- Persistent negotiation – even after receiving an unlawful detainer (notice to move out) – on behalf of a dry cleaner who experienced contamination beneath its shop. The contamination, while limited to a few parts per million, nonetheless required environmental cleanup under very stringent standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency. After long and persistent negotiation, the landlord agreed to pay the larger share of the cleanup costs and allow the dry cleaner to continue as a tenant. The dry cleaner, using publicly available grants and relying on its experienced staff, switched its cleaning to a water-based system to guarantee against future environmental problems.
- With the help of an expert scientific consultant, negotiated penalties (with the California Department of Toxic Substances and the Office of the Attorney General of the State of California) for hazardous waste management violations for a metals client to an acceptable level.
- Worked with expert "number crunchers" and exerted bi-partisan political pressure on the US Environmental Protection Agency to substantially reduce their demand to 190 clients to settle for clean-up of legally disposed of waste to the hazardous waste dump in Casmalia, Santa Barbara County, California. No client was charged over $3,500; some clients' settlement costs were cut by over $100,000.
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