Robert L. Collings

Mr. Collings is co-chair of the Energy & Environmental Practice Group, co-chair of the Sustainability and Environmental Services Practice Group, former chair of the Litigation Department, and a former member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. He has more than 40 years of regulatory and litigation experience in environmental law and hazardous substance issues and environmentally-affected corporate, real estate, and land use issues. A former enforcement attorney and manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Collings represents manufacturing, transportation, financial services, retail and real estate businesses and others with permit needs, claims, and transactional matters involving environmental or regulatory issues. He has detailed familiarity with federal, state and local regulatory programs and their managers and tries cases in state and federal courts and administrative tribunals.

News & Publications

Community & Pro Bono

Water Resources Association, secretary, member of Executive Committee

Education

Boston College, J.D., 1977
Harvard University, A.B., cum laude, 1972

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania, 1977

Court Admissions

All Pennsylvania courts
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania
District of Columbia Circuit

Professional Affiliations

Philadelphia Bar Association (chair, Environmental Law Committee, 1986), 1984-2010
Pennsylvania Bar Association, 1984-present
American Bar Association (Environment, Energy and Resources Section), vice chair, Civil/Criminal Enforcement Committee, 2003-2006

Other Distinctions

Rated AV® Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell®
Member of the Law360 Environmental Advisory Board, 2016-2019
Listed in the Houston Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in Energy,” 2012
Listed in Who’s Who in American Law, 2005-present
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Environmental Law and Litigation – Environmental, 1989-2023
Listed in The Chambers USA Guide as among the top practitioners in Environment Law in Pennsylvania, 2004-present*
Noted as a “Pennsylvania Super Lawyer” for Environmental Law, 2004-present
Water Resources Association Achievement Award, 1996
Environmental Protection Agency Bronze Medal, 1981 and 1979

*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Further information on methodologies is available via these links.

Representative Matters

Representative Experience

Mr. Collings has extensive specific knowledge in matters involving water, solid and hazardous waste and air issues
He has defended clients from government and private lawsuits in federal and state courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Washington and California.
He has conducted or supervised environmental reviews in connection with asset transactions in many states.
Mr. Collings is presently national coordinating counsel for environmental matters and environmental tort claims for a major international manufacturing firm.

Representative Engagements

Owner/operator, several lead smelters and battery plants – nationwide;
Principal respondent, Marjol Battery site;
Principal defendant, Drake Chemical site;
Special counsel, experts litigation, Atlas Minerals site; and
Former group counsel, Morgantown Ordinance Works.
Permit issues – major production facilities for polymers, specialty chemical producers, oil refineries, battery manufacturers, metal products, furniture industries, transportation, etc.
Compliance review, release reporting projects – companies involved in battery manufacturing, industrial gas production/distribution, electronics, chemical manufacturing, telecommunications

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