William S Hatfield

Practice Areas

Mr. Hatfield focuses his practice on environmental counseling in complex regulatory and litigation matters, strategic planning, permitting and compliance, defense of state and federal enforcement matters, environmental health and safety audits, and due diligence in acquisitions and divestitures. He represents clients in an array of environmental matters involving the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and the New Jersey Spill and Landfill Closure Acts. He works with environmental consultants and technical experts on the investigation and remediation of sediment sites and contaminated properties and has extensive experience helping clients navigate through complex disputes and transactions related to allocation of responsibility for cleanup and remedial activities. Mr. Hatfield has represented multiple parties in complicated hazardous waste site matters, and he sets strategy and leads the efforts in a number of joint defense groups. He has also represented clients in matters related to brownfields sites and redevelopment of underutilized and contaminated properties in several states.

In addition, Mr. Hatfield has extensive experience in environmental/permitting due diligence investigations for facilities and assists clients in determining the risks associated with acquiring assets and real property in New Jersey and New York. He has negotiated developer agreements and has assisted and advised clients in connection with environmental issues in contracts and leases related to remediation and permitting compliance issues.

As a lawyer with a master’s degree in the study of environmental law, Mr. Hatfield has considerable educational training and experience with environmental matters from both the technical and policy perspectives. He has significant litigation experience on complex environmental matters involving multiple parties and sites that have been impacted by different sources of contamination. He has trial experience in both the state and federal courts in New Jersey and has significant experience in alternative dispute resolution and negotiation of environmental liabilities among potentially responsible parties (PRPs).

Focus Areas

Environmental Litigation: The components of his practice include:

—Handling litigation arising from manufacturing facilities and hazardous waste sites; removal and response actions related to the release or threatened release of hazardous substances into the environment; defense of governmental enforcement proceedings concerning alleged permit and other violations, including all aspects of litigation, from drafting pleadings and developing case strategy to conducting discovery, and presenting oral argument at motion hearings, trial, and appeal.

—Serving as Liaison and Group Counsel for Potential Responsible Parties addressing hazardous waste sites and on landfill remediation projects.

—Negotiating settlement agreements between private parties and Consent Judgments, Administrative Consent Orders, and Consent Decrees with the governmental agencies.

Environmental Regulatory Compliance and Due Diligence: The components of his practice include:

—Coordinating and working with the client’s in-house environmental and technical personnel and outside environmental consultants on permitting and compliance matters, Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) audits of multiple facilities, and internal investigations.

—Working with client’s in-house environmental and technical personnel and outside environmental consultants on the investigation and remediation of contaminated sites.

—Assisting clients with strategic planning and facility expansion and production related issues.

—Teaming with clients on acquisition and divestiture of assets and properties and coordinates performance of due diligence investigations and negotiation of environmental liabilities in corporate transactions.

Honors & Awards

In addition to Chambers USA, Mr. Hatfield is listed in Best Lawyers® and New Jersey Super Lawyers for environmental law.