Colin G. Van Dyke

Managing Partner

Overview

Clients rely on Colin as if he were a member of their internal team. He learns what matters to them and how their organizations work, and they depend on him for strategic, pragmatic advice that helps them manage risk, solve complex environmental and regulatory challenges, and advance critical business and development goals. 

As an environmental lawyer, Colin advises companies, developers, investors, transportation and infrastructure providers, utilities, and public entities on environmental compliance, contaminated site remediation, enforcement defense, permitting, and environmental risk management throughout Massachusetts and across the country. 

Clients turn to Colin for practical, business-focused counsel on high-stakes environmental matters, including negotiations with state and federal environmental agencies, resolution of enforcement actions and cleanup disputes, and environmental aspects of complex real estate, corporate, and infrastructure transactions. He regularly advises private equity firms, national transportation companies, developers, and corporations on compliance strategies, operational risk, and allocation of environmental liabilities.

Colin has deep experience helping clients with:

  • Remediation and Redevelopment of Contaminated Properties: Colin has negotiated favorable Superfund settlements, advised developers and sellers on the acquisition and planned redevelopment of former manufacturing facilities, and resolved environmental cleanup and cost recovery disputes.
  • Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Defense: Colin has led investigations and developed return-to-compliance strategies to meet hazardous waste, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Toxic Substances Control Act requirements. He has resolved numerous Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act enforcement cases.
  • Transactional Due Diligence and Contract Negotiation: Colin regularly assists sellers, purchasers, investors, and insurers on corporate and real estate transactions. He regularly advises private equity firms on environmental due diligence.

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

Colin has served as Anderson & Kreiger’s Managing Partner since 2021.

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

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, 2021-2027
  • The Best Lawyers in America©, Environmental Law, 2023-2027
  • Chambers USA, Massachusetts Environmental Law, 2020-2022
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Environmental, 2019-2026

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

Contaminated Site Remediation & Redevelopment

  • Advised on the remediation and transfer of a former landfill for redevelopment as a public park.
  • Represented utility in remediation and transfer of former landfill as industrial property for redevelopment.
  • Advised residential developer on acquisition and redevelopment of former manufacturing facility, including allocation of responsibility for remediation.
  • Advised on investigation and remediation of contamination in river sediment.
  • Negotiated favorable Superfund settlements for multiple Fortune 10 corporations by minimizing financial and/or performance obligations.
  • Negotiated resolution of natural resource damages claims at former manufactured gas plant site.

Environmental Compliance & Enforcement

  • Favorably resolved Clean Air Act enforcement cases against national transportation companies, including development of a national audit and compliance strategy affecting operations in 40 states and provinces.
  • Advised clients in responding to Clean Water Act citizen suits.
  • Resolved TSCA enforcement proceedings against a defense contractor without a penalty and developed a remediation strategy to avoid interruption of business operations.
  • Counseled a national waste management company in a multi-site environmental compliance audit, including guidance on management changes and employee communications.
  • Advised a former airport operator on response to the detection of PFAS in a drinking water reservoir.

Corporate Transactions & Risk Management

  • Assisted national transportation companies on environmental compliance and corporate acquisition matters.

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 what matters to them and how their organizations work, and they depend on him for strategic, pragmatic advice that helps them manage risk, solve complex environmental and regulatory challenges, and advance critical business and development goals. 

As an environmental lawyer, Colin advises companies, developers, investors, transportation and infrastructure providers, utilities, and public entities on environmental compliance, contaminated site remediation, enforcement defense, permitting, and environmental risk management throughout Massachusetts and across the country. 

Clients turn to Colin for practical, business-focused counsel on high-stakes environmental matters, including negotiations with state and federal environmental agencies, resolution of enforcement actions and cleanup disputes, and environmental aspects of complex real estate, corporate, and infrastructure transactions. He regularly advises private equity firms, national transportation companies, developers, and corporations on compliance strategies, operational risk, and allocation of environmental liabilities.

Colin has deep experience helping clients with:

  • Remediation and Redevelopment of Contaminated Properties: Colin has negotiated favorable Superfund settlements, advised developers and sellers on the acquisition and planned redevelopment of former manufacturing facilities, and resolved environmental cleanup and cost recovery disputes.
  • Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Defense: Colin has led investigations and developed return-to-compliance strategies to meet hazardous waste, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Toxic Substances Control Act requirements. He has resolved numerous Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act enforcement cases.
  • Transactional Due Diligence and Contract Negotiation: Colin regularly assists sellers, purchasers, investors, and insurers on corporate and real estate transactions. He regularly advises private equity firms on environmental due diligence.

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

Colin has served as Anderson & Kreiger’s Managing Partner since 2021.

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, 2021-2027
  • The Best Lawyers in America©, Environmental Law, 2023-2027
  • Chambers USA, Massachusetts Environmental Law, 2020-2022
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Environmental, 2019-2026

  • 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

Contaminated Site Remediation & Redevelopment

  • Advised on the remediation and transfer of a former landfill for redevelopment as a public park.
  • Represented utility in remediation and transfer of former landfill as industrial property for redevelopment.
  • Advised residential developer on acquisition and redevelopment of former manufacturing facility, including allocation of responsibility for remediation.
  • Advised on investigation and remediation of contamination in river sediment.
  • Negotiated favorable Superfund settlements for multiple Fortune 10 corporations by minimizing financial and/or performance obligations.
  • Negotiated resolution of natural resource damages claims at former manufactured gas plant site.

Environmental Compliance & Enforcement

  • Favorably resolved Clean Air Act enforcement cases against national transportation companies, including development of a national audit and compliance strategy affecting operations in 40 states and provinces.
  • Advised clients in responding to Clean Water Act citizen suits.
  • Resolved TSCA enforcement proceedings against a defense contractor without a penalty and developed a remediation strategy to avoid interruption of business operations.
  • Counseled a national waste management company in a multi-site environmental compliance audit, including guidance on management changes and employee communications.
  • Advised a former airport operator on response to the detection of PFAS in a drinking water reservoir.

Corporate Transactions & Risk Management

  • Assisted national transportation companies on environmental compliance and corporate acquisition matters.

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