|
Biography
Suzanne M. Avena is Chair of the Environmental Practice
Group. She is also a member of the firm’s Finance and
Real Estate Practice Group, Compliance Practice Group,
as well as Managing Editor of the firm’s Environmental
Bulletin.
Ms. Avena counsels in all matters of environmental law
and regulatory compliance, including conducting
compliance and due diligence audits, negotiating with
federal and state agencies regarding violations and
representing clients in environmental litigation. She
represents parties engaged in hazardous waste cleanups,
litigation related to toxic substances, remediation,
insurance and cost recovery actions. She has particular
expertise in structuring contaminated (Brownfield)
commercial property transactions, including negotiating
cleanup agreements, overseeing remediation contractors,
drafting related contracts, facilitating development
permits and forging deal-specific environmental
insurance policies. Ms. Avena represents municipalities,
manufacturers, real estate buyers, sellers, developers
and management firms, lenders, investors, hospitals,
universities, environmental contractors and consultants,
and other business owners.
For five years prior to GW, Ms. Avena was with the New
York Environmental Practice at Paul Hastings Janofsky &
Walker, LLP. Before that, she was an attorney at AIG
Environmental, serving as Director of the Contaminated
Property Group. Prior to AIG, Ms. Avena was Regional
Director of the Environmental Risk Consulting Practice
at Sedgwick (now Marsh). During law school, Ms. Avena
clerked at the NYS Department of Environmental
Conservation in Stonybrook, Long Island and the
Environmental Crimes Unit of the Suffolk County District
Attorney’s Office.
Ms. Avena received her Bachelor of Science from Cornell
University and her Juris Doctor degree from St. John’s
University School of Law. She is admitted to the New
York State Bar, Second Department and the US District
Court Eastern and Southern Districts. She lectures and
writes frequently on such topics as Superfund liability,
green buildings, indoor air and environmental quality
issues, environmental due diligence and environmental
insurance.
Honors
Appointed to Board of Directors of Nassau County Bar
Association (June 2009)
Alumni of the Month - St. John's University School of
Law (May 2009)
New York Real Estate Journal - Long Island Women in Real
Estate (March 2008)
Long Island Business News - Ones to Watch in Law
Partnerships (January 2008)
Long Island Business News - Ones to Watch - Commercial
Real Estate (July 2007)
Appointed Chair of the Nassau County Bar Association
Environmental Law Committee (June 2007)
Publications
The Hazards of Pharmaceutical Disposal: Emerging
Environmental Issues of Concern, New Jersey Law Journal,
July 19, 2010
Green building construction and legal exposure,
Nassau Lawyer, September 2009
Monitor Those Claims of 'Green', New York Law Journal,
August 24, 2009
Making Leases as Green as Buildings, Connecticut Law
Tribune, April 13, 2009
New York Landlords Required to Provide Notification of
Indoor Air Contaminants to Tenants and Occupants, Nassau
Lawyer, February 2009
Using Environmental Insurance to Overcome Credit Risk,
American Agent & Broker, December 2008
The Chilling Impact of Vapor Intrusion, New Jersey Law
Journal, July 21, 2008, Vol. CXCIII, No. 3, Index 133.
Green Building Initiatives Are Now Catching on with
Healthcare Facilities, New York Real Estate Journal,
June 17, 2008.
Vapor Intrusion: Legal Issues for Real Estate
Development, New York Real Estate Journal, December 18,
2007.
Question of the Month: Should you get environmental
insurance for contaminated property transactions?, New
York Real Estate Journal-Long Island, October 2, 2007
(and also appeared in Women in Real Estate feature,
November 27, 2007).
Corporate Business Profile (Profile), published in
October 2-8, 2007 issue of New York Real Estate Journal.
Spitzer Law Would Turn Brownfield Frowns Upside Down
(interview), published in August 17-23, 2007 issue of
Long Island Business News.
Environmental Insurance for Contaminated Property
Transactions, Nassau Lawyer, April 2007.
FAS 143 and FIN 47: Disclosing Environmental
Liabilities, InRe: The Magazine from New Jersey Lawyer,
December 18, 2006, Volume 15, Number 50.
FIN 47 Applies to the Health Care Industry and Nonprofit
Entities, Compliance Today - October 2006, Volume 8,
Number 10.
The Fallout of Cooper on CERCLA Settlements And
Voluntary Cleanups, Andrews Publications - Environmental
Commentary, July 2006.
Insurance Recovery for Mold-Related Claims in New York,
Environmental Claims Journal, Spring 2004, Volume 16,
Number 2.
The Need for Environmental Management Systems in
Hospitals, HCCA Compliance Today.
