Our people

Dave’s practice focuses on environmental matters, including regulatory and compliance counseling under domestic air, waste and chemicals laws and regulations.  He also litigates environmental matters, especially CERCLA, and supports corporate and real estate transactions. In addition, Dave advises clients on matters of international environmental law and policy, including European Union’s REACH Regulation and the RoHS and WEEE Directives.

Dave joined Reed Smith from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of General Counsel, where he counseled EPA on the regulation of chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act and global environmental agreements, including issues related to persistent organic pollutants and nanotechnology. In addition, he counseled EPA on rulemaking activities under several statutes, including the Clean Air Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. He also served as EPA’s lead counsel and the government’s domestic environmental law expert in free trade agreement negotiations with South Korea, Thailand, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.  Additionally, Dave represented EPA on the U.S. delegation to the World Trade Organization’s Committee on Trade and Environment, as the committee negotiated tariff reductions of environmental goods and services.

Prior to joining EPA, Dave was in private practice at an environmental law firm in Washington, D.C., and his practice was split between environmental counseling, with a focus on international matters, and litigation. For example, among other environmental matters, he advised the North American airline industry on greenhouse gas emissions trading, the Kyoto Protocol and other energy-related developments. Further, he advised multinational corporations and trade associations on existing and future obligations related to regional environmental legislation in the European Union (e.g., REACH, RoHS, and WEEE) and global environmental agreements, with a particular emphasis on waste recycling, chemicals, and electronics products. He also had the unique opportunity to co-chair a pro bono environmental law team that drafted Afghanistan’s domestic environmental and natural resources framework law.

Publications

• “EU Ban on DECA-BDE May Have Wide Effects,” Law360 (Nov. 4, 2008)
• "The Responsible Corporate Officer Doctrine and its Possible Use in Environmental Civil Law Violations," 2 Eco-Notes: Environmental Law & Policy 8 (1996)

Speeches / Presentations

• Environmental Law Institute, "Nanotechnology: Regulatory and Litigation Update," Washington, D.C. (July 22, 2008)
• "Environmental Policy and Politics Course," as Adjunct Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Law (Spring 2008 and Spring 2007)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Training Course, "Role of Science in Environmental Law and Public Participation in Environmental Law," Muscat, Oman (Jan. 27-28, 2008) and Manama, Bahrain (Jan. 30-31, 2008)
• "International Environmental Law Course," as Adjunct Professor, University of Maryland School of Law, Baltimore (Spring 2006)
• ALI-ABA’s Environmental Law Conference, "Recent Developments in International Environmental Law," Washington, D.C. (Feb. 9, 2006)
• American Bar Association, "Global, Regional and National Chemicals Regulation," Washington, D.C. (June 16, 2005)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Training Course, "Principles of Environmental Law and Enforcement," Manama, Bahrain (May 15-18, 2005)

Experience

Legal Education

Graduate Education

Undergraduate Education

Professional Admissions / Qualifications

• District of Columbia
• Maryland
• Pennsylvania

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• District of Columbia Bar Association
• Maryland Bar Association