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Bradley B. Jones

Partner
bjones@gth-law.com
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Phone: 253.620.6485
 Fax: 253.620.6565

Wells Fargo Plaza, 1201 Pacific Avenue, Suite 2100
Tacoma, Washington 98402

Primary Areas of Practice

Environmental law with an emphasis on negotiations, mediation and litigation involving responsibility for hazardous and toxic waste cleanup, particularly contaminated sediments. Significant experience with CERCLA, MTCA, natural resource damages (NRD) and mitigation. Numerous successful class actions.

Education

J.D., University of Puget Sound School of Law, 1987
cum laude

B.A., Whitman College, 1980

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

Washington State Courts
District Court, Western District of Washington
District Court, Eastern District of Washington

Professional & Bar Association Memberships

Washington State Bar
Young Lawyers Division, Legislative Committee, 1989-91

Professional History

  • Washington Public Utility Districts Association, Publications and Research Director 1981-84
  • Joined Firm in 1987
  • Represented various utility defendants in WPPSS securities fraud litigation (MDL 551)

Representative Cases/Transactions

  • In re Metropolitan Securities Litigation.  Co-lead counsel in six year federal securities fraud action that recovered over $39 million on behalf of investors in Metropolitan Mortgage and Summit Securities.
  • City of Seattle.  Lead outside counsel in matters relating to the allocation of tens of millions of dollars in contaminated sediment cleanup around Gas Works Park.
  • Port Angeles HarborWorks Development Authority.  Lead counsel to Harborworks in the investigation and analysis of environmental cleanup and permitting issues associated with the potential purchase of an abandoned 80-acre industrial facitiliy.
  • Bellingham Bay.  Retained by a PLP group, including the Georgia Pacific Corporation, the City of Bellingham, the Port of Bellingham, and the Washington Department of Natural Resources, and successfully achieved an allocation of  contaminated-sediment liability and facilitated a collaborative voluntary cleanup of contaminated sediments in Bellingham Bay.
  • Dow Chemical Company.  Successfully defended Dow Chemical Company in a multi-million dollar MTCA cost-recovery action. Obtained a dismissal and recovery of most of Dow's attorneys' fees and expenses.
  • Cedar Hills Landfill/Cedar Grove Composting.  Lead plaintiffs' counsel in a class action lawsuit that recovered $25 million for area residents negatively affected by two large solid waste facilities.
  • Washington State Department of Natural Resources.  Lead environmental attorney in project to redraft all of the DNR Aquatic Resources Division's aquatic lands lease agreements. DNR owns and manages approximately two million acres of aquatic lands, which include contaminated sediments in a dozen Superfund sites and over 40 MTCA sites.
  • Thea Foss Environmental Master Plan.  Lead environmental attorney representing the City of Tacoma in connection with all environmental issues involving the purchase, remediation, and development of Tacoma's downtown waterfront. Negotiated the first ever multi-site Consent Decree with the Department of Ecology.
  • Asarco Litigation.  Represented three separate property owners in three successful suits against Asarco for soil and groundwater contamination from Asarco slag. Successfully argued for recovery of litigation costs before the Washington State Supreme Court. Also represented two property owners in successful suits against Asarco for sediment contamination in the Hylebos Waterway.
  • SSA Marine, Inc.  Represented SSA in negotiations with Reichhold, Inc. for the purchase of a 52-acre heavily contaminated former chemical plant. Negotiated two Agreed Orders with Ecology for SSA's assumption of the RCPA permit and cleanup obligations.
  • City of Tacoma.  Assisted the City of Tacoma in negotiations with Ecology and PLP's on an Agreed Order for a remedial investigation of a former coal-gasification facility. Led the formation of the PLP group. Also represented the City of Tacoma in connection with environmental issues associated with the redevelopment of Union Station.
  • In addition to the above projects, Mr. Jones was a member of the Department of Ecology's External Work Group responsible for reviewing and recommending changes to the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA). Mr Jones participated in drafting the private right of action amendment to MTCA (RCW 70.105D.080) and testified before the legislature. He also led the drafting effort for the MTCA permit-exemption provisions that were adopted by the legislature in 1994 (RCW 70.105D.090).
  • Mr. Jones represents numerous public and private clients in negotiations and administrative hearings involving EPA, the Department of Ecology, the Pollution Control Hearings Board, and the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.
  • Mr. Jones advises banking and financial institutions concerning lending practices on environmentally sensitive properties and advises and represents lenders and developers in environmental issues affecting property transfers.

Community Activities

  • Board of Trustees, Tacoma Art Museum 1992-2002 (president 1998-2000) and 2003-2009
  • Board member Arts Fund 2003 – present (chair, Pierce County Cabinet, 2005-2008)
  • Board member Crows Shadow Art Institute 1992-2001

Honors, Publications & Presentations

  • UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND LAW REVIEW, 1986-87
  • Author, Precluding Government Relitigation of Statutory Interpretations, UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND LAW REVIEW, 1987
  • Frequent speaker on hazardous waste issues including allocation of cleanup costs among liable parties, contaminated sediments, environmental master planning, and liability issues affecting real estate transactions
  • Tribal Conference