Michael assists clients in the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites, and to navigate regulatory and compliance challenges related to their environmental stewardship.
He focuses on state and federal laws and regulations regarding hazardous and toxic waste contamination, site remediation, and cost recovery under CERCLA and the Massachusetts counterpart, the Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Material Release Prevention and Response Act (ch. 21E), where he represents both private parties and municipalities. In particular, his experience representing PRP groups in CERCLA matters helped recover significant funds for site remediation. He also represents landfill operators, defending against Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act claims, and state nuisance and trespass claims.
In addition to his hazardous waste and contamination practice, Michael also has experience in multi-state insurance coverage disputes and Massachusetts land use law.
During law school, Michael worked at Vermont Law School’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic assisting in complex federal environmental litigation involving the applicability of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to the capacity increase of an oil pipeline that crossed international borders. He also interned at the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, where he helped write several Agency decisions under Vermont’s Use of Public Waters Rules.
Prior to law school—in his role as a wildlife technician in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana and Muhlenberg County, Kentucky—Michael used radio telemetry to track the movement and habitat selection of several species of bird.
