(T) (212) 702-5434

  cmckenzie@bdlaw.com
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477 Madison Avenue
15th Floor
New York, NY 10022-5802
New York
Englewood

• Brownfields - Environmental
• Complex Project Permitting
• Environmental Audits and Compliance Assessments
• Environmental Due Diligence
• Environmental Litigation
• Environmental Management
• Hazardous Waste/RCRA
• International Environmental Law
• Multinational Corporate Assessments
• Site Remediation
• Solid Waste and Resource Recovery
• Spill Response and Reporting
• Superfund/CERCLA
• Voluntary Initiatives and Programs
• Wetlands - Environmental

• University of Georgia (B.S., Zoology, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1988)
• Columbia University (J.D., with honors, 1992)
• Editor-in-Chief, Columbia Journal of Environmental Law
• Columbia University School of Engineering (completed coursework in environmental engineering, 1992)

• New Jersey (1992)
• New York (1993)
• District of Columbia (2004)
• U.S. Federal District Courts: Southern District of New York; Eastern District of New York; District of New Jersey
• American Bar Association
• New Jersey State Bar Association
• New York State Bar Association
• Association of the Bar of the City of New York (past Chair, Committee on International Environmental Law)
• U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO/TC 207 on Environmental Management

Chris McKenzie’s practice is focused on U.S. and international environmental counseling and litigation for corporations and government entities.  He advises clients on a wide array of federal, state and local environmental regulatory programs, as well as corporate social responsibility risks and environmental governance.  His practice includes the following:

• Represents clients in federal and state trial court litigation, arbitration, and appeals involving challenges to government action, soil and groundwater contamination, construction contract disputes, environmental impact review, and real estate matters.  Mr. McKenzie’s litigation clients include municipal governments as well as companies in the solid waste, environmental consulting, petroleum, chemical, real estate and manufacturing sectors.

• Secures air, water, solid waste, wetlands, and land use permits and approvals for industrial projects, including power production, cogeneration, waste-to-energy, landfill gas conversion and solid waste management facilities. Chris has represented numerous clients in administrative proceedings concerning project permits and approvals.

• Provides advice on notification, investigation and remediation involving spills of petroleum and hazardous substances, as well as historic groundwater and soil contamination at residential, commercial and industrial sites. Chris has extensive experience negotiating administrative consent orders and decrees, no further action letters, brownfield cleanup agreements and voluntary agreements under various state programs.

• Advises industrial facilities on regulatory compliance and enforcement related to hazardous and non-hazardous waste handling, stormwater management, wastewater discharges, air emissions and spill and release reporting under federal, state and local requirements.

• Assists international and domestic corporations with the design and implementation of compliance programs and environmental management systems.

• Conducts due diligence reviews as well as compliance and management system audits of industrial facilities.

• Obtains millions of dollars in state financial assistance for municipal hazardous waste site remediation and solid waste management facility closure costs.

• Negotiates environmental indemnity, liability allocation and disclosure provisions in loan documents, purchase and sale agreements, and real property agreements.

• Represents clients in all aspects of stock and asset purchase transactions, including negotiation, drafting, and disclosure documentation.

• Assists clients with product-based initiatives and regulatory compliance, including product take-back initiatives, labeling requirements, and meeting environmental goals such as lightweighting, recyclability and recycled content of products and packaging.

• Advises international corporations in the consumer products, gaming and financial sectors on environmental strategy, including the development and implementation of environmental, investment and sustainability policies and supplier standards, evaluation of global positioning against competitors, and preparation of sustainability reports.

• Assists companies in numerous sectors with solutions to legal and reputational risks posed by social responsibility issues, including climate change, supply chain management, EHS management, and sustainable sourcing of raw materials.

Professional Highlights

Mr. McKenzie is a frequent lecturer and author on issues ranging from environmental due diligence to corporate social responsibility risks.  He was recognized as one of the world's leading environmental lawyers in "The International Who's Who of Environment Lawyers", and in "The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers," International Bar Association, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.  Mr. McKenzie has been recognized as a Leading Environmental Lawyer in the Practical Law Company Cross-Border Environmental Handbook.  He was recognized as a leader in the field of environmental law by Chambers USA, 2009. Chris serves on the board of directors of several not-for-profit organizations related to the arts and environmental education.