PFAS 2025 Update: Regulatory and Scientific Developments, Increasing Litigation, Insurance Issues

Ms. Phillips concentrates her practice in litigation, regulatory, energy and environmental law. Her environmental practice focuses on brownfields redevelopment and remediation, including former military installations, former manufactured gas plants (MGPs) and vapor intrusion sites. Ms. Phillips regularly advises developers, lenders and investors in real estate transactions involving contaminated property, enforcement defense, regulatory compliance, due diligence, and complex project development and permitting matters, including those under NEPA and the NPDES, among others. She regularly advises clients – including municipalities, industry and construction contractors – subject to federal and state environmental regulation, including the TSCA, CWA, RCRA, CERCLA, and CZMA, as well as many state law counterparts. As former assistant general counsel for Suez LNG North America LLC and its wholly owned subsidiary, Distrigas of Massachusetts LLC, Ms. Phillips was involved in all aspects of regulatory compliance for the nation's oldest, continuously operating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal, including safety and security.

Mr. Cuthbertson has over 33 years of environmental consulting experience, effectively managing and providing technical leadership for projects of varying in size and complexity for both private- and public-sector clients. His primary focus during the past nine years has been PFAS. During this time, he has managed dozens of projects involving PFAS constituents, applying his experience to the unique challenges associated with PFAS analytical testing and methodologies, environmental fate and transport, assessment and investigation, and remedial technologies. Previously, Mr. Cuthbertson also provided environmental consulting services in the oil and gas, manufacturing, industrial, property development, and legal sectors. 

Ms. Baker is an environmental attorney with more than 20 years of experience helping industrial clients, commercial entities, municipal stakeholders, and landowners navigate environmental regulatory challenges and manage environmental liabilities. Her work emphasizes practical, cost-effective, and creative solutions, including addressing issues related to emerging contaminants such as PFAS. Ms. Baker supports urban revitalization by providing guidance on environmental matters arising during development and redevelopment projects, real estate transactions, and operational changes including due diligence, wetlands management, and asset divestitures. She collaborates with state regulatory agencies to resolve environmental concerns that impact her clients’ operations and business goals including remediation projects and voluntary cleanup programs. Ms. Baker's experience also includes representing clients in litigation involving environmental disputes in administrative proceedings and both state and federal courts.