Biography

Mr. Dudley's practice involves a wide range of civil litigation, compliance counseling and regulatory advocacy, with an emphasis in litigation of environmental, toxic tort, real estate and commercial matters.  Mr. Dudley regularly practices throughout California in both state and federal courts, before private tribunals and arbitration panels, and a variety of federal, state and local regulatory agencies.

Litigation Matters

Mr. Dudley has extensive experience in resolving complex, multi-party disputes involving soil and groundwater contamination, in matters arising out of the handling disposal of hazardous waste, and in property damage, personal injury and commercial loss claims. 

• Environmental Litigation:  Mr. Dudley has prosecuted and defended numerous cases in state and federal courts involving property damage, cost recovery and contribution claims relating to groundwater, soil and air contaminants, from various commercial industrial facilities, including landfills, tank farms, oil and gas refineries, gas plants, electrical substations, compressor stations, transfer facilities, rail yards, port facilities, pipelines, airports, gasoline service stations, and dry cleaners.
• Toxic Tort Litigation:  Mr. Dudley defended wide variety of claims for injuries, illnesses and other damages arising from exposures to various environmental contaminants, including petroleum hydrocarbons and additives (BTEX, MTBE, TPH), industrial and dry cleaning solvents (TCE, PCE), pesticides (DBCP, metam sodium), welding fumes (manganese), asbestos (premises and product liability theories), as well as non-hazardous solid waste and debris.
• Real Estate Litigation:  Mr. Dudley has advised clients and litigated a variety of matters relating to commercial and industrial real estate transactions, leases and easement disputes, construction defect, premises liability claims, deed restrictions and land use issues. 
• Commercial Litigation:  Mr. Dudley has diverse experience in litigation, arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution arising out of commercial transactions, including prosecution and defense of disputed product and service warranties, commercial loss, unfair competition and false and misleading advertising claims, collection matters, and insurance coverage litigation.
• Compliance Counseling:  Mr. Dudley has advised corporate and commercial clients regarding compliance with administrative and regulatory directives for handling and disposal of hazardous materials and directives for investigation and remediation of soil and groundwater contamination; part of team responsible for creating incident response program for major industrial facility; advised clients regarding state and federal hazard communication standards; advised small business clients regarding hazardous material use, storage and disposal policies, employee training programs, emergency response policies, and hazardous waste generator registrations and fees.
• Administrative/Regulatory Advocacy:  Mr. Dudley has experience in negotiating and resolution of disputes involving cleanup and abatement orders, NOVs, consent decrees, voluntary cleanup agreements and other administrative orders with various state and federal regulatory agencies, including the US EPA and divisions of Cal-EPA such as DTSC, RWQCBs, AQMDs and LOPs.

Publications

• "Ninth Circuit Revises Burlington Northern CERCLA Apportionment Standard," Sedgwick News Flash, March 2008.
• "U.S. Supreme Court Holds Right to CERCLA Cost Recovery Not Limited to Governmental Agencies, 'Innocent' Parties," Sedgwick News Flash, June 2007.
  

Affiliations, Activities and Accomplishments

Mr. Dudley is a member of California Bar Association and the Bar Association of San Francisco, for which he was elected to serve on the Executive Board of the Environmental Law Section.  He is admitted to practice before each of the United States District Courts in California and all California state courts.