David Cranston

Practice Areas

Environment; Climate Change & Sustainability; Carbon Regulation & Trading; CEQA; Climate Change Litigation; Insurance Litigation; Air Quality; Brownfields; Environmental Litigation

Career

With more than 30 years of environmental law experience, David Cranston is recognized as one of the preeminent attorneys in the field.

Dave’s broad-based experience ranges from the litigation of complex environmental disputes under CERCLA, CEQA, the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act to representation and counseling on regulatory and policy matters. Dave emphasizes the implementation of cost-effective and innovative strategies for favorable resolution of environmental disputes through alternative dispute resolution and, when necessary, litigation.

Dave is relied upon by some of the country’s largest companies to resolve environmental claims in connection with their national portfolios of contaminated properties. At numerous sites throughout the country, he has recovered the costs of environmental cleanup from the parties legally responsible for the contamination.

He has represented his clients in connection with a number of Superfund sites, including defense of U.S. EPA claims of liability and the negotiation of administrative orders, consent decrees and allocation among potentially responsible parties. Dave has served as common or lead counsel for a number of defense groups in litigated and non-litigated matters.

With significant expertise in the environmental issues arising from oil and gas production, Dave led the litigation and negotiations on behalf of the City of Culver City resulting in a landmark settlement of hotly contested CEQA litigation, favorably resolving a number of environmental issues in connection with future operations of the Baldwin Hills Oil Field.

Dave has substantial expertise in air quality litigation, regulation and counseling on policy and rule-making matters. For more than ten years, the Central California dairy industry has relied on him for providing the legal counseling, representation and litigation in a region known for significant air quality issues and aggressive challenges by environmental organizations. He also advises on the challenges and opportunities arising under California’s Cap and Trade regulatory regime.

In addition, Dave has worked with most of the major insurance markets in negotiating manuscripted environmental insurance policies to specifically address environmental risks arising from known and unknown pollution conditions. He has also helped his clients recover for claims under such policies.

He advises real estate investors and developers in connection with the acquisition and redevelopment of properties impacted by environmental contamination. He helps direct the due diligence, risk management and regulatory initiatives necessary for a successful transaction.

Personal

On a personal note, Dave is a competitive bicyclist, when time permits. In 2010 he won the State Championship in road racing at the California Senior Games. Racing for the U.S. team, he also won a gold medal at the Maccabiah Games in Israel in 2009. In 2013 he completed the 620 mile “Million Dollar Challenge” in support of the Challenged Athletes Foundation.