Ira Gottlieb practices in the areas of environmental law, natural resource damages ("NRD"), insurance coverage on behalf of policyholders, commercial and intellectual property litigation. He is the Practice Group Leader of the firm's Environmental Practice Group. As described in Chambers USA 2010, Mr. Gottlieb is "one of the team's most strategic thinkers; not only can he develop a sound legal strategy, but he is skilled at assigning the most appropriate resources." Mr. Gottlieb brings together a wealth of experience from litigating and trying cases, and from his time with the EPA, to effectively assist clients with practical solutions to complex problems.
Mr. Gottlieb's environmental and NRD work involves large, multi-party Superfund sites, including urban watershed sites, located around the country. For example, Mr. Gottlieb takes a lead role on behalf of clients on a wide variety of issues involving Superfund and NRD matters concerning the Berry's Creek Study Area in New Jersey and the Portland Harbor Superfund site in Oregon, as well as at other Superfund sites.
Mr. Gottlieb's insurance coverage practice involves an array of litigation and counseling in multi-state environmental and toxic tort cases as well as for claims relating to products liability, business interruption, employers' liability, workers compensation issues, Directors and Officers and Errors and Omissions coverage.
Presently, Mr. Gottlieb is part of a litigation team pursuing insurers for recovery of damages to an oil platform in the North Sea. He is also lead trial counsel in a D&O coverage action seeking to recover losses arising from wrongful currency trading. Mr. Gottlieb's also litigates commercial and intellectual property cases concerning disputes ranging from failed transactions to real estate matters. In connection with intellectual property litigation, Mr. Gottlieb is involved in actions concerning flash memory technology including licensing disputes.
Prior to joining McCarter, Mr. Gottlieb served as an Assistant Regional Counsel for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region III. During his tenure with USEPA, Mr. Gottlieb worked with remedial project managers, on-scene coordinators and other agency staff, as well as the US Department of Justice, US Department of Interior, USACE and various state environmental protection agencies. He acted as lead counsel for USEPA on a number of substantial Superfund Sites, including serving as the lead attorney for USEPA, Region III, in US v. Occidental Chemical, 200 F.3d 143 (3d Cir. 1999), a landmark decision related to the validity of USEPA "Participate and Cooperate" UAOs under CERCLA § 106. While at USEPA, Mr. Gottlieb received the Federal Executive Board gold medal for Excellence in Government and a bronze medal in recognition of his outstanding public service and achievements.
Before joining USEPA, Mr. Gottlieb represented clients in numerous and varied types of litigation, trying several cases to verdict. He is a frequent speaker at conferences on various topics, and publishes articles and book chapters on a range of subjects, including Superfund and Natural Resource Damages, insurance for climate change liabilities and insurance for business interruption. From 2005-07, Mr. Gottlieb was Co-Chair of the Committee on Superfund and NRD Litigation of the ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources. He previously served as the Vice Chair of the Committee and as Editor of the Committee's Newsletter.
He has been recognized as a New Jersey Super Lawyer for 2006, 2008-2012 editions. He has also been recognized as a Chambers USA "Leaders in their Field" lawyer for 2009-2012.
Memberships & Affiliations
American Bar Association
International Association of Defense Counsel
Former Co-Chair of the Committee on Superfund and NRD Litigation of the ABA Section on the Environment, Energy and Resources (2005-2007)
Former Vice-Chair and Editor of the ABA SEER, NRD Litigation Committee's Newsletter
Member, New Jersey Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
Former member, New Jersey Supreme Court, District Ethics Committee, for Essex County, District V-B, Suburban Essex, 1997-1998
Board of Trustees, Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children
Representative Matters
Appalachian Insurance Co. v. General Electric Co., et al., Index No. 96-122807 (New York Supreme Court, New York).
NJDEP, et al. v. Lockheed Martin Corp., Docket No. L-2006-05 (Mercer County, NJ).
PNY Technologies, Inc. v. SanDisk Corp., (N.D. CA)
Sulzer Pumps (US) Inc. v. Pacific Indemnity Co, et al., Case No. 0812-17436 (Multnomah County, OR).
State of New York v. Boehringer Ingelheim Corp, et al., Case No. 01-CV-0668 (S.D. NY).
General Electric v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds, Docket No. L-88-6432 (Mercer County, NJ).
PNY Technologies, Inc. v. Twin City Fire Ins. Co., (D.NJ)
NJDEP v. Occidental Chemical Corp., et al., Docket No. L-9868-05 (PASR, NJ).
Lone Star Industries v. Liberty Mutual Ins., et al., Docket No. 09-2-25474-5 SEA (King County, WA).
NJDEP, et al. v. Arkema, Inc. and Honeywell International Inc., Docket No. L-600-06 (Monmouth County, NJ).
