Peter L. Gray
FAX: 202.496.7756
Experience
Peter L. Gray serves as National Chair of the firm’s Environment, Energy and Product Regulation Department. Since joining the firm in 1985, he has worked on a broad range of environmental matters, including disputes over responsibility for cleanup of contaminated property, challenges to state and federal environmental regulations, enforcement cases involving hazardous materials, arbitration in data compensation claims involving pesticide data submissions, and climate change planning and advocacy.
In addition to his environmental litigation practice, Mr. Gray has a diverse Washington, DC-based regulatory practice in which he regularly represents clients before numerous federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation, and counsels clients on hazardous materials management, release reporting requirements and climate change.
Notable Engagements
- National coordinating counsel for multinational munitions company on Superfund litigation. In this capacity, Mr. Gray has orchestrated the company's defense of dozens of federal and private cost recovery cases filed against the company in connection with cleanup of contamination linked to a pesticide which the company sold in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Represented Fortune 500 Company in Natural Resource Damage action filed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. (NJDEP v. 3M et al.).
- Defended numerous Fortune 500 and multinational corporations in enforcement actions brought by state agencies and EPA under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ("RCRA").
- Represented numerous companies in enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act.
Education
- J.D., The George Washington University Law School, 1985
- M.S., The George Washington University, 1982
- B.S., University of Maryland, 1979
Admitted
- District of Columbia
- Pennsylvania
Publications:
- "Climate Change Suits against Fossil Fuel Power: Will They Get Hotter or Colder?," Bloomberg Corporate Law Journal, (Summer 2008), co-authored with J. Benjamin Winburn.
- "Climate Change Tort Suits: Hot or Cold?," Washington Legal Foundation, (June 2008), co-authored with J. Benjamin Winburn.
- "Carbon Accounting: A Practical Guide for Lawyers," Natural Resources & Environment, (Winter 2008), co-authored with Geraldine E. Edens.
- "The SEC Is Getting Hot And Bothered Over Climate Change," Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, (January 2008).
- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund) Manual, American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, (2008), co-authored with Carole Stern.
Seminars and Presentations:
- "Carbon Developments in the United States," USGBC Capital Chapter Carbon Workshop, (June 2008).
- "Preemption Issues for Federal & State Climate Change Schemes," Climate Change Legislation: Risk & Opportunities, (May 2008).
- "US Climate Policy Developments," Annual meeting of the National Recycling Coalition, (September 2007).
Civic Activities:
- Board of Directors, Montgomery County Revenue Authority (Maryland)
Professional Activities:
- Founder / Board of Directors, Association of Climate Change Officers
- Chair, Environmental Litigation and Toxic Tort Committee, ABA Section on Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER)
- Board of Advisors, Chemical Waste Litigation Reporter