Daniel Leacox represents business clients in California government affairs concerning occupational health and safety, pesticide regulation, green chemistry, and Proposition 65. He represents many chemical, material, and product manufacturers in regulatory as well as legislative matters related to the health and safety issues presented by their products. He is part of Greenberg Traurig's consumer product compliance team. Areas of Concentration ˇ Government affairs
- Green chemistry
- Occupational safety and health
- Pesticide regulation
- Proposition 65
- Public records Significant Representations ˇ Helped an industry coalition defeat a high priority labor bill in a labor friendly legislature. Among other things, the bill would have removed stakeholder input from the process of setting occupational exposure limits. ˇ Represented clients on the Green Chemistry Coalition's Technical Committee with specific responsibility for analysis and advocacy regarding the regulation of chemicals in the workplace. ˇ Organized a California science conference on the use of mode of action data in regulatory risk assessments and California's green chemistry initiative; obtained industry sponsors; co-chaired the program committee consisting of OEHHA, industry, NGO and academia representatives. ˇ Registered over 30 antimicrobial consumer products with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for several clients; products included air, surface and water treatments; obtained expedited registration for several clients allowing them to meet distribution deadlines. ˇ Represented several industries in a two year advisory committee convened by California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health to develop new guidelines for setting occupational exposure limits. ˇ Represented chemical, material and product manufacturers in the California process for setting five contentious occupational exposure limits. ˇ Obtained over 200 permanent variances from Cal/OSHA rules. ˇ Worked with Cal/OSHA to reconsider chemical exposure limits already proposed to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board and to convene special committee's with industry representatives to reconsider the limits in light of economic impacts and feasibility, as well as scientific evidence; organized and represented the concerned industries in the special committees formed. ˇ Developed the Proposition 65 compliance program for a large manufacturer of nutrition supplements and delivered the program in written and oral presentations to company executives and technicians; evaluated the compliance of over 200 supplements subject to litigation; using confidentiality agreements, acquired the proprietary data needed from suppliers and competitors; researched the origins of certain raw materials; gathered proprietary data from mining companies and manufacturers worldwide in a very competitive environment. ˇ Negotiated with the Department of Pesticide Regulation to settle charges and penalties for selling an unregistered pesticide in California; convinced the Department to lower its penalty demand three times. Eventually, the Department gave up the action without citation or penalties. ˇ Managed the permit process for a new pyrotechnics assembly plant in the protected habitat of California's desert tortoise; worked with federal, state and local agencies to satisfy the Conditional Use Permit; when the project stumbled because the builder couldn't provide satisfactory plans, developed the design specifications needed by architects unfamiliar with the industry; accounted for production flows and capacity needs that changed dramatically throughout the year; created the industry's first conversion chart between the weights in explosive regulations, the dimensions in building codes and the pieces in production records. ˇ Developed and advocated the analytical method eventually used by the Public Utilities Commission to evaluate the role of metallic balloons in power outages across California. The Legislature ordered this study when public utilities tried to get metallic balloons banned in California. The choice of analytical method was key to the outcome. ˇ Conducted performance audits for two clients with large state contracts, one with the California Department of Health Services and the other with the California Department of Education; established the factual basis for combating state audit findings and preliminary decisions to cancel further contracts. ˇ Researched the California government market for prefabricated structures including portable classrooms, highway sound walls and detention facilities; analyzed dollar potentials, design approvals, and purchasing procedures; identified the decision-makers and how to reach them; in several cases, made the initial contact with state officials. Articles, Publications, & Lectures Publications ˇ The Destiny of Freedom, A Manual for the American Citizen; Daniel co-authored a book demonstrating the practical importance of personal freedom and the many ways an average citizen can influence government. The Destiny of Freedom was endorsed by, among others, Stephen Moore, then the Financial Policy Director of The CATO Institute. Articles ˇ Author, "California Not the Same as OSHA on Defination of a Serious Health & Safety Violation," GT Alert, October 2010 ˇ Co-Author, "Parting Gifts from the Governator - California's Significant New Employment Laws," GT Alert, October 2010 ˇ Co-Author, "Your Shoes Could be a Pesticide," GT Alert, October 2009 ˇ Author, "Permissible Exposure Limits: What are your Priorities?," GT Sacramento Newsletter, February 2008 ˇ Author, "Report on California Permissible Exposure Limits," GT Sacramento Newsletter, April 2007 ˇ Author, "Permissible Exposure Limits (PELS) in California," GT Sacramento Newsletter, July 2006 ˇ Author, "The Future of FRP Composites in California's Transportation Infrastructure," Composites Manufacturing Magazine, January 2006 ˇ Author, "The Crucible of Heat Illness Prevention," Livingston & Mattesich Newsletter, September 2005 ˇ Author, DOSH Reviewing Worker Safety Rules," Livingston & Mattesich Newsletter, June 2005 |