Overview
Paul A. Conciatori, a Principal of the Firm, concentrates his practice in the areas of Environmental Law, Real Estate Development Law/Transactions and Land Use, Planning and Zoning. Mr. Conciatori has extensive experience counseling clients in all aspects of the investigation, selection, acquisition, remediation and development/redevelopment of real property. He regularly acts as transaction counsel for the purchase or sale of properties/portfolios of properties.
Mr. Conciatori has substantial experience with environmental matters, regularly handling environmental contamination issues associated with the purchase, sale and financing/disposition of contaminated properties and brownfields. His services include securing all necessary approvals and regulatory compliance as to site remediation and clean up from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“USEPA”), including matters under the jurisdiction of the Site Remediation Reform Act (“SRRA”), the Industrial Site Recovery Act (“ISRA”), the Brownfield and Contaminated Sites Remediation Act (“BCSRA”), and associated federal laws and regulations, including Superfund/CERCLA.
His counsel on behalf of clients in all aspects of the purchase, sale and development of real estate frequently involves brownfields and other contaminated properties, in which instance Mr. Conciatori manages the transactional due diligence (including Phase I/Preliminary Assessments and Phase II Reports), identifies the potential and contingent risks, and negotiates appropriate agreements, including Purchase and Sale Agreements and Environmental Indemnification Agreements. In his capacity as real estate/transaction counsel, Mr. Conciatori also regularly acts as local counsel for real estate development firms/investors in the acquisition or disposition of properties in New Jersey, assisting in the site evaluation/due diligence process, and fulfilling local counsel responsibilities as to zoning and the closing of financing/loan transactions, including loan enforceability opinions. His services also involve counselling clients as to the risk management associated with the redevelopment and reuse of brownfields and contaminated properties, including the negotiation of environmental insurance policies, such as Pollution Legal Liability (“PLL”) policies and Remediation Cost Cap (“Cost Cap”) policies.
Mr. Conciatori also has substantial experience obtaining all required development approvals for industrial, commercial and residential projects, including zoning/land use approvals from applicable Municipal, County and State governmental agencies. Mr. Conciatori also regularly assists clients in the procurement of required environmental permitting from the NJDEP and associated federal agencies, including the United States Army Corps of Engineers, in areas such as wetlands, flood hazard area permits, and waterfront development permits. He also has extensive experience in the Hackensack Meadowlands District, obtaining required development approvals from The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA).
Mr. Conciatori is a member of the Board of Directors for the Land Use Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association and is a certified LEED AP. He is also a frequent Speaker at Bar Association seminars on zoning and land use matters.
