Bar Annual Meeting (September 17, 2011)
"Contaminated Property in Financial Distress - Who is Left Holding the Bag in a Down Economy?," panelist, Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP (May 2009)
"Contaminated Property: Insolvency, Bankruptcy, and Lender Liability Issues," panelist, Bar Association of San Francisco (March 2009)
"New ASTM Standards for Environmental Due Diligence: All Appropriate Inquiry for Indoor Air Intrusion, and Mold Surveys," panelist, Annual Meeting of the California Bar Association (September 2008)
"Environmental Enforcement 2008: Spills, Leaks and Discharges," panelist, Bar Association of San Francisco (June 2008)
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Honors
Northern California Super Lawyers, Environmental Law (2004-2007)