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Lewis T. Putman is a partner in Milbank's Global Corporate Group, resident in the Firm's Washington, D.C. office, where he leads Milbank's global environmental and natural resource practice. His particular practice focuses on international environmental transactional law and environmental risk management. Prior to joining Milbank, Mr. Putman was a partner in the environmental transactional law group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP.
Since 1994, Mr. Putman has advised corporations, private equity firms and lenders on complex environmental liability, compliance and permitting issues during mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, public and private financing transactions, bankruptcies, restructurings and workouts. His commercial and environmental law practice focuses on (i) identifying and quantifying environmental risks through legal due diligence on corporate history, structure, operations and management and the accounting treatment of environmental liabilities, (ii) coordinating technical due diligence on environmental risks, (iii) communicating environmental liability and compliance risks to clients, and (iv) drafting and negotiating contract language for environmental risk allocation. Mr. Putman has particular experience in the following areas:
Handling all aspects of contract drafting, negotiation and due diligence relating to environmental issues for purchase, sale, lending and project finance transactions involving a wide range of industrial and commercial properties and operations of a global scope. Mr. Putman has extensive experience evaluating risks and structuring transactions for shipping and terminal operations, bulk petroleum and chemical storage and transfer operations, automobile parts manufacturers, chemical manufacturers, foundries, electroplaters, power generating facilities, petroleum development, production and refining operations, LNG terminals, and hazardous waste incinerators and other waste management companies.
Evaluating risks associated with contaminated real property, non-compliance with environmental, health and safety laws, off-site waste disposal or "Superfund" liability, environmental "legacy" liabilities from historical facilities and operations, and environmental litigation, including asbestos, silicosis and other exposure claims and toxic torts. Mr. Putman regularly develops asbestos liability risk ranges and scenarios for transactions where asbestos products or premises liability is a concern.
Representing sponsors, lenders and investors on environmental, natural resource and permitting matters in the siting, development, construction and operation of renewable energy projects, including wind, geothermal and biomass projects.
Advise clients on issues concerning green house gas emissions, including legal developments under the Kyoto Protocol, the mechanics of the global carbon marketplace and the verification, certification and trading of carbon credits from Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation projects.
Advising creditors, debtors and asset purchasers in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings on strategies for addressing environmental risk and contaminated real properties and protecting reorganized entities from historical environmental liabilities.
Counselling clients on complex environmental and natural resource regulatory compliance and permitting issues in such areas as contaminated site clean-up and investigation under state voluntary clean-up programs, underground storage tank remediation, hazardous waste management, Endangered Species Act and other site development issues, air emissions credit trading, and air and wastewater permitting and compliance.
Advising clients on environmental permitting process and requirements, the transfer of environmental permits and compliance with various state transaction-triggered environmental laws.
Structuring and negotiating pollution legal liability and other environmental insurance coverage in the bankruptcy, workout or transactional context.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Putman worked for five years as an environmental engineer and project manager for national environmental and earth science consulting firms. As a consultant, he conducted "Phase I" and "Phase II" environmental site assessments, designed remedies for contaminated site clean-up and negotiated clean-up criteria with environmental regulatory agencies. A major part of his work as a consultant involved presenting technical information to corporate clients and assisting those clients with an evaluation of environmental risks associated with plant closings and real estate acquisitions and divestitures.
Mr. Putman has a B.S. from the Colorado School of Mines, a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law and a MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. |
