Christopher W. Boyle

Partner

Philadelphia

(215) 988-2962 phone
(215) 988-2757 fax

Christopher W. Boyle, P.E., is a partner and vice chair of the firm’s Environment and Energy Practice Group.  He focuses his practice on environmental law, construction and land use planning.  As a licensed professional engineer, Christopher applies his education and practical experience in construction, engineering, contract administration for civil engineering projects, including water supply and sanitary sewer and treatment facilities, to his client's business matters. 

Transactional. Christopher evaluates the environmental liabilities and helps quantify the risks associated with corporate, real estate and financing transactions. For a single site property deal, private equity platforms, multi-million dollar Brownfield developments or multi-billion dollar international manufacturing transactions, Christopher assists clients in developing and implementing the appropriate scope of environmental due diligence for both divestitures and acquisitions. Combining his experience in litigation, land development, construction and environmental investigations and remedies, Christopher counsels clients on the structuring of deals, preparing transactional documents, allocating business risks, negotiating insurance policies and on matters related to post-closure environmental compliance, investigations and remedial activities. Where appropriate, Christopher negotiates with the federal and state agencies to secure liability protections and funding related to Brownfield's redevelopments.

Regulatory, Land Use and Construction. As a licensed professional engineer and former contract administrator with design and field engineering experience in housing and large scale civil project construction, Christopher counsels clients, including public and private companies, industrial manufacturers, developers and lenders, on contract matters, risk, compliance and the economic impact of federal and state environmental regulations. Christopher has assisted on issues involving permitting for large manufacturing facilities, the siting of environmental/energy projects, internal management and audit initiatives, as well as issues that arise from the day-to-day operations. Christopher handles permitting and compliance matters related to waste handling and disposal, air and water pollution issues, storm water permitting and other issues involving storage tanks, wetlands, asbestos, radon and lead based paint.

Environmental Disputes and Enforcement. Christopher has extensive experience in coordinating the crisis management of high risk, public exposure situations for commercial and residential settings including potential exposures to lead laden dust, asbestos, indoor air pollution and contaminated drinking water. Christopher regularly represents clients in indemnification disputes and engages in state and federal negotiations on both private and multi-party levels in complex environmental enforcement and litigation matters. He has represented clients in permit enforcement appeals before the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board, and in Superfund litigation involving both defensive prosecution of private party cost recovery access. Christopher serves as special counsel to technical steering committees and often is involved in overseeing the economic evaluation of engineered resolutions for remedial investigations, feasibility studies, risk assessments and remedial action plans.

Additional activities. Former chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Environmental Law Committee - 2003 and 2004.

In General. Christopher received a bachelor's degree in May 1982 and master's degree in May 1988 from Villanova University. He is a member of the National Civil Engineering Honor Society, Chi Epsilon, and the National Engineering Society, Tau Beta Pi. Christopher also studied in Drexel University’s MBA program from September 1982 to March 1985 and received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law in May 1991.

Prior to practicing law, Christopher worked for more than six years with the engineering consulting firm O’Brien & Gere, Inc. and advanced to the level of Senior Project Engineer in the Water Resources Department. Christopher is a licensed professional engineer in Pennsylvania and he is admitted to practice law in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey and is a member of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey State Bar Associations. He is also a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Committee E-50 on Environmental Assessments and is a frequent lecturer on the practical application of environmental law to real estate, construction and manufacturing interests.

