Lindsay Brown has practiced environmental law for over 15 years. She handles complex, high-profile litigation for clients involved in environmental disputes throughout the United States and has been closely monitoring the evolving regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (known as PFAS) for over 10 years. Her roster of clients have included major corporations such as Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Sunoco, Inc., Exxon Mobil Corporation, Conrail, Inc., LUKOIL, Aramark Corporation and other public and private petroleum, chemical, and manufacturing companies.
As an experienced environmental practitioner, Ms. Brown handles litigation and regulatory matters arising under various federal and state programs, including the Resource Conservation, Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund), the Clean Water Act, and their state analogs. Ms. Brown has extensive experience defending environmental contamination cases and toxic tort claims and advising clients with respect to regulatory compliance, agency investigations, and the purchase and sale of property with environmental liabilities.
Prior to practicing law, Ms. Brown worked as a biological technician at a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge and taught 7th-grade science.
Areas of Practice
Environmental Litigation and Counseling
Commercial Litigation
- Energy Law
Admissions
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Education
- Drexel University, Thomas R. Kline School of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 2009
- Senior Editor, Drexel Law Review - University of Pennsylvania, B.S., Biology, cum laude, 2002
Experience
- Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2022-present
- Special Counsel, 2016-2021 Archer & Greiner P.C.
- Associate, 2009-2016Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
- Biological Technician, 2003-2005
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association
- Section of Environment, Energy and Resources - Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey, Environment Committee
Selected Publications
- Author, "Fourth Circuit Rules That Commingled PFAS Contamination Implicates Federal Interest," Duane Morris Alert, March 11, 2025
- Co-author, "EPA Proposed Rule Underscores Importance of Suppliers Closely Tracking 'Triggering Activities' That Add PFAS to the TRI," Duane Morris Alert, January 23, 2025
- Author, "California Puts Two New PFAS Bills into Law," Duane Morris Alert, October 16, 2024
- Co-author, "EPA Proposes Significant Expansion of PFAS Chemicals Subject to TRI and EPCRA Reporting," Duane Moris Alert, October 4, 2024
- Co-author, "U.S. Supreme Court Issues Three Decisions Circumscribing Agency Authority," Duane Morris Alert, June 28, 2024
- Co-author, "Publication of New EPA Rule Designating PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA Hazardous Substances Starts the Clock for Potential Challenges," Duane Morris Alert, May 8, 2024
- Co-author, "EPA Proposes Two Rules That May Increase PFAS Corrective Action at RCRA-Permitted Facilities and the Risk of Citizen Suits," Duane Morris Alert, February 7, 2024
- Co-author, "EPA Takes Another Step Toward Regulation of PFAS Air Emissions," Duane Morris Alert, February 2, 2024
- Co-author, "Agencies and Regulated Community Brace for Changes in Administrative Law and a Potential 'Flood of Litigation'," Duane Morris Alert, February 1, 2024
- Co-author, "EPA's Final Rule Ends De Minimis Exemption for PFAS and Expands Supplier Notifications for Chemicals of Special Concern," Duane Morris Alert, October 31, 2023
- Co-author, "EPA Final Reporting Rule Requires PFAS Data Since 2011," Duane Morris Alert, October 11, 2023
- Co-author, "EPA Seeks Input on PFAS Enforcement Discretion Policy," Duane Morris Alert, March 28, 2023
- Co-author, "Proposed EPA Rule Sets PFAS Limits for Public Drinking Water," Duane Morris Alert, March 15, 2023
- Co-author, "Congress Overhauls FDA Cosmetics Authority in Year-End Appropriations Bill," Duane Morris Alert, January 4, 2023
- Author, "Proposed EPA Rule Will Eliminate De Minimis Exemptions for PFAS and All Chemicals of Special Concern Under EPCRA," Duane Morris Alert, December 8, 2022
- Co-author, "DOJ Announces Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy," Duane Morris Alert, May 17, 2022
- Author, "Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): The Rising Tide of Regulation," The Legal Intelligencer, July 23, 2021
Author, "PFAS—Growing Regulation and Liabilities for the Regulated Community," The Legal Intelligencer, July 26, 2019
- Co-author, "Environmental Cleanup and Recovery for Fraudulent Transfers," Today's General Counsel, June 2016
- Co-author, Modifying Tidal Flow Restoration Techniques to Balance Long-Term Salt Marsh Habitat Improvement with Severe Short-Term Impacts to Breeding Salt Marsh Sharp-Tailed Sparrows (Interim Report), 2006
Media Hits
- Quoted, "More Ga. PFAS Suits Are Coming. Here's How AttysPrepare," Law360, October 11, 2024
- Quoted, "Pennsylvania Legislation To Watch In 2024: A Midyear Report," Law360, August 5, 2024
Selected Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, "Where Are We Now? EPA’s Final CERCLA (Superfund) Hazardous Substances Designations for PFOA and PFOS," ACI Summit on PFAS Regulation, Compliance and Litigation, May 29, 2025