Morton International, Inc. v. A.E. Staley Mfgr. Co., et al., Case No. 96-3609 (NHP) (D. N.J.).
Pfizer Inc. v. Employers Ins. Co. of Wausau, et al., Docket No. C-108-92, (Middlesex County, New Jersey).
NJDEP, et al. v. General Electric, et al., Docket No. L-003338-07 (Camden County, NJ).
Underwriters Laboratories Inc. v. Travelers Property & Casualty Corp., et al, Case No. 03-CH-08558 (Cook County, IL).
News
03/22/12, Chambers USA 2012 Awards "Leading Lawyer" Rankings to 51 McCarter Lawyers
09/01/11, Sheri Pastor and Ira Gottlieb are quoted in Law360 Insurance Law article,"Tips For Recovering Business Loss Claims Post-Irene"
06/10/11, Chambers USA 2011 Awards "Leading Lawyer" Rankings to 42 McCarter Lawyers
03/26/10, 33 McCarter & English Lawyers Included in 2010 Chambers USA
03/22/10, 37 McCarter Attorneys Recognized As New Jersey Super Lawyers for 2010
03/31/09, 43 McCarter Attorneys Recognized As New Jersey Super Lawyers for 2009
03/13/09, Chambers USA 2009 Profiles 25 McCarter Lawyers
Speaking
07/12-13/12, NRD Claims Under the "Other" [Non-CERCLA] Statutes
Ira M. Gottlieb
Speaker, The Sixth Annual Advanced Conference on Litigating Natural Resource Damages, Santa Fe, New Mexico
1/26-27/12, Advanced Conference on Natural Resource Damages, New Approaches to Assessing, Prosecuting and Defending NRD Claims
Ira M. Gottlieb
Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC
12/14/11, Natural Resource Damage Litigation
Ira M. Gottlieb
Webinar Hosted by Lorman Education Services
12/8/11, Environmental Insurance Coverage: Latest Developments; Identifying Coverage in Existing Policies, Navigating Pollution and Owned Property Exclusions, and Determining Scope of Damages
Ira M. Gottlieb
Webinar Presented by Strafford Publications
9/15-16/11, "Groundwater Contamination and Vapor Intrusion Cases, Current Developments in Regulation and Litigation," Presentation on "Obtaining Insurance Coverage and Recovering Compensation for Groundwater Contamination"
Ira M. Gottlieb
Law Seminars International
07/14-15/11, New Developments and Best Strategies
Ira M. Gottlieb
The Fifth Annual Advanced Conference on Litigating Natural Resource Damages, Santa Fe, New Mexico
6/30/11, Supreme Court Spotlight on AEP v. Connecticut, The Future of Climate Change Cases, Injuries and Coverage
Ira M. Gottlieb
12/03/10, Anatomy of a Natural Resources Damage Claim webinar and audio conference
Ira M. Gottlieb
Conference Co-Chair and speaker on "Elements of NRD Claims & Basic Considerations"
11/15-16 /10, Moderated panel of in-house counsel discussing the topic of Managing Complex and NRD cases and speaker on Insurance Coverage for NRD Claims
Ira M. Gottlieb
Co-chair and Speaker, The Sixth Annual Advanced Conference on Natural Resource Damages: New Developments and Best Strategies, Newark, NJ
07/15-16/10, What's Next in NRD Assessments, Litigation and Settlement
Ira M. Gottlieb
Speaker, The Fourth Annual National Advanced Conference on Natural Resource Damages, Santa Fe, New Mexico
06/ 24-25/10, Natural Resource Damages, Remediation & Restoration Efforts -- Coordinated Efforts Between Responsible Parties, Local, State and Federal Trustees
Ira M. Gottlieb
Oil in the Gulf - Litigation & Insurance Coverage, Ritz Carlton Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia
11/19/09, In-House Perspectives on Managing Complex NRD Cases
Ira M. Gottlieb
Moderator, Law Seminars International, Fifth Annual Natural Resource Damages Conference, Newark, NJ
07/9-10/09, Natural Resource Damage Litigation, What's Next For NRD Litigation?
Ira M. Gottlieb
Presented by Law Seminars International, Santa Fe, New Mexico
04/30/09, New Jersey's Licensed Site Professional Program
Ira M. Gottlieb
McCarter & English, LLP Webinar, New Jersey Site Remediation Reform Act, A.2962, Newark, NJ
12/15/08, Natural Resource Damage Litigation
Ira M. Gottlieb
Live Teleconference, Presented by Lorman Education Services
11/20-28/08, Case Law Update and NRD Claims Around the Country
Ira M. Gottlieb
Fourth Annual Natural Resource Damages Litigation Conference, Co-chair and speaker, Presented by Law Seminars International
7/17-18/08, What's Next For NRD Litigation?
