Thomas M.Donnelly (Tom)

Tom Donnelly has practiced environmental law for more than 30 years. He represents clients in environmental litigation and regulatory enforcement proceedings, assists clients in securing permits and other regulatory approvals for their operations and projects, provides compliance counseling and due diligence/transactional support, and secures insurance defense and indemnity.

Tom's clients have included energy, oil and gas, and mining companies; technology companies; aerospace, engineering, and construction companies; automotive, equipment, and consumer product manufacturers; retailers; financial institutions; and real property owners and developers. He has appeared in all federal district courts in California, the Ninth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeal, and California trial and appellate courts.

Tom's recent representations include: Chevron, Fluor, Owens Corning, and Wells Fargo in CERCLA, RCRA, and CWA litigation matters (including citizen lawsuits); natural resource companies in managing major environmental incidents (including defending against lawsuits filed in multiple jurisdictions); product manufacturers in Prop 65 lawsuits; Firestone, Procter & Gamble, and Toyota in regulatory enforcement matters (including CARB proceedings); GenOn Holdings and Sutter Home in securing regulatory approvals and permits for new and expanded operations (including defeating CEQA lawsuits challenging the regulatory approvals); Aerojet Rocketdyne (aerospace), Kyocera (semiconductor), and Scotts in environmental compliance matters; oil and gas, power generators, and utilities in climate change and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) matters; and banks and private equity firms in environmental due diligence for real property and other transactions. For PG&E, after a seven-week jury trial, Tom secured a verdict that a policy issued by AIG covered PG&E for wildfire property damage totaling $24 million.