Jeffrey R. "Jeff" Porter

With over three decades of litigation and transactional experience, Jeff is widely recognized as one of the top environmental lawyers in the country. Clients seek him out to solve complex environmental law challenges.

Some of the largest global companies rely on Jeff’s insights and strategic guidance. Clients praise him as “the top environmental attorney you will find in Boston” and say his “judgment on sensitive political issues is invaluable.” Jeff is ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA which says “Jeff has deep knowledge of environmental law and marries current knowledge with an understanding of the political and policy environment.”

Jeff is Chair of the firm’s Environmental Law Practice. He is a Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers and a Massachusetts Environmental Trustee. He was the Chairman of Boston Harbor Now, a member of the MassDevelopment Board of Directors, and the Chair of The Nature Conservancy’s Trustee Council, having previously served as the Chair and Vice-Chair of The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts.

Jeff advised the Massachusetts Legislature’s Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture during the drafting of the Brownfield legislation that has spurred the beneficial redevelopment of underutilized former industrial sites across the Commonwealth.

Experience:

• Obtaining what may be the largest private party Superfund response cost recovery in Massachusetts history after filing a motion for summary judgment of the responsible party’s liability
• Representing General Electric in permitting and development of new waterfront global headquarters including interactions with city and state
• Representing a resort developer in connection with environmental and legal issues relating to the remediation and redevelopment of its waterfront site
• Representing owner of former urban rail yard in connection with its remediation and planned redevelopment, including interactions with the rail operator
• Representing a pharmaceutical manufacturer in connection with the acquisition of a portion of a former military base for the construction of a large-scale biologics manufacturing facility
• Obtaining a dismissal of contamination-related property damage claims made by the owner of an industrial property against its long-time tenant
• Successfully defending a client against a claim that it was responsible for contamination of a municipal water supply