Ira M. Gottlieb
Natural Resource Damage Litigation, Presented by Law Seminars International, Santa Fe, New Mexico
11/29-30/07, Third Annual Natural Resource Damages Litigation Conference, Co-chair and speaker
Ira M. Gottlieb
Sponsored by Law Seminars International, Newark, NJ
07/16-17/07, What's Next For NRD Litigation?
Ira M. Gottlieb
Law Seminars International, Third Annual Advanced Conference on Natural Resource Damages Claims, Santa Fe, New Mexico
01/25-26/07, New NRD Claims: The Awakening of Previously Resolved Hazardous Substance Liability
Ira M. Gottlieb
2nd National Advanced Forum on Environmental Insurance Claims and Litigation, New York, NY
11/ 30/06, 12/01/06, Second Annual Natural Resource Damages Litigation Conference, Co-chair and speaker
Ira M. Gottlieb
Presented by Law Seminars International, Newark, NJ
02/15/06, The NRD Program in New Jersey
Ira M. Gottlieb
Natural Resource Damage Litigation, Presented by Law Seminars International, Seattle, WA
11/30/05, What Are Other States Doing
Ira M. Gottlieb
First Annual Natural Resource Litigation Conference, Co-chair and speaker, Presented by Law Seminars International, Newark, NJ
06/21/05, Indoor Mold: Construction, Health & Legal Issues (Insurance Coverage)
Ira M. Gottlieb
Presented by Cook College and the Society of Women Environmental Professionals, New Brunswick, NJ
04/21/05, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region III,
Ira M. Gottlieb
Environmental Coverage Insurance Seminar, Philadelphia, PA,
09/30/04, Managing Natural Resource Damage Risks
Ira M. Gottlieb
Presented by Marsh U.S.A., New Brunswick, NJ
05/27/04, 06/15/04, Natural Resource Damages, Natural Resource Restoration Projects in NJ and PA
Ira M. Gottlieb
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Seminar, Cook College, New Brunswick
10/30/02, Health Care Association of New Jersey 54th Annual State Health Care Convention
Ira M. Gottlieb
Atlantic City, New Jersey
05/22/02, P&C Insurance Rates Soar - An Industry and Legal Perspective
Ira M. Gottlieb
New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, Financial Managers Club Spring 2002 Lecture Series
05/14/02, Promoting Your Assisted Living Services While Managing Your Risks
Ira M. Gottlieb
Center for Health Care Education Seminar
05/12/02, Toxic Mold Issues: Myth or Reality
Ira M. Gottlieb
Seminar Presented by Marsh U.S.A., Philadelphia, PA
04/18/02, Current Financial Issues for Long Term Care Facilities
Ira M. Gottlieb
11/13/01, Mealey's National Mold Litigation Conference
Ira M. Gottlieb
West Palm Beach, FL
11/29/00, The Fungus Among Us: Toxic Mold Litigation
Ira M. Gottlieb
New Jersey Building Owners and Managers Association, Quarterly Meeting
Spring 2000, What Environmental Lawyers Should Know About Bankruptcy
Ira M. Gottlieb
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, Seminar
Winter/Spring 2000, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Regional Remedial Project Managers Conference
Ira M. Gottlieb
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pa
Winter/Spring 2000, Business Entities: Whom to Sue
Ira M. Gottlieb
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, Continuing Legal Education Course
Events
01/26-27/12, Advanced Conference on Natural Resource Damages, New Approaches to Assessing, Prosecuting and Defending NRD Claims
09/12/11, Hurricane Irene Webinar: Tips and Strategies for Submitting Claims & Maximizing Insurance Coverage for Property Damage, Business Interruption, and Pre-Storm Preventive Measures
06/30/11, Supreme Court Spotlight on AEP v. Connecticut, The Future of Climate Change Cases, Injuries and Coverage
11/15-11/16/10, The Sixth Annual Advanced Conference on Natural Resource Damages: New Developments and Best Strategies
06/24-06/25/10, Oil in the Gulf - Litigation & Insurance Coverage
07/17/08, Natural Resource Damages
05/24/05, Ira Gottlieb and Lanny Kurzweil were featured at the "Natural Resource Damages" Seminar
04/30/09, New Jersey's Licensed Site Professional Program
Publications
04/13/12, Law Schools Under Fire for False Advertising -- Insurance Cover for These Recent Lawsuits
M&E Insurance Coverage Alert
03/12/12, NJDEP to Issue Remedial Priority Scores for Contaminated Properties in New Jersey: Potential Issues and Consequences
Lanny S. Kurzweil and Timothy L. Borkowski
M&E Environmental Alert
08/12/11, Searching for Baseline
