Lynn T. Manolopoulos

Partner

I am proud to be part of my client's team so that I can add value beyond my environmental advice.

Lynn Manolopoulos represents a wide range of industrial, commercial and individual clients in matters involving environmental state and federal laws and regulations. Her experience includes enforcement defense, environmental compliance counseling, Brownfields redevelopment, permitting and defense of cost recovery and citizen suit litigation. Lynn is a chemical engineer whose legal experience covers a full spectrum of environmental issues, from regulatory and litigation matters and compliance counseling to transactions involving contaminated property refinance and development.

Lynn focuses on her client relationships and adjusts her approach and style to meet not only the goals of the client but also the risk tolerance. She communicates with her clients on a regular basis making her relationships strong and allowing her to be a trusted advisor to her clients for questions beyond environmental issues.

Practice Highlights

State and federal superfund

Represents companies of all sizes in state and federal superfund matters and brownfields transactions. Special expertise in claims by the United States.

Clean Water Act

Defends clients in clean water citizens suits and enforcement actions.

Auditing

Develops and implements audit strategies and develops corrective action plans for violations of state and federal environmental laws.

Brownfields Redevelopment

State cleanup and Brownfields redevelopment for Barbee Mill

Cleanup and sale of a former sawmill contaminated with arsenic. Assisted in the planning for residential redevelopment in conjunction with cleanup of this property located on Lake Washington. (Ongoing)

Olympic Sculpture Park development for Seattle Art Museum

Developed strategy for the purchase, cleanup, and redevelopment of a former bulk fuel facility into a nationally renowned sculpture park. Work included the negotiation of two prospective purchaser agreements with the Washington Department of Ecology.

Long-term lease transaction in lieu of sale

Negotiating long-term lease of contaminated property to allow redevelopment without change in ownership to preserve insurance coverage. (Ongoing)

Citizen Suits

Citizen suits for Skyline Electric and Green Creek Wood Products

Defended Clean Water Act citizen suit alleging stormwater violations. (2016)

Citizen suit for major oil industry supplier

Negotiated settlement of Clean Water Act citizen suit and assisted with consent decree and clean water act compliance. (2016)

Enforcement

EPA enforcement action against large manufacturer

Representing client in Clean Water Act enforcement action by the EPA, alleging storm water violations. Avoided proposed compliance order and obtained prompt settlement credit. (Ongoing)

EPA enforcement action against major truck manufacturing and service company

Defended company against municipal and EPA enforcement actions. Developed compliance strategy and negotiated settlements, facilitating the sale of the company. (2016)

Environmental Claims Involving the U.S. As a Liable Party

U.S. cost recovery against Fortune 500 company

Ongoing defense of Alaska cost recovery claims involving allegations under federal law concerning the cleanup of PCBs at former U.S. defense sites. (Ongoing)

Major oil company claim against U.S.

Action to recover costs from U.S. for cleanup of historical bulk fuel facility. (Ongoing)

Federal Superfund

Superfund cleanup and Brownfields redevelopment for Altino Properties

Negotiated and assisted in implementation of an Administrative Order on Consent with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the performance of a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study at a site located along Lake Washington in the Seattle area. (Ongoing)

Superfund settlements to resolve cleanup liability

Negotiated consent decrees with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and settlements with site Potentially Responsible Parties to resolve site cleanup liability.

State Superfund

State cleanup actions for major oil company

Defending major oil company in complex environmental claims involving state cleanup demands in Washington and Alaska. (Ongoing)

State remediation claim for Panos Properties

Favorable settlement of cost recovery action against other liable parties for the cleanup of chlorinated solvent contamination. Following settlement, oversight of continuing cleanup actions and development of site closure strategy. (Ongoing)

Water Permitting

Marine Environmental Consortium v. State of Washington

Defended Washington salmon aquaculture industry in appeal by environmental groups of waste discharge permits for eight facilities. Judgment in favor of industry clients. PCHB Nos. 96-257 through 96-268 (Wash. Pollution Control Hearings Board); affirmed on appeal to Washington State Superior Court.

Admitted to Practice

Washington, 1991
Alaska, 2006
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington

Education

J.D., University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 1991
M.B.A., California State University, Fullerton, 1998
B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, 1984

Professional Recognition

- Named as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" by Chambers USA in Environment (Washington), 2005-2024; Received "Band 1" ranking 2011-2016
- Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Environmental Law by Best Lawyers, 2013-present
- Selected to "Washington Super Lawyers" in Environmental Law, Thomson Reuters, 2012-2015
- Named as one of "500 Leading Lawyers in Environmental & Energy Law" by Lawdragon, 2024
- Received the "H. Stewart Tremaine Award" for exemplary team work, Davis Wright Tremaine, 2014