Professional Experience
Dennis practices in the area of environmental law, advising clients on the environmental issues and aspects of real estate and business transactions and environmental liability under CERCLA and state law. He has been active in environmental law matters since 1979 and has had experience in handling a wide range of environmental litigation, including administrative and compliance matters in various states and USEPA regions as well as complex multi-party litigation. His extensive experience also includes business and commercial law and litigation, business torts, commercial fraud, employment, product liability, and insurance and reinsurance coverage law and litigation.
As a former executive vice president and general counsel to an NYSE company, Dennis has extensive experience in corporate and commercial practice from the perspective of both an in-house and outside counsel, including corporate finance and compliance, strategic planning, contract negotiation and drafting, labor and employment, risk management and products liability, patent and technology development and protection, electronic discovery and document retention, and litigation management.
Prior to joining Day Pitney, Dennis was a partner at an AmLaw 100 firm, where he was chair of the Environmental Practice Group and a member of the Electronic Discovery Team. His clients include Fortune 500 multinational corporations as well as privately held businesses. He has been given an "AV" Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell for legal ability and professional ethics. In 2005, 2006, and 2007, he was selected as a "New Jersey Super Lawyer" in the field of Business Litigation by the publishers of Law & Politics and New Jersey Monthly magazines and is also featured in The Super Lawyers 2008 Corporate Edition for Business Litigation. He is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honor society composed of less than one-half of 1% of American lawyers.
Representative Matters
· Common Counsel to a group of Fortune 50 PRP companies in one of the largest CERCLA urban waterway contaminated sediment sites in the U.S. Responsible for chairing the group steering, legal and third party practice committees, negotiation of the AOC and RIFS with the USEPA, management of PRP Group technical and consultant activities, advise on all legal issues, and conduct negotiations with third parties.
· Negotiated on behalf of an owner/operator client and obtained an eight-figure settlement from the prior owner/operator of a petroleum refinery operation for contribution toward environmental remediation costs as part of a Brownfield Redevelopment for recreational use of an 80-acre industrial tract adjacent to a major waterway.
· Obtained a $3.3 million judgment for environmental clean-up costs and interest on behalf of a developer client in a suit against a former property owner and manufacturer. The case was tried for six weeks in the Superior Court of New Jersey and the opinion and judgment were affirmed on all appeals.
· Representation of a Fortune 500 PRP at a complex CERCLA NPL listed urban waterway contaminated sediment site in New York impacted by industrial, commercial and governmental operations and activities for over 100 years.
· Representation of a client with respect to alleged waste disposal at and the investigation and development of remedial alternatives for remediation of a 240-acre Massachusetts site that was a former commercial manufacturing site and defense contractor for the production, testing, and disposal of military ordinance over an extended time period.
· Representation of a consumer products manufacturer and a pharmaceutical company in defense of New Jersey state law damage claims by a Township and Board of Education related to alleged environmental contamination emanating from a former municipal landfill.
· Regularly advise clients regarding remediation and spill reporting requirements under federal and state environmental statutes and regulations, oversight of environmental consultants, negotiation with environmental regulatory compliance agencies and performance of environmental due diligence relating to acquisitions of real property and commercial and industrial establishments.
· Obtained a seven-figure settlement, on behalf of a client in professional negligence action in State Court arising out of the negligent placement of London market insurance coverage with an undercapitalized company by an international brokerage firm and its London affiliate.
· Successfully prosecuted and defended commercial matters for clients including claims for breach of contract, injunctive relief, theft of trade secrets, employment matters, tortious interference, and breach of fiduciary duties.
News, Publications & Presentations
· Featured, "New Partners Yearbook," New Jersey Law Journal, March 12, 2012
· Co-author, "Supreme Court Ruling in Integrity is 'Absolute' for Reinsurers," The Insurance Coverage Law Bulletin, July 1, 2008
· Co-author, "Status of INBR Claims in Insurance Insolvencies Finally Resolved: N.J. Supreme Court Ruling in Integrity is 'Absolute' for Reinsurers," New Jersey Law Journal, June 9, 2008
· Speaker, "Electronic Evidence," MAPI Law and Compliance Councils, October 2005, November 2006
Professional Affiliations
· New Jersey State Bar Association
· Business Counsel, Inc., Board of Governors
· Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
Awards and Achievements
· Recognized as a New Jersey Super Lawyer, 2005, 2006, 2007
· Recognized as a Super Lawyer, Business Litigation Corporate Edition, 2008