Paul C. Dritsas | McCarter & English, LLP

Armed with more than 30 years’ of experience in the practice of environmental law and a pragmatic and creative approach to problem solving, Paul Dritsas counsels clients regarding the environmental aspects of real estate and corporate transactions, the applicability of and compliance with New Jersey and federal site remediation requirements, including New Jersey’s unique Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA), regulatory and permit compliance, and the investigation, remediation and redevelopment of contaminated properties.

Major companies, real estate investment trusts, and financial institutions (among other clients) enlist Paul to handle environmental due diligence investigations, including Phase I and Phase II site assessments and compliance audits, in support of transactions involving U.S. and international facilities. They retain Paul to identify and evaluate environmental contingent liabilities and prepare and negotiate purchase and sale agreements, including environmental indemnification agreements.

Paul has substantial experience with handling environmental issues associated with the purchase, sale, or disposition of brownfield properties. This work includes providing audits and due diligence; preparing and negotiating acquisition, leasing and financing agreements; resolving site remediation and environmental insurance issues; and counseling clients concerning the redevelopment and reuse of such properties.

With knowledge and insights gained by decades of hands-on experience, he assists clients in successfully navigating burdensome requirements and securing regulatory closure from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection of contaminated sites under ISRA, the Brownfield and Contaminated Sites Remediation Act (BCSRA), the Underground Storage of Hazardous Substances Act (UST Act), and the Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA). He has counseled numerous companies regarding ISRA applicability determinations and in formulating and implementing ISRA, BCSRA, UST Act and SRRA compliance programs, including negotiating Licensed Site Remediation Professional agreements. He helps major companies structure and perform environmental audits and negotiates and secures environmental permits from environmental agencies.

Represented a global leader in commercial real estate services and investment in a joint venture with a privately held insurance and financial services holding company for the recent acquisition of a 140,000-square-foot warehouse in the Northeast, with a goal to reposition the asset and lease the warehouse. The transaction involved, among other things, negotiations for the continued environmental remediation and resolution of issues with respect to zoning compliance.

Represented Cream-O-Land Dairies, LLC in, and handled all due diligence and contact negotiations respecting environmental matters related to, the acquisition of the business and assets of Clover Farms Dairy of Reading, PA, a producer of dairy and tea products sold throughout Eastern Pennsylvania under the Clover Farms and Icy Tea labels. We also handled the acquisition financing consisting of mortgage loans from a global financial company and a revolving line of credit from a regional bank.

Represented privately owned commercial real estate investor, owner, and operator The Birch Group in acquiring an 80-unit apartment complex for $42.85 million.

Represented LaRose Industries, LLC, d/b/a Cra-Z-Art, a prime manufacturer and global leader in classic toy, arts and crafts kits, puzzles, and school supplies, in the acquisition of the Arts, Crafts, Stationery (AST) business from Mattel.

Assisted a French specialty chemical company in acquiring the stock of a pesticide and insecticide formulation company with facilities in New Jersey and New York. We handled post-acquisition regulatory compliance and site remediation matters at the newly acquired facilities.

Represent a leading real estate development company with respect to all environmental matters arising from the acquisition and subsequent redevelopment of a 250-acre former chemical manufacturing site. Our work at this brownfield site, which now boasts five new state-of–the-art industrial logistics buildings, has included handling environmental due diligence review and negotiation of environmental terms of sale and site remediation compliance issues arising from the post-acquisition subdivision and redevelopment of this former industrial tract. We also have reviewed and drafted terms for new environmental insurance coverage and for the assignment of, or rights under, certain existing environmental insurance policies.

Represented a California biotech company in acquiring the stock of a resins manufacturing company with facilities in Linden, New Jersey. Our subsequent representation of this biotech company included the divestiture of the resins manufacturing business to a major chemical company and the handling of ISRA proceedings related to the Linden facilities.

Represent a pool parts manufacturer concerning the environmental aspects of numerous transactional matters throughout the United States and abroad. These matters have included acquisitions of pool and spa equipment manufacturers, a circulation systems manufacturer and automatic pool chemical distribution software company, the divestiture of a former manufacturing plant in California, and the leasing of a new corporate headquarters. The representation also has included counseling with respect to remediation and redevelopment of legacy manufacturing facilities in New Jersey.

Advising a publicly traded international metals mining company in connection with the remediation and redevelopment of a large former copper smelting facility. Our work includes handling the defense and settlement of a threatened Resource Conservation and Recovery Act claim and the defense of a class action toxic tort lawsuit; assisting the client in addressing regulatory requirements for the on-site and off-site investigation and remediation of legacy contamination issues, including in residential areas in the surrounding community and in certain tidal wetlands and surface water bodies; and addressing regulatory issues arising from the divestiture and redevelopment of the property.

Represent a commercial rail transport company in environmental matters associated with the redevelopment of environmentally impacted property located in northern New Jersey, for critical commercial rail transportation purposes. Our representation includes overseeing and resolving legal issues related to the remediation of the property in advance of redevelopment and counseling concerning site remediation cost allocation matters.

Advise a multinational infrastructure construction company on the investigation and remediation of soil and groundwater contamination at, and emanating from, a legacy site in New Jersey. The representation includes interfacing with a licensed site remediation professional, resolving issues associated with the investigation and remediation of substantial groundwater plume and vapor intrusion issues, negotiating off-site access agreements, and assisting the client with recoupment of site remediation costs under an existing settlement agreement with a major insurance carrier.

Represented an international chemical processing company in the phased sale of its former fluoropolymer manufacturing facility for redevelopment. The first phase involved the sale of a heavily contaminated portion of the property, which had historically been used as a large petroleum storage facility, for re-use as a retail shopping center. The second phase involved the sale of a formerly active portion of the company’s manufacturing plant for warehouse use by a specialty foods company.

Represented a real estate investment trust in its acquisition and redevelopment—with its joint venture partner—of a former ship demolition and salvaging facility bordering the Delaware River. The representation included conducting an environmental due diligence investigation; evaluating site remediation status; and counseling regarding brownfield redevelopment, remediation reimbursement, and available brownfield grant and loan options.

Represented a major Japanese specialty glass manufacturer as special environmental counsel in acquiring a fluoropolymer manufacturing business with facilities in Bayonne, New Jersey; Thorndale, Pennsylvania; and Great Britain.

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