Mark A. Norman
Mr. Norman is a partner in the Vorys Cincinnati office and a member of the energy and environment group. His practice includes all areas of environmental law, including litigation, dispute resolution, business and transactional matters and advising on regulatory issues.
Career highlights include:
LITIGATION/DISPUTE RESOLUTION
- Representing a sewer district owner in the negotiation and implementation of a Consent Decree in U.S. v. Board of County Commissioners, et al., a multi-billion dollar Clean Water Act case
- Serving as counsel in Siemens v. Koncelik before the Ohio Environmental Review Appeals Committee (ERAC) regarding the scope of Ohio's Voluntary Action Program
- Representing a major potentially responsible party in U.S. v. Terminix, et al., a Superfund matter, tried on contribution issues
- Representing a major potentially responsible party and group in U.S. v. Pristine - a group of multiple Superfund cases
REGULATORY
- Representing clients in significant Clean Water Act, wetland, industrial discharge, and drinking water matters
- Serving as counsel for RCRA (Resource Conservation Recovery Act) corrective action sites and as lead counsel for Superfund potentially responsible parties (owners, operators, generators, transporters); worked on issues relating to solid waste permitting and licensing, construction and demolition debris permitting and licensing
- Managed a multi-state search for PCB contaminated waste oil, negotiated CERCLA and TSCA cleanups with USEPA on behalf of property owners and remediation companies, advised on new chemical uses, importation/ exportation, polymer, and other TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) issues, including enforcement
- Leading and managing multi-media and single-media audits of a wide variety of factories and regulated facilities, including filing violation self-disclosures with the USEPA and state agencies and presenting the results to corporate leadership and regulatory agencies
TRANSACTIONAL/BUSINESS
- Participating in the issuance, to clients and interested parties, of over ten Ohio EPA Covenants Not to Sue under the Ohio Voluntary Action Program
- Representing clients that have obtained multiple grants resulting in major remediation and redevelopment projects under the Clean Ohio Fund
- Serving as counsel to developers, sellers, end-users, lenders, and public funding entities in transactions involving brownfield development in multiple states
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
- Serving as environmental counsel for a client that was asked by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to implement anthrax decontamination of the U.S. Senate Office Building and the U.S. Postal Service facilities
- Serving as regulatory counsel in a leaking chemical railcar case with thousands of residents evacuated and roads closed, negotiating with multiple regulators and law enforcement officials and handling risk management, public communication, corporate advising and coordination with litigation counsel
- Representing a manufacturer in an emergency testing and evaluation as to whether an operating factory must be evacuated
Mr. Norman is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Cincinnati Bar Association and the National Brownfields Association.
Mr. Norman has given speeches for over 20 years to numerous organizations including the American Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, and multiple local bar associations, trade associations, clients, businesses, universities and law schools. He has co-taught multi-day environmental law and regulation seminars to environmental professionals for over five years.
Mr. Norman received his J.D. cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center, and his B.A. with honors from George Washington University, where he was Phi Beta Kappa.
Professional and Community Activities
- Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce
- Hamilton County Environmental Action Commission, Member since 1992
- Crossroad Health Center, Cincinnati, Co-founder, Board member since 1992
Honors & Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law, 2006-2010
- Ohio Super Lawyers, Environmental, 2004-2010
- Chambers and Partners, Leading Lawyer in Natural Resources and Environment, 2005-2010
News
- 27 Attorneys Recognized in 2010 Chambers USA
- 27 Vorys Attorneys Recognized in 2010 Chambers USA
- 54 Vorys Attorneys Recognized as 2010 Ohio Super Lawyers
- Vorys ranked #1 law firm in Ohio on 2010 Best Lawyers in America® list
- 27 Vorys Attorneys Recognized in 2009 Chambers USA
- 70 Vorys Attorneys Recognized as 2009 Ohio Super Lawyers
- Vorys Attorneys Named on 2009 Best Lawyers in America List
- 28 Vorys Attorneys Named Leading Practitioners in Ohio
- Vorys named the "2008 Leading Ohio Law Firm" by Best Lawyers
- 28 Vorys Attorneys Named Leading Lawyers for Business by Chambers USA
Events
Publications
- “RCRA and Superfund: A Practice Guide With Forms,” 2001 (2d. ed.), co-author
- "Negotiating Practical Risk Assessments with Governments and in Business Transactions," Natural Resources & Environment, Summer 1994 (publication of the American Bar Association Section of Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law), co-author