Christopher J. Neumann

Chris Neumann is a Co-Chair of the firm’s Environmental Practice and a member of the firm’s Mining Group. He counsels clients in the natural gas, petroleum, mining, solid and hazardous waste, and other industries on a wide variety of litigation, environmental, mining, and real estate matters.

Chris represents clients in connection with internal investigations and emergency response following spills, pipe failures and other environmental incidents. He also defends clients in connection with civil, criminal, and administrative environmental enforcement by USEPA, states, tribes, local governments and citizen groups. Chris has advised clients on litigation and enforcement matters, as well as related auditing and compliance matters, under the Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA), Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), Mine Safety and Health Act (MSHA), and numerous other federal, state and tribal laws. Additionally, Chris assists clients in efforts to obtain land use approvals and in efforts to resolve environmental concerns in complex business transactions and real estate acquisitions.

Chris is a trial lawyer and represents clients in complex trials, arbitration proceedings and mediations. He also represents clients in connection with evidentiary hearings, rulemaking, permitting, registration, and licensing proceedings before federal, state and tribal agencies including matters pending before the USEPA, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, the Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission, the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission, the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board, and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

Concentrations

•Internal investigations of and response to environmental incidents
•Defense of civil, criminal and administrative environmental enforcement matters
•Environmental Management System and audit program development and implementation matters
•Superfund and other complex environmental litigation
•Commercial litigation involving oil and gas, mining, construction and engineering matters
•Real estate acquisition and environmental aspects of business transactions
•Environmental compliance, permitting and rulemaking matters
•Mine permitting, reclamation, transactional, and finance matters
•Environmental policy and governmental affairs matters
•Global Energy & Infrastructure
•Strategies for drafting and mitigating litigation risk in Environmental, Social, Governance Disclosures
•Land development

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America
•Construction Law, 2023-2026
•Environmental Law, 2023-2026
•Real Estate Law, 2024-2026
•Litigation - Environmental, 2026
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2021
•Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2007-2025
•Listed, The Legal 500 United States, 2014 and 2018-2025
•Environment - Litigation, 2014 and 2018-2025
•Environment - Regulatory, 2023-2025
•Environment - Transactional, 2023-2025
•Litigation - Product Liability and Mass Tort Defense - Toxic Tort, 2014
•Team Member, a Law360 'Real Estate Practice Group of the Year,' 2023
•Team Member, a Law360 “Environmental Practice Group of the Year,” 2022
•Team Member, U.S. News - Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms Edition, 'Law Firm of the Year,' Environmental Law, 2016
•Team Member, a U.S. News - Best Lawyers 'Government Relations Law Firm of the Year,' 2014
•Recipient, 'Environmental Connection Presenter of the Year,' International Erosion Control Association, 2013