Adam Meek

Managing Environmental Counsel

Adam Meek has practiced since 1991 and has extensive experience in all major areas of environmental law, including transactional guidance, sustainability, compliance counseling, site remediation management, cost recovery, facility closure, insurance recovery, litigation and enforcement defense. As Managing Environmental Counsel for BUPD, he regularly counsels clients on managing the risks and liabilities associated with the acquisition, development and disposition of properties with adverse environmental conditions in connection with real estate, corporate and financing transactions. Mr. Meek also has substantial experience in the energy sector, concentrating on alternative and renewable energy sources (wind, solar, biodiesel, clean coal). He has represented a wide range of clients including developers, investors, lenders, private equity groups, public utilities and manufacturing companies throughout North America and Europe.

Prior to joining BUPD, Mr. Meek was a partner in the Real Estate Group at DLA Piper, a 3,700 attorney international law firm, where he led the Environmental Transaction Team, specializing in complex corporate and real estate transactions involving environmentally impacted properties. He was also Co-Chair of DLA Piper's 85-attorney Real Estate Green Team, as well as a prominent member of the Alternative Energy and Land Use Groups.

Environmental Transactional

Mr. Meek counsels clients on transactions involving the sale and acquisition of properties and companies with serious environmental and safety issues, including many multi-facility, $100M+ transactions, as well as smaller and mid-market transactions. His experience includes managing due diligence, negotiating efficient and effective contractual provisions, developing and implementing comprehensive risk management strategies and facilitating lender approval of transactions with complex environmental issues. In addition, he has extensive experience with environmental insurance and risk-transfer products available to help manage risks, limit liabilities and facilitate transactions involving properties or companies with serious environmental problems.

Mr. Meek advises clients on how to protectively manage the risks and liabilities associated with the acquisition and development of contaminated "brownfield" properties. He helps clients navigate and take advantage of risk-based cleanup programs and government incentives to minimize costs and maximize financial opportunities associated with redevelopment or repositioning of brownfield properties. He also has substantial experience pursuing cost recovery from private parties and governmental agencies, as well as obtaining insurance coverage under various environmental and comprehensive general liability policies.

Sustainability and Alternative Energy

Mr. Meek advises clients on a broad range of sustainable/green real estate development issues, including accessing government incentives for green building and sustainable energy projects, complying with LEED and other voluntary green building standards, and navigating the rapidly expanding area of sustainable development laws and regulations (local, State and federal). Mr. Meek advises clients on the protective divestment of surplus brownfield properties and "green on brown" sustainable brownfield redevelopment (including the emerging area of eco-industrial park developments), as well as green leasing issues for both landlords and tenants. His practice also includes helping clients identify and access ecosystem services value in their property, including wetlands restoration, carbon sequestration and other ecological credits available to owners of surplus and undeveloped real estate.

Mr. Meek's sustainability practice also includes advising clients in the areas of climate change and renewable energy. In the area of climate change, he helps clients evaluate opportunities with respect to carbon credits and carbon/emissions trading markets, and also advises companies on climate change liability evaluation and reporting requirements. In the area of renewable energy, Mr. Meek advises clients on government incentives (grants, loans and tax credits) and the legal issues involved in developing and financing renewable energy and clean energy production facilities (e.g., wind, solar, clean coal and carbon sequestration projects). In addition, Mr. Meek counsels clients regarding the regulation of green product marketing claims and the liabilities associated with the performance (and failure) of sustainable products and services.

Environmental Compliance

In the area of compliance counseling, Mr. Meek has advised clients regarding violations, liabilities and permitting issues arising under various federal statutes and associated regulations governing the use, management and release of hazardous substances, including the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act and the Clean Water Act.

Mr. Meek has extensive experience with state environmental laws and regulatory programs, including those of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, Georgia and California. He has assisted clients in obtaining permits (including various air, water and waste permits) and responding to compliance enforcement actions. He has also designed comprehensive environmental compliance programs for major utilities, manufacturers and health care companies.

Superfund / Contaminated Sites

Mr. Meek has represented clients at numerous Superfund sites throughout the country, including serving as common counsel to the Steering Committee for the PCB Treatment, Inc. Site in Kansas City, where the liable parties included several of the largest utilities in the country and the United States Department of Defense. Mr. Meek has counseled clients on obtaining cost recovery for Superfund cleanups both from other liable parties and from insurance policies. He has also developed substantial experience in managing the risks and liabilities associated with sites contaminated with munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) and munitions constituents, including former munitions manufacturing facilities and closed military bases.

