Michael J. Naughton

Michael J. Naughton is a member of the firm's Environmental Group. A seasoned environmental litigator with 30 years of experience, he focuses primarily on environmental and energy issues, including regulatory compliance. Michael also regularly advises on real estate transactions, providing environmental counseling to owners, buyers, landlords and tenants in the sale and leasing of commercial property.

Michael also advises clients in Brownfield cleanups and redevelopment of contaminated properties. This facet of his practice focuses on matters of due diligence and contractual allocation of environmental risks in transactions. This includes disclosure laws and obligations regarding environmental conditions on real property, securing environmental insurance products to protect clients against cleanup cost overruns and pollution legal liability, and permit requirements under state and federal regulatory laws.

Michael has litigated a wide variety of environmental cases involving various claims, such as natural resource damage claims throughout the United States. Michael maintains a national CERCLA practice and routinely appears before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Office of Administrative Law and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

In addition, Michael handles energy and infrastructure projects, and climate change and sustainability matters. His background enables him to represent clients engaged in or considering business ventures in promising alternative energy fields such as solar, wind, geothermal, cogeneration, biofuels and biomass. Working closely with consultants, Michael also advises on the various aspects of energy management, including energy efficiency analysis, energy master planning and procurement of energy and green energy sources.

Michael serves as an appointed Special Environmental Mediator for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey and previously served as a Director of the Environmental Law Section for the New Jersey State Bar Association. Prior to joining the firm, Michael was a partner at Wilson Elser where he chaired the Environmental & Energy Regulatory & Compliance practice group.