Donald C. Nanney | Attorney

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About Donald

Donald C. Nanney is a partner with Gilchrist & Rutter, with a practice focusing on environmental law and real estate, including environmental aspects of business and real estate transactions; regulatory compliance counseling; environmental assessments/audits; contractual allocation of environmental risks; environmental insurance; environmental litigation, claims and penalties; and hazardous materials emergencies.

Mr. Nanney is the author of Environmental Risks in Real Estate Transactions: A Practical Guide (Second Edition, 1993; First Edition, 1990) and co-author of California Environmental Law Handbook (Third Edition, 1989, through Eleventh Edition, 1999).  Mr. Nanney has published widely on issues in his areas of expertise, with articles appearing in legal journals and other professional and business publications, and is a frequent seminar speaker at events held by the Los Angeles County Bar Association and other professional groups.

Mr. Nanney received his J.D. degree from the School of Law, University of California at Davis. He earned his A.B. with distinction from Stanford University, Stanford, California. Mr. Nanney was an honor graduate of the Army Judge Advocate General's School at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, and served as Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps.

Representative Experience:

  • Successfully defended a major movie studio against Proposition 65 citizen suits and claims under California's Unfair Competition Law in cases involving alleged exposures to chemicals and discharges of pollutants.

  • Provided compliance counseling regarding environmental laws and regulations affecting ownership or operation of real property, and advice concerning environmental liability.

  • Assisted clients with respect to underground storage tanks; asbestos in buildings; environmental permit requirements; hazardous substance emissions and contamination to air, soil and water; notification, warning, hazard communication and release reporting; hazardous waste disposal and related fees and taxes; sale or purchase and development of "brownfield" properties; prospective purchaser agreements or covenants not to sue; and governmental agency oversight, approval and closure of remedial activities.

  • Obtained a Certificate of Completion, one of the few ever issued by California regulatory agencies under the Unified Agency Review of Hazardous Materials Release Sites Law.

  • Handled environmental claims between potentially responsible parties, including present and past owners or operators of contaminated properties, as well as generators of hazardous waste. 

  • Represented parties in major contaminated site cases, including "Superfund" sites requiring intensive negotiations with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

  • Defended and settled administrative claims and penalty actions regarding alleged violations of hazardous waste laws or occupational safety and health regulations.

  • Handled emergencies and disaster management issues involving release of hazardous materials; compliance reporting duties; and extensive dealings with environmental consultants, cleanup contractors and regulatory agencies, including the defense of citations and notices of violation.

  • Education

    Stanford University

    Gilchrist & Rutter Highlights

    Land Use & Zoning, Environmental Law, International, Business, Real Estate, Litigation

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