Presentations
NYS's New Environmental Tenant/Occupant Indoor Air
Contamination Notification Law and Insurance Products to
Address Potential Liabilities, New York, NY, June 23,
2009
Moderator of Legally Green: How to Make Green by Going
Green, Nassau Academy of Law, Mineola, NY, May 4, 2009
New Environmental Law requiring Landlords notifying
Tenants, CoreNet Global, Jericho, NY, February 12, 2009
Environmental Crimes: From Pollution to Prosecution,
Nassau County Bar Association, January 29, 2009
New NYS Environmental Disclosure Law for Landlords to
Tenants, Greiner-Maltz Commercial & Retail Real Estate
Brokers, Long Island City, NY, January 22, 2009
Moderator of Nassau County Bar Association meeting on
Valuing Brownfields, October 27, 2008
Presentation to the North Stamford Association on the "Scofield
Town Road Park Federal Superfund Site", October 13,
2008.
"Environmental Compliance and Liabilities - The Benefits
of an Environmental Compliance Program", Presentation to
Nassau Suffolk Hospital Council, September 12, 2008.
"All You Need to Know about Brownfields and How to Make
the Programs Work for You", Sustainable Long Island's
Fall Breakfast Series, September 12, 2008 (Farmingdale,
NY).
"Green Guide for Health Care" In Service Presentation to
Clients, Garfunkel Wild, P.C., May 22, 2008.
"Vapor Intrusion Legal Issues" Presentation to Long
Island Association of Professional Geologists, April 17,
2008.
"Indoor Air Quality/Indoor Environmental Quality
Crossroads Conference", November 8, 2007 at the
Sheraton, Mahwah, New Jersey, sponsored by the National
Alliance of Environmental Specialists (NAESIP).
"Nassau County Development Issues: Facilitating
Contaminated Property Transactions with Environmental
Insurance", October 25, 2007 sponsored by the Nassau
County Bar Association Environmental and Municipal Law
Committees.
"Environmental Laws Affecting Corporate and Real Estate
Transactions", Marsh/AIG Japanese Corp. Solutions,
September 21, 2007.
"The New All Appropriate Inquiry Rule for Environmental
Due Diligence", Presentation to the Nassau County
Women’s Bar Association, November 15, 2006.
"The Secrets of SEQRA", Assist in CLE Presentation at
the Nassau County Bar Association Environmental and
Municipal Law Committees, October 25, 2006.
"How To Deal With Environmental Agency Inspections",
Presentation to the Northern Metropolitan Hospital
Association, October 5, 2006.
"The Benefits of an Environmental Management System in
Avoiding Regulatory Inspections and Maintaining
Environmental Compliance", Presentation to the Board of
Directors at Nassau Suffolk Hospital Council, September
7, 2006.
"Legal and Technical Issues in the Assessment and
Remediation of Brownfield Sites on Long Island", CLE
Presentation at the Nassau Academy of Law, sponsored by
the Environmental Business Association, New York State
and the Nassau Bar Association Environmental Law
Committee, May 15, 2006.
"Legal Protections to Your Environmental Audits Through
Attorney-Client Privilege", Presentation to Energy East
Operating Companies in Ithaca, New York, April 18, 2006.
"The New All Appropriate Inquiry Rule for Environmental
Due Diligence", Presentation to the Long Island
Association of Professional Geologists, January 19,
2006.
"What You Need To Know About the New Federal and New
York State Brownfields Laws", Presentations to Hauppauge
Industrial Association, December 19, 2005.
"Environmental Management Systems for Colleges and
Universities", Presentation to College Health and Safety
Society, December 13, 2005.
"Negotiating Brownfield Environmental Insurance for
Public Sector Representatives", Presentation at
Brownfields 2005, Denver, Colorado, November 3, 2005.
"Marsh Environmental Fall Forum", Panelist on Current
Environmental Issues (New York, NY) October 17, 2005.
"Environmental Management Systems Workshop Series for
Hospitals", Seminar for the Nassau Suffolk Hospital
Council Members, September - December 13, 2005; Seminar
for the Northern Metropolitan Hospital Council Members,
August - November 2005.
"Environmental Insurance for Corporate and Real Estate
Transactions", In-Service presentation to firm clients
and guests, April 21, 2005.
"Update on EPA Voluntary Audit Program for Colleges and
Universities", 1-800-Teleconference to firm clients and
guests, November 29, 2004.
"Update on EPA Voluntary Audit Program for Hospitals",
1-800-Teleconference to firm clients and guests,
November 28, 2004.
"Emerging Issues in Environmental Insurance", CLE
Presentation sponsored by the New York State Bar
Association and the New York City Bar Center, November
10, 2004.
"Introducing The New York State Brownfields Tax
Credits", In-Service presentation to firm clients and
guests, September 20, 2004.
"Environmental Law Affecting Real Estate Transactions",
Guest Lecturer at Columbia Business School, Fall
Semesters 2001, 2002, 2003. |