Representative Matters

  • Represent property owners and commercial businesses in evaluating and negotiating agreements related to emerging energy technologies.
  • Quarterbacking a team of Drinker Biddle lawyers in a multi-million dollar brownfield mixed-use development of a professional stadium, as well as residential, office and commercial development. Magnitude aside, the project involves a unique mix of challenges to the time-sensitive nature of the project and its combination of public and private funding and on-site environmental contamination. Specific aspects of the work involve – negotiating complex agreements with the governmental agencies and quasi public authorities, redevelopment authorities and local governments to secure land, local land development approvals, and overseeing all land use and environmental permitting for the project.
  • On behalf of a buyer, coordinated all environmental due diligence for a Pennsylvania steel manufacturing facility and provide ongoing environmental counseling for day-to-day operation, including water, waste and potential investments in emerging energy technologies.
  • Negotiated a Consent Decree on behalf of a public company for the implementation of a multi-million dollar Final Remedy at Pennsylvania NPL Site under the USEPA's Innovative Technology Risk Sharing Program, whereby the USEPA will reimburse half of implementation cost if USEPA determines that the selected remedy does meet the remedial objectives.
  • On behalf of a university, negotiated interconnection agreements and design standards with the City of Philadelphia involving new development, combined sewer overflow connections and alternative temporary offline storage facilities.
  • On behalf of the seller, in anticipation of a $80M sale of a health care company in the southwest region, we successfully implemented, on an expedited basis, a comprehensive environmental health and safety assessment and remedial program to address 15 Recognized Environmental Conditions and 25 items of noncompliance for 10 health care facilities and related properties. The sale closed successfully without significant independent buyer due diligence and no environmental deal issues.
  • On behalf of the buyer, coordinated all environmental aspects for the due diligence, deal documentation and financing for the acquisitions of 11 long term health care facilities in the New England region and 6 long term health care facilities in the Mid-Atlantic region.
  • On behalf of buyers, we coordinated all environmental aspects for the due diligence, deal documentation and financing for the $1B + acquisition of a nationwide automotive dealership company with 120+ facilities and $0.5B acquisition of steel manufacturing company with 17 world wide manufacturing and distribution centers, including Mexico and Peru with compliance issues for Prop 65, the EU and NAFTA.
  • In separate matters in California and Florida, assisted clients in responding to requests for information in connection with violations of the state air regulations, including violations under of a Title V permit.

Speaking Engagements

11/29/2011
Sustainability Summit
Philadelphia BISNOW
  • Represent property owners and commercial businesses in evaluating and negotiating agreements related to emerging energy technologies.
  • Quarterbacking a team of Drinker Biddle lawyers in a multi-million dollar brownfield mixed-use development of a professional stadium, as well as residential, office and commercial development. Magnitude aside, the project involves a unique mix of challenges to the time-sensitive nature of the project and its combination of public and private funding and on-site environmental contamination. Specific aspects of the work involve – negotiating complex agreements with the governmental agencies and quasi public authorities, redevelopment authorities and local governments to secure land, local land development approvals, and overseeing all land use and environmental permitting for the project.
  • On behalf of a buyer, coordinated all environmental due diligence for a Pennsylvania steel manufacturing facility and provide ongoing environmental counseling for day-to-day operation, including water, waste and potential investments in emerging energy technologies.
  • Negotiated a Consent Decree on behalf of a public company for the implementation of a multi-million dollar Final Remedy at Pennsylvania NPL Site under the USEPA's Innovative Technology Risk Sharing Program, whereby the USEPA will reimburse half of implementation cost if USEPA determines that the selected remedy does meet the remedial objectives.
  • On behalf of a university, negotiated interconnection agreements and design standards with the City of Philadelphia involving new development, combined sewer overflow connections and alternative temporary offline storage facilities.
  • On behalf of the seller, in anticipation of a $80M sale of a health care company in the southwest region, we successfully implemented, on an expedited basis, a comprehensive environmental health and safety assessment and remedial program to address 15 Recognized Environmental Conditions and 25 items of noncompliance for 10 health care facilities and related properties. The sale closed successfully without significant independent buyer due diligence and no environmental deal issues.
  • On behalf of the buyer, coordinated all environmental aspects for the due diligence, deal documentation and financing for the acquisitions of 11 long term health care facilities in the New England region and 6 long term health care facilities in the Mid-Atlantic region.
  • On behalf of buyers, we coordinated all environmental aspects for the due diligence, deal documentation and financing for the $1B + acquisition of a nationwide automotive dealership company with 120+ facilities and $0.5B acquisition of steel manufacturing company with 17 world wide manufacturing and distribution centers, including Mexico and Peru with compliance issues for Prop 65, the EU and NAFTA.
  • In separate matters in California and Florida, assisted clients in responding to requests for information in connection with violations of the state air regulations, including violations under of a Title V permit.