Neal A. Frink is an associate in the Vorys Cincinnati office and a member of the energy and environment group. Mr. Frink focuses his practice on environmental law, including compliance counseling, transactional work, and litigation/dispute resolution.  He has a technical background in chemical engineering and worked as a consultant in the environmental field for 12 years before beginning his law practice.

Career highlights include:

Regulatory/Compliance Counseling

• Conducting and managing audits of manufacturing, industrial and other regulated facilities for environmental and health and safety compliance and risk management; counseling clients on corrective actions and self-reporting disclosures.
• Developing and reviewing company policies and procedures to document compliance programs and ensure regulatory requirements are met in an integrated and cost effective manner.
• Counseling on a wide variety of regulatory issues related to regulated material management, including:  asbestos abatement, infectious waste management, hazardous waste characterization and handling, PCB cleanups and compliance, storm water permitting and management, permitting compliance for direct wastewater discharges and industrial user discharges to local POTW, and air permitting and compliance.
• Serving on technical committees for several large superfund sites to assist with characterization, remedial alternatives, and site reuse options.

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• Representing clients in cases where historic releases of chlorinated solvents resulted in impacts to private drinking water wells of nearby residences, including leading efforts to provide alternate water supplies and mitigate property damage.
• Negotiating with regulators in four different states for a paper company in federal bankruptcy to resolve state claims regarding landfill compliance and closure.
• Defending and prosecuting cost recovery/contribution actions, property damage, and toxic tort claims.
• Representing clients in administrative penalty negotiations with state and federal regulators and handling cases before the Ohio Environmental Review and Appeals Commission (ERAC).

Transaction/Business

• Coordinating environmental due diligence reviews related to asset valuation, asset retirement obligations, contingent liabilities, and permitting/compliance issues.
• Working with environmental consultants to complete Phase I and Phase II studies to establish baseline conditions and meet EPA All Appropriate Inquiry standards for transactions.
• Drafting agreements for allocation of environmental liabilities in leasing, real estate, asset, and stock deals.
• Assisting clients comply with transaction triggered environmental requirements including permitting, release reporting, cessation of regulated operations, and remediation obligations.

Mr. Frink is a frequent presenter at the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Environmental Law Seminar.

Mr. Frink is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association.  He is also a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association and vice-chair of the Environmental Law Committee.

Mr. Frink received his JD cum laude from Salmon P. Chase College of Law and his BS from Carnegie Mellon University.

Before joining Vorys Mr. Frink worked as a consultant in the environmental field for 12 years.

Honors and Awards

• Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars,Environmental Law, 2006