Michael Gordon, C.V.

Practice Areas:
A concentration in the area of environmental law, representing as special environmental counsel over twenty New Jersey municipalities, the State of New Jersey as well as individuals and environmental organizations in the areas of solid waste, hazardous waste, environmental justice, water pollution, environmental aspects of real estate transactions, facility site selections, emergent public health issues, toxic tort litigation insurance coverage, environmental compliance, environmental cost recovery and natural resource damages.

Admitted:

• State of New Jersey, U.S. District Court
• U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals

Education:

• J.D.  Rutgers University School of Law, Newark, New Jersey, 1979.
• B.A.  Columbia College of Columbia University, City of New York, 1975.

Legal Experience:

• Shareholder in the Law Firm Gordon & Gordon, P.C.,
  80 Main Street, West Orange, New Jersey 07052, 1984 - Present
• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton, New Jersey
  
  Served within the Department on issues concerning statutory enforcement on hazardous waste and water pollution matters. One of the principal drafters of the Environmental Cleanup Responsibility Act (ECRA) which was one of the first laws in the country to require the cleanup of industrial property upon sale or closure of the facility.

Member:

• Member Governor James McGreevey’s Environmental Transition Team
• Member Governor James Florio's Emergency Solid Waste Task Force - 1990.
• Participant Governor James E. McGreevey Smart Growth Summit
• N.J. Environmental Federation P.A.C. Board Member Clean Water Action P.A.C. Board Member

Bar Associations:

• The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (New Jersey Past Chairman, Environmental Law Committee).

Organizations & Recognitions:

• Association of Trial Lawyers of America - NJ Gold Medal for 38.5 Million Dollar settlement against E.I. Dupont
• Chairman Environmental Law Committee Association of Trial Lawyers of America - NJ, 1987 - 1989
• Rated A.V. - Martindale Hubbell
• Best Lawyers In America - Environmental Law - selected by peers for inclusion 
• Essex Newark Legal Services - volunteer attorney certificate for outstanding service
• Greenpeace Letter of Recognition on Toxics Campaign
• Outstanding achievement for cleanup of 140 Thomas Street, Ironbound Committee Against Toxic Waste
• Certificate of Achievement, Citizen's Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste for representation of citizens groups in New Jersey
• Pequannock River Coalition Award for Protecting Pequannock River
• Who's Who in American Law
• Who’s Who in the East
• Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• Seton Hall Law School Black Students Association Letter of Recognition on Environmental Justice

Lectures and Seminars:

• Natural Resource Damages and the Public Trust Doctrine Conference NJ/NY Baykeeper Conference, 2003
• Environmental and Mass Tort Class Actions New Jersey Judicial College, 2002
• Cleaning up Newark: "The History and Status of Contaminated Land in Newark" Seton Hall Law School
• Environmental Defense Fund Lecturer
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America NJ on Environmental Trial Tactics
• Testimony before New Jersey Legislature
• New Jersey State Bar - Institute for Continuing Legal Education "Toxic and Mass Torts" - 1993
• Rutgers and Seton Hall Law Schools - Visiting Lecturer

Publications:

• “Toxic Circles: Environmental Hazards from the Workplace into the Community,” Co-Authored Chapter “Dioxin at the Diamond Shamrock Facility” with Dr. Ellen Silbergeld Rutgers University Press, 1993;
• “Courts Could Order Emergent Relief for Victims of Blast,” New Jersey Lawyer, May 2, 1994;
• “Protecting the Passaic: A Call to Citizen Action” Seton Hall Law Review. Volume Twenty-Nine, No. 1-1998.

Faculty Appointments:

• Adjunct Professor of Sociology, Montclair State College 1978-1980.

PARTIAL LIST OF PUBLISHED ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS

New Jersey State Court Decisions

• Tree Realty, Inc. v. Department of Treasury, Spill Compensation Fund of New Jersey, 205 N.J. Super., 346 (App. Div. 1985)
• Howell Twp. V. Waste Disposal, Inc., 207 N.J. Super., 80 (App. Div. 1986)
• Lafayette Twp. V. Board of Chosen Freeholders of Sussex County, 208 N.J. Super., 468 (App. Div. 1986)
• McGrath v. N.J. District Water Supply, 224 N.J. Super., 563 (App. Div. 1986)
• In the Matter of the NJPDES Permit No. N.J. 0055247, 216 N.J. Super., 1 (App. Div. 1987)
• Ironbound Health Rights Advisory Commission v. Diamond Shamrock Chemical Company, 216 N.J. Super., 166 (App. Div. 1987)
• City of Newark v. Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, 221 N.J. Super., 558 (App. Div. 1987)
• In the Matter of Stream Encroachment Permit No. 12400, 231 N.J. Super., 443 (App. Div. 1989)
• Ironbound Health Rights Advisory Commission v. Diamond Shamrock, 243 N.J. Super., 170 (App. Div. 1990)
• Matter of Commissioner of Insurance, 256 N.J. Super, 553 (App. Div. 1992).

Federal Court Decisions

• Student Public Interest Group of New Jersey v. Tenneco Polymers, Inc., 602 F. Supp. 1394 (D.N.J. 1984)
• Student Public Interest Research Group of New Jersey v. Monsanto Co., 600 F. Supp. 1479 (D.N.J. 1985)
• Student Public Interest Research Group of New Jersey v. Fritzche Dodge & Olcott, Inc., 759 F. 2d 1131 (3d Cir. 1985)
• Student Public Interest Group of New Jersey v. American Cyanamid, 1986 U.S. Dist., N.J. 28220 Lexis
• Gilberg v. Stepan, 24 F. Supp 2d 355 (D.N.J. 1998)

Community:

• Democratic Candidate for U.S. Congress, 11th District, New Jersey- 1990.
• Special Counsel: State of New Jersey (Tobacco Litigation), City of Newark, 1987-1999.
• Attorney, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 1979-1980;
• Former Public Advocate for Town of West Orange: Independent Attorney to represent the interests of the citizens of West Orange before all municipal boards
• Independent Attorney to represent the interests of the citizens of West Orange before all municipal boards.
• Lead Counsel For State of New Jersey against Tobacco Industry
• Liason Counsel for public entities litigation against Lead Industry Defendants

Born: Newark, New Jersey, October 12, 1953.

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