Brendan K. Collins is Practice Leader of the firm's Manufacturing Group. He is an environmental lawyer who devotes his practice primarily to clients in the electric power sector and the oil and gas industry. He has litigated civil, criminal and administrative matters in numerous state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. He advises clients on permitting issues and regulatory matters, as well as government and regulatory affairs, where he counsels clients on current regulations, prepares comments on proposed regulations and, where necessary, litigates regulatory challenges in the appellate courts.

Brendan represents developers of both conventional and renewable energy generation facilities in permit challenges and other litigation and defends owners of existing facilities against government investigations, enforcement actions, citizen suits, and toxic tort claims. He has also litigated matters involving underground storage tanks and hazardous materials transportation. Outside the energy sector, his clients include manufacturers, real estate developers, hospitals and universities.

Noteworthy Litigation

• Environmental Protection Agency, et al. v. EME Homer City Generation L.P., et al., No. 12–1182 (Sup. Ct., decided April 29, 2014)
• White Stallion Energy Center, LLC, et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1100 (D.C. Cir., decided April 15, 2014)
• American Nurses Association, et al. v. Jackson, et al., Civil No. 1:08-CV-02198 (D.D.C. 2012) 
• Sierra Club v. Wellington Development – WVDT, LLC, 67 E.R.C. 1618, 2008 WL 2048332 (W.D. Pa. 2008) 
• Groce v. Dept. of Envtl. Prot., 921 A.2d 567 (Pa. Commw. 2007) 
• Groce v. Dept. of Envtl. Prot., 2006 E.H.B. 856, 2006 Pa. Envirn. Lexis 72 (Nov. 22, 2006)

Professional Activities

American Bar Association
Vice Chair and Section Liaison (SEER), Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committee, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section; Past Chair, Environmental Litigation, and Toxic Tort Committee, Section on Environment, Energy and Resources

EDUCATION

Villanova University School of Law (J.D. 1988, magna cum laude)
Editor, Villanova Law Review; Member, Order of the Coif

St. Joseph's University (B.S. 1985, Mathematics)

Languages

French

ADMISSIONS

Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

U.S. Supreme Court