Ira M. Gottlieb and Cynthia S. Betz
ABA Section on Environment, Energy & Resources Committee on Superfund and Natural Resource Litigation Newsletter, Volume 6, No. 2
08/12/11, The First Steps in Evaluation of Groundwater Claims: The Search for Facts
Book chapter, Litigating Toxic Tort and Hazardous Waste Claims, 119 (Thomson Reuters/Aspatore Books, 2011)
04/01/11, Taking Cover When Disasters Far and Near Strike: Policyholders Should Look To Their Insurance Coverage
Sherilyn Pastor, Nicholas M. Insua and Ira M. Gottlieb
The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Hot Issue Alerts, Vol. 19, No. 4
03/23/11, Earthquakes, Floods, and Disasters Near and Far: Policyholders Should Look For Cover In The Coverage
LexisNexis 2011
09/24/09, Cooperative Assessment vs. Litigation of Natural Resource Damages Claims
Ira M. Gottlieb
ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources 17th Annual Section Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland
05/15/09, Anticipating Climate Change NRD Claims
J. Wylie Donald and Ira M. Gottlieb
Law360
05/01/09, A Practical Guide to Litigating Natural Resource Damages Claims, (book chapter), part of an ABA publication, entitled Environmental Litigation: Law and Strategy
Ira M. Gottlieb and Cynthia S. Betz
03/01/09, Natural Resource Damages for Climate Change - An Idea Whose Time Has Not Yet Come, Part II: Climate Change NRD Claims - Get Coverage
Environmental Claims Journal
11/10/08, Natural Resource Damages for Climate Change - An Idea Whose Time Is Not Yet Come, Part I: NRD Claims Are Not Currently Viable under CERCLA
J. Wylie Donald, Ira M. Gottlieb and Jameson A.L. Tweedie
Environmental Claims Journal
06/15/07, New Jersey Appellate Court Finds "Loss of Use" of Natural Resources Recoverable Under The New Jersey Spill Act
Lanny S. Kurzweil, Keith E. Lynott, Ira M. Gottlieb, Timothy L. Borkowski and Cynthia S. Betz
McCarter & English Alerts
06/01/06, An Overview of New Jersey's Natural Resource Damages Initiative
Ira M. Gottlieb and Cynthia S. Betz
NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGES & Environmental Claims Report
05/24/05, Natural Resource Damages Overview, Program Moderator
Ira M. Gottlieb
Presented by Cook College, New Brunswick, NJ
04/01/05, Insurance for Biotech Companies
Ira M. Gottlieb and Louis A. Chiafullo
BioPharm International
03/01/05, The March Hare, Mad Hatter and Alice Return to Superfund: The Implications of Cooper Industries Inc. v. Aviall Services Inc.
Ira M. Gottlieb
Trends, ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Newsletter
01/10/05, Firms with Anti-Terrorism Expenses May Be Overlooking Valuable Insurance Coverage
Ira M. Gottlieb
01/07/05, Landmark U.S. Supreme Court Superfund Decision Will Affect Insurance Claims: But The Question Is How And How Much?
Ira M. Gottlieb
LexisNexis MEALEY'S Emerging Toxic Torts
01/01/04, Chapter Section on Witness Preparation; Preparing Lawyers for Deposition and Trial Testimony
Ira M. Gottlieb
06/10/03, Recovery Of Natural Resource Damages Under Comprehensive General Liability Policies
Ira M. Gottlieb, Keith E. Lynott and Arnold L. Natali Jr., Kelly A. Williams
Mealey's Litigation Reports: Insurance, Vol. 17, No. 3 (June 10, 2003); Metropolitan Corporate Counsel (July 2003); ABA, Section on Environment, Energy & Resources, Committee on NRD Litigation Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 2 (August 2004).
12/01/02, An Overview Of The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act Of 2002
Sherilyn Pastor and Ira M. Gottlieb
Mealey's Litigation Reports: Insurance, Vol. 17, No. 7; (reprinted Mealey's Emerging Insurance Disputes, Vol. 7, No. 24; Mealey's Business Interruption: Insurance, Vol. 2, No. 1
11/01/02, Insurance Basics for Long Term Care Facilities
Ira M. Gottlieb
03/01/02, The Insurance Crisis for Long Term Care Facilities: Where To Go Next
Ira M. Gottlieb
Mealey's, Emerging Insurance Disputes
02/12/02, The Decline Of The So-Called 'Absolute' Pollution Exclusion
Ira M. Gottlieb
Mealey's Litigation Report, Vol. 16, #14
10/01/01, Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy Looks Back at Concerts, Songs and Unlikely Meetings of Politicians and Jerry Garcia
Ira M. Gottlieb
Relix.com
03/01/01, Builders, Subcontractors and Architects: Finding Insurance Coverage for Mold Litigation
Ira M. Gottlieb and Anthony Bartell