David J. Topping
Partner
David Topping is an environmental lawyer serving clients nationwide in three key practice areas: transactional support, regulatory compliance and litigation. David’s transactional experience includes providing due diligence and drafting opinion memoranda on permitting and environmental issues in support of major client divestitures, acquisitions and financing transactions, including of industrial and marine facilities. He regularly handles environmental real estate due diligence matters related to Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, CERCLA and state liability defenses, and issues regarding the lease and purchase of contaminated properties. David also routinely advises clients on contractual matters, including environmental indemnity issues, representations and warranties, and disclosure requirements.
As part of his regulatory practice, David regularly assists industry clients with permitting issues, including regulatory compliance and reporting, the defense, negotiation and resolution of enforcement actions and remediation of contaminated properties. He has also advised clients on a wide range of environmental matters, including issues related to the CAA, CWA, CERCLA, EPCRA, RCRA, SDWA, CZMA, OPA and their state equivalents.
Experience
Transactional and Project Development
- Advised a prominent technology company in the development of its over $30 billion data center and supporting facilities in Louisiana, acting as lead outside counsel on environmental diligence, permitting and other matters.
- Conducted environmental due diligence of Louisiana enforcement and permitting matters and drafted opinion memorandum in support of client’s multibillion-dollar limited-stake acquisition in liquefied natural gas terminal and related facilities.
- Advised multinational plastics, chemicals and refining company as local environmental and regulatory counsel in its $2 billion acquisition of certain Louisiana assets, including creation of joint venture with myriad complicated permitting issues.
- Advised major energy infrastructure company as local environmental counsel in its $3.5 billion limited stake investment in a Louisiana liquefied natural gas project, pipeline and supporting facilities.
- Advised leading energy provider as local environmental counsel in its $1.2 billion sale of assets to private equity firm, involving around 12,000 miles of main pipeline in Louisiana and Mississippi.
- Directed environmental counsel to support private equity group’s acquisition and divestiture of industrial companies nationwide, including chemical manufacturer with facilities in Texas and Alabama, petrochemical services provider and related facility in Texas, and others.
- Led environmental diligence, assessed local and federal permitting issues and rendered lender opinion letter to support major infrastructure developer’s build of a $750 million, 700-megawatt natural gas generating station in Louisiana.