- Speaker, “The Role of Science and Technology in the Regulation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS),” New Jersey Institute of Technology, The Law, Technology and Culture Program, April 23, 2025
- Speaker, "Power & Policy: Navigating Energy Regulations in 2025 and Beyond," Duane Morris LLP, Webinar, March 6, 2025
- Speaker, "Navigating PFAS in Commercial Real Estate Transactions: Post-CERCLA Strategies," ALI CLE Webinar, October 2, 2024
- Speaker, "Federal and State Regulatory Update," Webinar, July 15, 2024
- Panelist, “PFAS: Responding to Orders to Investigate and Increasing State and Federal Scrutiny” Strafford CLE Webinar, June 18, 2024
- Speaker, "Introduction to PFAS and Its Regulation," Webinar, April 30, 2024
- Panelist, “PFAS: Responding to Orders to Investigate and Increasing State and Federal Scrutiny” Strafford CLE Webinar, April 12, 2022
- Panelist, “UPDATE – PFAS: Responding to Orders to Investigate and Increasing State and Federal Scrutiny,” Strafford CLE Webinar, April 27, 2021
- Panelist, "PFAS: Responding to Orders to Investigate and Increasing State and Federal Scrutiny," Strafford CLE Webinar, April 8, 2020
- Co-presenter, "'Toxic Soup': Unregulated Contaminants in Drinking Water & Future Litigation Challenges," Chemistry Council of New Jersey Annual Spring Conference, May 2014
- Presenter, "Status of Invasive Plant Species on Thirteen Wildlife Refuges in Region 5," Region 5 Invasive Species Workshop, Washington, D.C., 2006
- Co-presenter, "Sudden Wetland Dieback Proceedings and Recommendations," Society of Wetland Scientists, 2005
Representative Matters
Defending a privately owned airport against claims by state agency and neighboring property owners related to PFAS contamination of soil, groundwater and drinking water.
- Defending a telecommunications company in litigation involving claims under CERCLA, RCRA and related state law claims concerning historic VOC contamination at a property in California, including groundwater contamination and vapor intrusion.
- Defended a carpet manufacturing client in litigation concerning PFAS discharges allegedly causing contamination of drinking water supply.
Represented a chemical company in defense of a lawsuit concerning historic contamination at a gasoline service station in Clifton, New Jersey, where the current owner sought past and future remediation costs; the case settled for a fraction of the potential exposure.
Represented major oil company in lawsuits seeking to recover natural resource damages (NRD) for soil and groundwater contamination caused by gasoline additives in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico, obtaining dismissal on summary judgment in the Puerto Rico matter.
Represented chemical company in lawsuit by the State of New Jersey seeking to recover natural resource damages and economic damages related to historic dioxin contamination.
Represented major oil company in a suit brought by the current landlord of a former gasoline station in New York City seeking remediation of contamination and damages.
Represented a clothing manufacturer in pursuit of cleanup costs against an oil company in connection with contaminated sites in Sacramento, CA.
- Advising wastewater treatment plant client concerning inquiries from state agency related to PFAS.
Representing a chemical company in response to Notice of Violation issued by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection concerning historic landfill closure requirements.
Representing an oil company in addressing legacy environmental liability at 26 Sites located in Hudson and Essex Counties in New Jersey that are alleged to be contaminated by operations at a former company plant; sites include a commercial truck stop, an active chlorine plant and a power generation site, and issues include remediation and eminent domain.
Settled a Notice of Violation issued to a chemical company by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection alleging violations of hazardous waste transportation manifest requirements.
- Represented Powder Springs Logistics, LLC, a joint venture between affiliates of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Colonial Pipeline Company, in a “bet the company” case where the court held that Powder Springs is permitted to blend butane into gasoline shipped on the Colonial pipeline. The decision is the first to approve of the practice of butane blending by pipelines and will be an important precedent for regulated energy clients.
Represented two health systems in commercial litigation alleging breach of a restrictive covenant. This matter was resolved by the mutual agreement of the parties and dismissed in its entirety with prejudice.
Represented a manufacturer of cleaning and hygiene products in a major COVID-19-related commercial litigation concerning access to supplies of disinfectant wipes, with the judge ruling in the client’s favor in a jurisdiction dispute.
Representing food recycling company in connection with theft of company trade secrets, confidential information, and other intellectual property by former licensee and partner.