Margaret Anne Hill

Margaret Anne Hill
Partner
Environmental

Biography

Margaret Hill has been practicing environmental law for more than 40 years. She is a member of Blank Rome’s Energy and Environmental Practice Group and Co-Chairs the Firm’s Energy Industry Team. Peg has experience in all aspects of Environmental law, including transactional work, Litigation, Compliance counseling, state and federal enforcement actions, internal investigations, and has also defended numerous OSHA enforcement actions. Her experience is nationwide as she has worked with all EPA regional offices and has defended clients in most of our 50 states with the respective state agencies.

Peg practiced as a Trial Attorney in the Environmental and Natural Resources Division at the US Department of Justice and also worked for a large energy company (former Gulf Oil Corporation) as a Policy Advisor with respect to exploration and production issues. Peg was also a lobbyist before the U.S. Congress to enact legislation for clients when litigation or administrative solutions would not provide the appropriate resolution.

 

Peg's primary focus has been in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and energy industries. Her experience includes:

  • Federal appellate court arguments
  • Complex environmental enforcement defense actions
  • Corporate internal investigations related to environmental law violations
  • Defense in cleanup and remedial actions
  • Managing environmental due diligence and negotiations in transactions
  • Environmental counseling for a multitude of companies and institutions on day-to-day business matters

Peg assists clients with navigating the complexities of their business in the following areas:

  • Manage and conduct environmental compliance audits and assessments assist in permit applications and appeals
  • Resolution of EPA and state civil and criminal enforcement actions involving requests for injunctive relief and penalties under the major Federal and State environmental statutes including CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, NEPA, and TSCA and state law equivalents
  • Defense of and legal management of Federal Superfund and state cleanup sites with EPA, state agencies and private parties 
  • Conduct corporate internal investigations to identify and abate potential violations of environmental laws and negotiate with Federal and State agencies as to favorable resolutions
  • Representation of pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers, as well as private equity investors, hedge funds, and lenders in transactions involving chemical companies, mining operations, manufacturing facilities, shipyards, etc., in which environmental risks and liabilities are critical to the structure of the transaction and investment analysis, as well as stockholder approvals
  • Redevelopment of brownfields and negotiation with local, state and federal agencies as may be required regarding land use issues involving activity restrictions and controls, and the ownership and use of riparian rights approvals and no further action letters

Peg is a member of the Environmental Law Institute’s Leadership Team and has been selected in Best Lawyers for environmental Law for many years. She has authored numerous articles in the area of energy and environmental law and has given several presentations to clients and peers involving energy and environmental laws and issues. She leads and coordinates the firm's Annual Energy Industry Update event in Pittsburgh.

News & Views

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Recognitions

  • 2018–2026, Litigation - Environmental, Philadelphia, listed in Best Lawyers in America©
  • 2020 and 2022, listed in Euromoney’s Women in Business Law Expert Guides
  • 2019, “Influential Woman in Energy Law,” listed by Law360

Affiliations

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Bar Association of the District of Columbia
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
Professional Activities

In 2020, Peg was selected to join the Environmental Law Institute (“ELI”) Leadership Council, which is comprised of the most prominent environment, energy, and natural resource leaders in the nation who are recognized for their commitment of resources and time to ELI’s vision of a healthy environment, prosperous economies, and vibrant communities founded on the rule of law.

Peg was elected to serve on the 2024 Law360 Environmental Editorial Advisory Board.

Credentials

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. District Court - District of Columbia
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of Pennsylvania
  • United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Education

  • West Chester University, BA, cum laude
  • Duquesne University School of Law, JD
  • Northeastern University, MA, magna cum laude

A description of the standard or methodology on which the accolades are based can be found here.

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