Practice Areas

• Environmental
• Real Estate
• Land Use
• Sustainability
• Alternative Energy

Professional Distinctions

Chicago Leading Lawyer - Named "Leading Lawyer" for Environmental Law by Law Bulletin's Leading Lawyers Network (2005-2009).

Publications

• The New York Law Journal, March 16, 2009 - "Parsing the New Vapor Intrusion Tenant Notification Law: Potentially serious consequences but little guidance" - Co-authored article discussing implications of New York State requirements for landlords to report potentially harmful vapor intrusion conditions to their tenants.
• The Illinois Real Estate Journal, March 2007 - "Mining Opportunities from Dirty Surplus Properties" - Authored article discussing various strategies for maximizing value and minimizing risk from protectively divesting contaminated surplus properties.

Presentations

• MCR Seminar (CoreNet Global) - Advanced Real Estate Negotiation Tactics (July 2009) - Teaching tactics and techniques for successful real estate negotiations at Masters of Corporate Real Estate (MCR) educational programs organized through CoreNet Global, an international association of corporate real estate professionals.
• Green Leasing Conference (Allstate and CoreNet Global - Chicago Chapter) - Green Leasing in Existing Buildings: Creating an Attractive Lease for Both Tenants and Landlords (February 2009) - Panel speaker regarding legal and sustainability issues in connection with negotiation of "green" commercial leases.
• Illinois Real Estate Development & Finance Conference 2008 (The Seminar Group) - Environmental Issues, Incentives and Opportunities for Brownfield Developers (August 2008) -Lead speaker and panel moderator for six consecutive years (2003-2008) for the environmental section of the annual Real Estate Development and Finance MCLE conference organized by The Seminar Group. Presentations have covered legal, financial and practical issues related to brownfields development in Illinois, including government incentive programs, changes in environmental laws and information on how to maximize brownfield opportunities for developers. Panelists have included Directors of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Commissioners of the Chicago Department of Environment, as well as numerous leading Illinois brownfield developers and consultants.
• Green Building Conference 2008 (DePaul University and The Alberti Group) - Current Developments in Sustainable Building Legislation and Regulation: Informed Decision-Making vs. Following the LEEDer (February 2008) - Speaker regarding legal issues associated with sustainable development at conference organized by DePaul University and The Alberti Group regarding managing risk in sustainable building (policy, performance and pitfalls).
• Real Estate Educational Curriculum of The Marbury Institute - Don't Get Burned by Dirty Dirt: How to Identify, Evaluate and Manage Environmental Risk in Real Estate Transactions (April 2007) - Speaker for MCLE presentation to real estate attorneys on how to effectively quantify and manage environmental liability in connection with the purchase and sale of contaminated properties.
• Land Use and Development Conference 2007 (CLE International) - Redeveloping Contaminated Property: Issues, Programs and Incentives (October 2007) - Lead speaker and panel for the environmental section of this annual land use and development conference and educational program. Panelists included the Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and leading Illinois brownfield developers, designers, lawyers and consultants.
• Illinois Real Estate Development & Finance Conference 2007 - Environmental and Land Use Issues (August 2007) - Lead Speaker and Panel Moderator.
• Illinois Real Estate Development & Finance Conference 2006 - Brownfields Development: Legal Issues and Government Incentives (August 2006) - Lead Speaker and Panel Moderator.
• Illinois Real Estate Development & Finance Conference 2005 - Environmental and Land Use Issues (July 2005) - Lead Speaker and Panel Moderator.
• Illinois Real Estate Development & Finance Conference 2004 - Brownfield Redevelopment: Issues and Incentives (May 2004) - Lead Speaker and Panel Moderator.
• Illinois Real Estate Development & Finance Conference 2003 - Brownfield Redevelopment Programs and Incentives (May 2003) - Lead Seaker and Panel Moderator.

Civic and Charitable

• CoreNet Global - Chicago Chapter Board Member - Member of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Chapter of CoreNet Global, an international not-for-profit professional association for corporate real estate executives, service providers and economic developers.
• StreetWise Board Member - Member of the Board of Directors of StreetWise, a Chicago-based not-for-profit organization that helps severely impoverished men and women out of poverty through entrepreneurial sales of news publications produced by StreetWise.