Colin G. Van Dyke

Managing Partner

Overview

Clients rely on Colin as if he were a member of their internal team. He learns how their organizations work and what matters to them, and they depend on him to deliver results that help them accomplish their goals in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Colin has deep experience helping clients with:

  • Remediation and Redevelopment of Contaminated Properties: Colin has negotiated favorable Superfund settlements for multiple Fortune 10 corporations, and he advised a residential developer on acquisition and redevelopment of a former manufacturing facility, including allocation of financial responsibility for site remediation.
  • Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Defense: Colin resolved a Clean Air Act enforcement case by developing a national audit and compliance strategy affecting operations in 40 states and provinces, and he advised the new owner of a manufacturing facility regarding a return-to-compliance strategy for hazardous waste, Clean Water Act, and Toxic Substances Control Act requirements (TSCA).
  • Transactional Due Diligence and Contract Negotiation: Colin has advised sellers, purchasers, investors, and insurers in dozens of transactions.  In the past year, he has advised on deals totaling over $1.5B.

Colin’s experience and effectiveness have been recognized by his peers in publications such as Chambers USA, Best Lawyers®, and Super Lawyers.

BEYOND THE OFFICE

Colin lives in Sharon with his wife, Liv, their three daughters, and a dog. They’re avid hikers, skiers, and road-trippers.

Colin maintains an active pro bono caseload focused on environmental and civil rights matters. He also serves on the boards of several organizations, including Lawyers for Civil Rights, Mass Bays National Estuary Partnership, and Zoo New England, and is heavily involved in American Bar Association and Boston Bar Association activities.

PRACTICE AREAS

Credentials

Education

Boston University School of Law, J.D.

Wesleyan University, B.A.

Admissions

Massachusetts

Maine

U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit

U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts

Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America©, Real Estate Law, 2021-2023

The Best Lawyers in America©, Environmental Law, 2023

Chambers USA, Massachusetts Environmental Law, 2020-2022

Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Environmental, 2019-2024

 

 

Affiliations

Zoo New England, Board Chair

Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston, Board Executive Committee Member

Mass Bays National Estuary Partnership,  Former Management Committee Chair

American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, Council Member

Boston Bar Association Environmental Law Section Air Quality and Climate Change Committee, Former Chair

Experience

  • Advised multiple clients in responding to Clean Water Act citizen suits.
  • Advised former airport operator on response to detection of PFAS in drinking water reservoir.
  • Favorably resolved Clean Air Act enforcement case against national transportation company, including development of national audit and compliance strategy affecting operations in 40 states and provinces.
  • Provided wetlands permitting advice to electric utilities and homeowners.
  • Advised residential developer on acquisition and redevelopment, including allocation of responsibility for remediation, of former manufacturing facility.
  • Negotiated favorable Superfund settlements for multiple Fortune 10 corporations by minimizing financial and/or performance obligations.
  • Negotiating resolution of natural resources damages claims at former manufacturing gas plant site.
  • Counseled national waste management company in multi-site environmental compliance audit, including guidance on management changes and employee communications.
  • Successfully resolved TSCA enforcement proceedings against defense contractor without a penalty. Developed remediation strategy to avoid interruption of business operations.
  • Represented utility in remediation and transfer of former landfill as industrial property for redevelopment.

Insights

  • A Few Thoughts on EPA’s Updated SEP Policy, Natural Resources & Environment
  • Tracing the Supreme Court’s Treatment of CERCLA, Law360
  • Upcoming Ban on Food Waste Should Be Boon for State, Boston Business Journal
  • Co-author, Encouraging Pro Bono Efforts by In-House Counsel, New England In House

  • Panelist, Working with Scientists and Other Non-Lawyer Professionals, Fall ABA SEER Conference
  • Panelist, Emerging Contaminants/PFAS, ACI-NA
  • Guest Lecturer, Suffolk Law School
  • Speaker, Brownfields Redevelopment, Mel King Institute

Clients rely on Colin as if he were a member of their internal team. He learns how their organizations work and what matters to them, and they depend on him to deliver results that help them accomplish their goals in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Colin has deep experience helping clients with:

  • Remediation and Redevelopment of Contaminated Properties: Colin has negotiated favorable Superfund settlements for multiple Fortune 10 corporations, and he advised a residential developer on acquisition and redevelopment of a former manufacturing facility, including allocation of financial responsibility for site remediation.
  • Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Defense: Colin resolved a Clean Air Act enforcement case by developing a national audit and compliance strategy affecting operations in 40 states and provinces, and he advised the new owner of a manufacturing facility regarding a return-to-compliance strategy for hazardous waste, Clean Water Act, and Toxic Substances Control Act requirements (TSCA).
  • Transactional Due Diligence and Contract Negotiation: Colin has advised sellers, purchasers, investors, and insurers in dozens of transactions.  In the past year, he has advised on deals totaling over $1.5B.

Colin’s experience and effectiveness have been recognized by his peers in publications such as Chambers USA, Best Lawyers®, and Super Lawyers.

BEYOND THE OFFICE

Colin lives in Sharon with his wife, Liv, their three daughters, and a dog. They’re avid hikers, skiers, and road-trippers.

Colin maintains an active pro bono caseload focused on environmental and civil rights matters. He also serves on the boards of several organizations, including Lawyers for Civil Rights, Mass Bays National Estuary Partnership, and Zoo New England, and is heavily involved in American Bar Association and Boston Bar Association activities.

Education

Boston University School of Law, J.D.

Wesleyan University, B.A.

Admissions

Massachusetts

Maine

U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit

U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts

The Best Lawyers in America©, Real Estate Law, 2021-2023

The Best Lawyers in America©, Environmental Law, 2023

Chambers USA, Massachusetts Environmental Law, 2020-2022

Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Environmental, 2019-2024

 

 

Zoo New England, Board Chair

Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston, Board Executive Committee Member

Mass Bays National Estuary Partnership,  Former Management Committee Chair

American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, Council Member

Boston Bar Association Environmental Law Section Air Quality and Climate Change Committee, Former Chair

  • Advised multiple clients in responding to Clean Water Act citizen suits.
  • Advised former airport operator on response to detection of PFAS in drinking water reservoir.
  • Favorably resolved Clean Air Act enforcement case against national transportation company, including development of national audit and compliance strategy affecting operations in 40 states and provinces.
  • Provided wetlands permitting advice to electric utilities and homeowners.
  • Advised residential developer on acquisition and redevelopment, including allocation of responsibility for remediation, of former manufacturing facility.
  • Negotiated favorable Superfund settlements for multiple Fortune 10 corporations by minimizing financial and/or performance obligations.
  • Negotiating resolution of natural resources damages claims at former manufacturing gas plant site.
  • Counseled national waste management company in multi-site environmental compliance audit, including guidance on management changes and employee communications.
  • Successfully resolved TSCA enforcement proceedings against defense contractor without a penalty. Developed remediation strategy to avoid interruption of business operations.
  • Represented utility in remediation and transfer of former landfill as industrial property for redevelopment.

News

Publications

  • A Few Thoughts on EPA’s Updated SEP Policy, Natural Resources & Environment
  • Tracing the Supreme Court’s Treatment of CERCLA, Law360
  • Upcoming Ban on Food Waste Should Be Boon for State, Boston Business Journal
  • Co-author, Encouraging Pro Bono Efforts by In-House Counsel, New England In House

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, Working with Scientists and Other Non-Lawyer Professionals, Fall ABA SEER Conference
  • Panelist, Emerging Contaminants/PFAS, ACI-NA
  • Guest Lecturer, Suffolk Law School
  • Speaker, Brownfields Redevelopment, Mel King Institute