Ged Olson’s background as an environmental engineer, coupled with years of experience practicing law at law firms and in-house, give him a unique ability to help with complex issues and offer strategic solutions with an enterprise-wide view.
Environmental Remediation
Ged Olson’s background give him a unique ability to see all sides of environmental clean-up problems. The result is that he can work with environmental consultants to develop practical, efficient and informed approaches to environmental remediation. A few representative matters include:
Government Authorizations and Permitting
An in-depth knowledge of Federal, State and local regulators’ approaches to implementing environmental regulatory programs has allowed Ged Olson to help his clients navigate the regulatory permitting maze associated with major development projects. A few representative matters include:
Environmental Compliance
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Ged Olson was an enforcement engineer at the United States Environmental Protection Agency. That experience propelled him into the practice of law, and since the early 1990s, Ged has represented clients in scores of regulatory compliance matters, involving Federal and state RCRA, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, TSCA, EPCRA and Asbestos programs. Whether helping craft comprehensive audit programs to identify compliance requirements, implementing regulatory compliance programs, working to address potential compliance issues when they are identified or representing parties in government enforcement matters, Ged’s extensive experience and knowledge of the regulatory players has proven invaluable assistance to his clients. Just a few representative matters include:
Environmental Litigation and Dispute Resolution
Ged Olson has represented clients in all phases of environmental cost recovery litigation, mediation, and other forms of dispute resolution. His training as an environmental and chemical engineer allows him to understand the background science that is frequently involved in environmental cost recovery disputes. A few representative matters include:
Commercial Litigation
As an in-house litigation counsel, Ged Olson partners with his clients to resolve a range of complex issues and offer strategic solutions with an enterprise-wide view and effectively balance legal risks against business interests.
Mass Tort Defense
Ged has extensive experience working with clients to achieve their desired goals and objectives in a range of tort matters while minimizing the impact of insurance defense litigation on a client’s business.
Environmental Remediation
Ged Olson’s background give him a unique ability to see all sides of environmental clean-up problems. The result is that he can work with environmental consultants to develop practical, efficient and informed approaches to environmental remediation. A few representative matters include:
- Representing National Grid in complex environmental remediation matters at numerous sites in New England, including former manufactured gas plant sites and in PCB cleanup response.
- Representing the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts regarding historic contamination issues associated with a $500 million development project in the Kendall Square area of Cambridge.
- Representing the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority in complex environmental remediation relating to the development of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
Government Authorizations and Permitting
An in-depth knowledge of Federal, State and local regulators’ approaches to implementing environmental regulatory programs has allowed Ged Olson to help his clients navigate the regulatory permitting maze associated with major development projects. A few representative matters include:
- Representing National Grid in permitting the major redevelopment of a former manufactured gas plant property, including Federal Army Corps of Engineers permits, state and local wetlands permitting, Massachusetts tidelands permitting, historical resource approvals and numerous other permits and approvals.
- Representing the City of Cambridge regarding major biotechnology development projects in the Kendall Square area.
- Representing Genzyme in the permitting and development of the Allston Landing facility.
Environmental Compliance
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Ged Olson was an enforcement engineer at the United States Environmental Protection Agency. That experience propelled him into the practice of law, and since the early 1990s, Ged has represented clients in scores of regulatory compliance matters, involving Federal and state RCRA, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, TSCA, EPCRA and Asbestos programs. Whether helping craft comprehensive audit programs to identify compliance requirements, implementing regulatory compliance programs, working to address potential compliance issues when they are identified or representing parties in government enforcement matters, Ged’s extensive experience and knowledge of the regulatory players has proven invaluable assistance to his clients. Just a few representative matters include:
- Representing MIT in all aspects of environmental, health and safety matters and in responding to major government enforcement actions involving RCRA, SPCC, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and other programs.
- Representing a major utility and a major cell tower owner in EPCRA audits and subsequent self-disclosure filings with the appropriate regulatory authorities.
- Representing Genzyme in EPA enforcement matters and in developing and implementing an internal environmental auditing program.
- Representing the government of Puerto Rico as the leader of the technical and legal team successfully defending multiple government enforcement actions relating to stormwater, wastewater and Clean Air Act facilities in Puerto Rico.
Environmental Litigation and Dispute Resolution
Ged Olson has represented clients in all phases of environmental cost recovery litigation, mediation, and other forms of dispute resolution. His training as an environmental and chemical engineer allows him to understand the background science that is frequently involved in environmental cost recovery disputes. A few representative matters include:
- Representing the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority in complex cost recovery litigation relating to the development of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center that resulted in a multi-million-dollar recovery from the primary PRP at the site. See Commonwealth v. Boston Edison, 444 Mass. 324 (2005)
- Representing an international youth hostel developer in significant insurance and PRP cost recovery claims related to PCB contamination, that were successfully resolved without the need for formal litigation.
- Representing a group of PRPs regarding the $60 million cleanup of a Superfund site and associated cost recovery litigation against other responsible parties.
- Defending an electric and gas utility company in multiple cost recovery claims associated with historic contamination.
Commercial Litigation
As an in-house litigation counsel, Ged Olson partners with his clients to resolve a range of complex issues and offer strategic solutions with an enterprise-wide view and effectively balance legal risks against business interests.
- Dispute resolution for business units around the world
- Drafting and review of complex agreements and contracts
- Advising business leaders regarding complex business transactions
Mass Tort Defense
Ged has extensive experience working with clients to achieve their desired goals and objectives in a range of tort matters while minimizing the impact of insurance defense litigation on a client’s business.
- Defending a respirator manufacturer in several silica civil actions throughout West Virginia.
- Extensive experience in asbestos and coal mine dust mass tort liability