As chair of the firm’s Environmental Law practice, David L. Isabel represents private and public clients in a variety of environmental, litigation, insurance, and related matters before regulators, trial and appellate courts in New Jersey and other jurisdictions. He also counsels his clients on environmental compliance and permitting, due diligence, redevelopment, and transactional matters.

​David skillfully negotiates contracts, permits, approvals, and agreements related to the acquisition, development, investigation, remediation and sale of contaminated properties. He also negotiates the terms of environmental insurance policies for his clients.

Representative Matters

  • Defending industrial client against environmental cost-recovery claims related to alleged liability for regional lead contamination arising out of air emissions from a former can manufacturing facility in the United States District Court in California.
  • Serves as lead counsel for an industrial client in ADR proceedings related to the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund Site in Seattle, Washington.
  • Environmental counsel to leading property and casualty broker for claims and contract negotiations.
  • Represents municipal utilities authority in New Jersey pursuing its claims to recover the cost of a water treatment system installed in response to contamination of one of its water supplies.
  • Represents industrial property owner in its claims for damages caused by its former Licensed Site Remediation Professional’s malpractice.
  • Represents industrial property owner defending against environmental contribution claims related to vapor intrusion costs incurred at a nearby residential development in the Superior Court of New Jersey.
  • Environmental counsel for developer during acquisition and post-acquisition environmental compliance for a manufacturing and warehouse facility located in Clifton, New Jersey.
  • Environmental counsel to industrial client during sale of former manufacturing and warehouse facility in Linden, New Jersey.
  • Represented developer in acquisition of former landfill for use as a port logistics facility in Newark, New Jersey.
  • Environmental counsel to airport equipment client in acquisition of former manufacturing and warehouse facility in Teterboro, New Jersey.
  • Assisted developer client with due diligence, pollution legal liability insurance negotiations and post-acquisition environmental compliance related to the acquisition through a deed in lieu of foreclosure of a warehouse facility located in Kearny, New Jersey.
  • Assisted developer client with due diligence, post-acquisition environmental compliance, and resolution of cost-recovery claims related to the acquisition through bankruptcy of a former chemical plant located in Newark, New Jersey.
  • Serves as coordinating counsel on behalf of industrial client managing the environmental investigation and remediation commitments at several former manufactured gas plant sites in Florida.
  • Defended industrial client against environmental cost-recovery claims related to alleged liability for regional groundwater contamination related to former can manufacturing facility operations in United States District Court in California.
  • Defended claims made against industrial client by a real estate developer for lost profits in excess of $160 million due to construction delays attributed to the remediation of historic contamination from a former manufactured gas plant in Florida Circuit Court.
  • Represented industrial client at trial in New Jersey Superior Court and obtained a judgment in excess of $10 million against certain insurance companies that denied environmental insurance coverage for costs incurred defending, investigating and remediating Superfund sites in New Jersey and Washington.

Media Mentions

  • Law360, “EPA’s Fast Action On Derailment Suit Suggests Strong Case,” April 3, 2023