Blank Rome LLP

Environmental Litigation Practice Group Leader

Margaret Hill leads Blank Rome’s Environmental Litigation practice and has more than 25 years of experience representing clients in all aspects of state and federal environmental law. Ms. Hill represents and counsels a broad range of clients in a wide array of industries including oil and gas, chemical and pharmaceutical companies, corporate and banking clients, cities and municipalities, mining companies, and developers. Ms. Hill assists clients with navigating the complexities of their business in the following areas:

• environmental compliance—assessments, permits, audits, and the due diligence process
• civil and criminal enforcement actions under CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and TSCA and state law equivalents
• litigation of complex issues involving private cost recovery and cleanup cost allocation
• corporate internal investigations to identify and abate potential violations of environmental laws
• leveraged lease transactions, leveraged buy-outs, and strategic investments of industrial and commercial properties
• assets and stock acquisitions, including multi-facility industrial and commercial companies
• credit agreements, secured financings, and project finance deals
• brownfields redevelopment including land use issues involving land restrictions and controls, and the ownership and use of riparian rights

Ms. Hill has authored numerous articles in the area of environmental law and has given several presentations to clients and peers involving environmental laws and issues.

Ms. Hill has federal appellate experience and has also engaged in legislative efforts as a registered lobbyist on behalf of clients before the United States Congress. Prior to entering private practice, she was employed by the Department of Justice as a trial attorney in the Environment and Natural Resource Division.  Ms. Hill also worked for Gulf Oil Corporation as a Policy Advisor to the Gulf oil Exploration and Production Company and the Gulf Oil Mineral Resources Company. 

Ms. Hill serves as the Chairperson of Blank Rome’s Shale Development Industry Group.

Ms. Hill has received the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Representation of pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers, as well as private equity investors and hedge funds, in transactions involving chemical companies, mining operations, shipyards, etc. in which environmental risks and liabilities were critical to the structure of the transaction and investment analysis, as well as stockholder approvals
• Representation of a large government defense contractor in a RCRA enforcement proceeding, representation of a large chemical manufacturer in a multi-media enforcement inquiry, representation of a marine transportation company in a Clean Air Act enforcement proceeding, representation of a private healthcare company in a Clean Air Act asbestos enforcement matter, and representation of a shipyard owner in a EPCRA enforcement proceeding
• Representation of casino owners and private developers in the development and/or expansion of commercial and residential projects requiring approvals and permits for redevelopment of contaminated properties and permits for state and federal wetlands, landfill closures, erosion and sedimentation plans, and historically designated properties
• Representation of public and private entities in multi-party state and federal litigation involving cost-recovery and indemnity claims as well as contribution claims for contamination and remediation being conducted under Superfund and RCRA, as well as similar state laws
• Representation of casino developers in connection with the redevelopment of contaminated property adjacent to riverfront property and evaluation of riparian land issues