Richard Ericsson is chair of the firm’s Environmental Department and a member of the Real Estate Special Opportunities Group, with 25 years of experience counseling clients nationwide on the impact of environmental laws on business.

He is described by sources as “superb – he can synthesize an issue and make a realistic judgment call,” and recognized by clients for his “strategic business mind and keen ear for listening to our needs ” as noted in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Richard’s skill in evaluating environmental issues has gained him a reputation as a problem solver who helps clients develop pathways through complex issues while keeping a sharp eye on the client’s ultimate goal.

Experience

Richard is known for his ability to quickly size up risks and develop sound strategies for business interests throughout the country and overseas, helping guide businesses as they make decisions in today’s fast moving global economy. His demonstrated ability to assemble and efficiently manage project teams and to work skillfully with environmental consultants and co-counsel has brought numerous cleanups and negotiations to successful and cost effective conclusions.

Representative Matters

The breadth of Richard’s extensive experience includes:

• Evaluating and overseeing the significant environmental issues in a client’s acquisition of the industrial operations in Florida, Mexico, China, and England of a well-known battery manufacturer.
• Negotiating agreements with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection providing significant protections for a client’s acquisition of the former industrial campus of an international chemical company.
• Negotiating the innovative environmental insurance policy insuring his client for the brownfield redevelopment of a large contaminated waterfront landfill overlooking New York Harbor.
• Securing one of the first Brownfield Redevelopment Grants in New Jersey’s groundbreaking remediation reimbursement program providing his developer client with 75% of their costs for cleaning up a large Monmouth County industrial site which was developed into a major mixed use development.
• Securing almost 100% insurance coverage under older property insurance policies for a large industrial client’s environmental cleanups at several of their north-eastern manufacturing facilities.
• Working with a prominent charter school fund on environmental issues associated with the acquisition and redevelopment of an old industrial property in Newark N.J. into a successful charter school.
• Working with numerous clients in negotiating the most cost effective environmental cleanups with federal and state agencies throughout the country and assembling and overseeing the environmental scientists and engineers required to bring these projects to successful conclusions.

Networks & Affiliations

A frequent and engaging public speaker, Richard’s recent presentations include those for the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s 2011 Real Estate Conference and its 2010 Distressed Real Estate Conference. He has also lectured throughout the country at EPA National Brownfield Conferences and at numerous American Bar Association programs. Recent publications include his article in the April 2010 Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal on New Jersey’s new Licensed Site Remediation Professional program and its significant impact on the landscape of environmental remediation in the state.

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