Professional Experience Rene Alejandro Ortega is counsel in the Real Estate, Environmental, and Land Use department. Rene assists clients in matters involving complex land use, zoning, and environmental permitting and regulatory compliance issues. He also represents clients in matters concerning regulatory enforcement, environmental cost recovery, toxic tort, and land use litigation. Representative Matters · Assessment of potential liability for national client at various Superfund sites located across the country · Defense of property damage claims against multinational client from operations at former manufacturing facility · Advised on development of compliance program to manage electronic waste under RCRA · Defense of contract and bad-faith claims against national insurer · Environmental due diligence for various transactional matters · Assistance with local, state, and national permitting and compliance for local, regional, and national clients · Defense of DEP enforcement actions News, Publications & Presentations · Co-author, "Federal Preemption in the Environmental Law Context," Connecticut Lawyer, January 2012 · Featured, "Fifty Day Pitney Attorneys Recognized as Super Lawyers," Day Pitney Press Release, October 24, 2011 · Co-author, "EPA Proposes New Rule for Cooling Water Intake Structures at Existing Facilities," Day Pitney Alert, March 31, 2011 · Featured, "Fifty-seven Day Pitney Attorneys Recognized as Super Lawyers; Six Additional Lawyers Recognized as 'Rising Stars'," Day Pitney Press Release, November 12, 2010 · Co-author, "Moving Closer to Greenhouse Gas Regulation: EPA Finds GHGs Threaten Public Health and Welfare," Day Pitney Alert, December 11, 2009 · Co-author, "Federal District Courts Begin to Apply the Lessons of Burlington but Questions Remain Unanswered," Connecticut Lawyer, November 2009 · Co-author, "Connecticut DEP Proposes New Stream Flow Regulations Applicable to All Rivers and Streams," Day Pitney Alert, October 21, 2009 · Co-author, "Second Circuit Affirms District Court Rejecting RCRA and Clean Water Act Claims at Shooting Range Site in a Case of First Impression," Day Pitney Alert, September 2, 2009 · Featured, "Minorities & the Law 'High Achievers,'" Connecticut Law Tribune, August 31, 2009 · Featured, "Two Associates Elected to Leadership Positions at the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association," Day Pitney Press Release, May 6, 2009 · Co-author, "Supreme Court Rules That EPA Permissibly Used Cost-Benefit Analysis In Its Section 316(b) Rulemaking Under The Clean Water Act," Day Pitney Alert, April 1, 2009 · Co-author, "Supreme Court Confirms Decades-Old Purpose of Pillar of Environmental Law," Connecticut Lawyer, February 2008 · Co-author, "The Application of Daubert in Environmental Cost Recovery and Toxic Tort Cases," Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts Committee Newsletter Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, American Bar Association, December 2007 · Co-author, "Facilities that Possess or Plan to Possess Certain Chemicals Must Comply with Department of Homeland Security," Day Pitney Alert, July 31, 2007 · Co-author, "EPA Formally Suspends Clean Water Act §316 (b) Phase II Rule," Day Pitney Alert, July 12, 2007 · Co-author, "U.S. Supreme Court Rules That PRPs Can Seek Cost Recovery Under CERCLA," Day Pitney Alert, June 19, 2007 · Co-author, "Supreme Court Clean Air Act Decisions Pose Challenges to EPA and Industry," Day Pitney Alert, April 17, 2007 · Co-author, "Second Circuit Decision Leaves EPA's Clean Water Act § 316(b) Phase II Rule for Cooling Water Intake Structures in Doubt," Day Pitney Alert, January 30, 2007 · "A Split in the Circuits Will Force the Supreme Court to Decide Whether PRPs Have Additional Remedies Under CERCLA," Environmental Commentary, Andrews Litigation Reporter, Vol. 27, Issue 12, January 10, 2007 · Co-author, "Second Circuit Holds That A Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) May Pursue A Cost Recovery Claim Against Other PRPs," DBH Alert, September 16, 2005 · Author, "EPA Issues Correction Along With Sample Hazardous Waste Manifest Form," DBH Alert, July 13, 2005 · Co-author, "Environmental & Land Use Outlook," DBH Outlook, Spring 2005 · Co-author, "EPA Issues Final Rule on Changes to Hazardous Waste Manifest System," DBH Alert, March 14, 2005 · Co-author, "Cooling Water Intake Requirements For Existing Power Plants Issued By EPA," DBH Alert, September 1, 2004 · Co-author, "Environmental & Land Use Outlook," DBH Outlook, Summer 2004 · Co-author, "Obstacles Exist To Grid Upgrading," The National Law Journal, March 15, 2004 Professional Affiliations · Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association, president · Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity, Associates Advisory Committee, chair · American Bar Association, Environment, Energy and Resources Section, member · New York State Bar Association, Environmental Section, member · Connecticut Bar Association, Environmental Section, executive committee, member; programs committee, co-chair Outside Interests · Town of Wethersfield Economic Development and Improvement Commission, member · Greater Hartford Legal Aid, board of directors Awards and Achievements · Recognized by the Connecticut Law Tribune in the "Minorities and the Law: High Achievers" special section, 2009 · Named to Hartford Business Journal's "40 Under 40" list, 2010 · Recognized as a Connecticut Super Lawyers "Rising Star," 2011-2011/2012 Firm Committees and Responsibilities · Hiring Committee · Diversity Committee, Former Member |