David M. Meezan
David Meezan’s practice concentrates on complex environmental, climate change and energy regulatory compliance, enforcement and litigation matters as well as strategic corporate transactions. David has represented clients in a variety of environmental and toxic tort litigation matters in both federal and state courts and in complex regulatory matters arising under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and their state law counterparts. He also routinely represents clients affected by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s hazardous materials transportation regulations. David also regularly counsels and advises clients under greenhouse gas emission regulatory schemes in the United States and abroad. He is experienced in structuring and drafting Emission Reduction Purchase Agreements under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism as well as under domestic voluntary carbon credit regimes.
Prior to becoming a founding partner of the firm, David was a partner at Alston & Bird LLP, a national Am Law 100 firm where he practiced law for over 11 years.
Chambers USA lists David in environmental law and notes his expertise in climate change-related transactional and regulatory matters. Chambers USA adds that he provides "incredibly reliable advice on high-level matters." He was also selected by Law & Politics as a Georgia Super Lawyer Rising Star in Environmental Litigation for 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
David received his J.D., magna cum laude, and his Masters of Studies in Environmental Law, magna cum laude, from Vermont Law School in 1997. While in law school, he was a member and assistant articles editor for the Vermont Law Review. He received his B.A. in international studies and French from Emory University in 1994. He is a member of the State Bars of Georgia and Tennessee.
David is a past chair of the Environmental Law Section for the State Bar of Georgia. He frequently speaks about environmental litigation, regulatory and hazardous materials transportation topics.
Representative Experience
- Currently representing a major utility petitioner in EME Homer City Generation, L.P. v. Environmental Protection Agency, Case No. 11-1302 (D.C. Cir.), challenging the EPA’s promulgation of the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule.
- Currently defending a major energy resources company in a putative class action litigation filed in federal district court and counseling the company in connection with thousands of threatened mass-tort claims all stemming from alleged emissions from a manufacturing facility.
- Counseled a major industrial minerals company on unique FIFRA compliance issues and a related U.S. EPA investigation.
- Defended clients in numerous cases arising under the federal Clean Water Act, RCRA, CERCLA and their state-law analogs in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
- Submitted comments on behalf of clients to more than a dozen Department of Transportation hazardous materials rulemaking dockets, defended numerous hazardous material transportation civil penalty matters brought by the FAA, PHMSA and the FRA, and counseled numerous clients on domestic and international hazardous materials transportation regulatory issues.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309