Clients call on Paul Drucker to handle high-profile litigation and appeals, complex internal investigations concerning environmental incidents, environmental due diligence for corporate and real estate transactions, and regulatory compliance matters and settlements.
Paul is adept at helping clients develop comprehensive legal strategies that take into account their business operations, their commercial interests and their desire to be in compliance with applicable statutes and regulations. Paul’s ability to analyze and streamline complex problems and develop understandable and practical solutions is highly valued by the firms’ clients.
As a member of the firm’s nationally recognized Environmental Law department and its Water Law, Litigation and Appellate teams, Paul represents corporate clients in complex commercial and environmental litigation and arbitration. Paul’s substantial experience in motion practice includes dispositive motion writing and oral argument in state and federal courts throughout the country. He has resolved a wide array of contract, product liability, fraud, toxic tort and related matters, as well as cases involving CERCLA, RCRA, CWA, CAA and other federal and state statutes. Paul also works with municipal wastewater treatment plants in various jurisdictions on complicated compliance and litigation issues.
He regularly drafts federal appellate briefs involving complex environmental issues and was the principal author of a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court concerning Clean Water Act issues that received national media attention.
As the founder and leader of the firm’s Pipeline practice team, Paul advises major oil companies and pipeline operators regarding pipeline siting and installation, integrity management issues, pipeline safety regulations, leak response, crisis management, environmental remediation and investigations into pipeline and refinery incidents. He interacts with PHMSA, USCG, EPA and other state and federal regulatory authorities regarding response activities, legal claims, and environmental impacts arising from pipeline and refinery releases.
In addition, Paul counsels major corporations on environmental, health and safety issues in regional, national and international business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, stock purchase agreements, divestitures and real estate transactions. He frequently manages environmental due diligence, oversees environmental investigations and negotiates environmental provisions in transaction documents. Paul has been involved in a number of high-profile multimillion and multibillion dollar transactions and M&A deals.
Prior to joining Barnes & Thornburg, Paul practiced environmental law and complex commercial litigation at Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago.
More Legal and Business Bylines From Paul M. Drucker
- Vapor Shroud Has Fallen: EPA Releases Final Vapor Intrusion Guidance - (Posted On Friday, July 17, 2015)
- Canadian Pipelines May be Exposed to Extended Liability - (Posted On Thursday, June 19, 2014)
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Rules Increase Maximum Penalties and Revise Investigation and Hearing Procedures - (Posted On Tuesday, November 19, 2013)
- Study: Diluted Bitumen Poses No Greater Risk of Release from Pipelines than Conventional Crude Oil - (Posted On Tuesday, July 16, 2013)
- Senate Bill Would Increase Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Budget by Over 12 Percent - (Posted On Friday, July 12, 2013)
- Congress Passes New Bill Aimed at Pipeline Safety - (Posted On Monday, January 16, 2012)
- ASTM Releases Standard Guide for Identifying and Complying with Continuing Obligations under CERCLA -Environmental Law Alert - (Posted On Tuesday, July 12, 2011)