Attorney Profiles

For twenty years, Mr. Renton has litigated and practiced environmental law. Since returning to private practice in 1994 following service with the governments of the United States and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Mr. Renton has handled a wide spectrum of complex commercial, environmental, small business, and personal matters. When necessary, Mr. Renton aggressively litigates through trial and appeal, and when appropriate he initiates negotiation and/or alternative dispute resolution. At all times, Mr. Renton strives to add value for the client.

Mr. Renton's environmental work includes cases involving contamination from oil and/or hazardous substances, wetlands permitting, solid waste matters, and issues arising under the Clean Air Act and the Clear Water Act. Mr. Renton's oil and hazardous substance work arises under CERCLA and Mass. Gen. L. c. 21E. Mr. Renton has represented oil companies, trusts, businesses and homeowners in successfully recovering millions of dollars of compensation for property damage and environmental clean up costs from responsible parties and insurance companies.

Mr. Renton's recent and representative work in the environmental arena includes the following:

- Successful representation of a real estate "Brownfields" developer, who secured complete liability protection in connection with converting two former fuel oil depots to residential use. The groundbreaking project involved issuance of the first Massachusetts Covenant Not to Sue not once to the innocent developer (the client), but also and to the potentially responsible owner and operator of one of the former oil depots.

- Successful representation of an international chemical company involved in remediating a former facility, and then selling portions of the former facility to the Town of Andover.

- Successful representation of citizen's group (as special Clean Air Act counsel) in opposing the new source review permitting of a new, "greenfields" 540 MW gas-fired, dual-turbine electricity plant on the Merrimack River.

- Successful representation of a New England real estate developer in administrative proceedings and private negations concerning illegal dumping of contaminated fill from a Superfund site. Mr. Renton successfully obtained (i) an expedited cleanup and permitting process to enable the real estate development to proceed on schedule, and (ii) cost- recovery on behalf of his client from the responsible parties as well as the client's insurance company.

- Multiple successful representations of private home owners in successfully securing insurance proceeds and contributions from home heating oil companies to address fuel oil spills.

- Successful representation of a private land trust in securing cleanup contribution from a demolition contractor who deposited contaminated fill on several acres of developable land owned by the trust, and thus overseeing the cleanup under the MCP and the Solid Waste Regulations.

- Multiple representations of licensed site professionals ("LSPs") in proceedings before the LSP Board.

Mr. Renton's extensive work in the commercial litigation, government investigations and employment arenas include the following:

- Successful representation of a closely held Massachusetts corporation in pursuing copyright and trademark claims arising out of the unauthorized use and republication of website content.

- Successful representation of several former partners of a national accounting firm whose partnerships were unilaterally terminated by the firm without their being paid their partnership shares.

- Successful representation of the major investors in a real estate joint venture to gain control of the venture and secure its rightful equity interest.

- Ongoing representation of a closely held corporation whose trade secrets were allegedly misappropriated for the purpose of unlawful competition.

- Successful representation of a country club in connection with OSHA investigations, and retaliation claims by an employee.

- Successful representation of numerous companies, institutions and individuals in connection with government investigations.

- Successful representation of a Fortune 500 company in connection with numerous insurance coverage matters involving environmental contamination and exposure to asbestos fibers and/or silica dust.

- Successful representation of a law firm in defense of ERISA breach of fiduciary claims.

- Successful representation of an individual in prosecuting ERISA claims to secure rights under an ESOP.

- Successful representation of numerous individuals in connections with their discrimination claims under federal and state law, including a trial victory against the United States.

Mr. Renton's work in the personal injury arena includes the following:

- Successful representation of Stop & Shop Supermarket Companies in defense of multiple personal injury claims commenced by visitors to its stores.

- Ongoing prosecution of a major products liability action against a major international manufacturer of electricity transmission components and the utility who employed those components, on behalf of a grievously injured individual and his spouse.

- Successful defense of a County Club in bringing about the dismissal of wrongful death claims brought by the estate of a former employee.