Ronnie A. Gosselin

Partner,

Atlanta

Phone: +1 404 881 7965
Email: ronnie.gosselin@alston.com

Ronnie represents clients through all stages of their environmental litigation and enforcement matters, from preventative due diligence and regulatory compliance to post-crisis problem-solving and management. Whether conducting due diligence in real estate transactions or defending in litigation, Ronnie never loses sight of her clients' objectives.

Litigation

Represented a real estate developer in action to recover damages from the federal government and its contractor in relation to actions taken during a yearslong CERCLA radiological cleanup at former naval base.
Defended a chlorinated solvents manufacturer in litigation over dry-cleaning chemicals that allegedly contaminated multiple city sites in Modesto, CA; served as member of the trial team that secured a favorable jury verdict for one site.
Resolved a threatened citizen suit against an international manufacturer for alleged Clean Water Act violations on favorable terms to client and outside of litigation.
Defended emergency response services company in a criminal suit over alleged RCRA violations. Our client secured highly favorable plea terms and minimal penalties.
Secured settlement for a national food product manufacturer in civil litigation with multiple plaintiffs for alleged property damages and personal injuries in relation to waste disposal.
Recovered 90% of all past and future cleanup costs, approximately $10 million, on behalf of a client following its purchase of a site with groundwater contamination caused by a prior owner's operations in the 1970s.
Member of the trial team that secured a full defense verdict in a toxic tort action for a major chemical company after a two-week jury trial in Louisiana.
Member of the trial teams that secured favorable settlements in toxic tort suits against an international automotive parts distributor after a four-week jury trial in Louisiana and a two-week jury trial in Philadelphia.
Negotiated a favorable pre-litigation cashout in response to a CERCLA contribution suit.
Lead counsel on a national personal jurisdiction strategy on behalf of a Fortune 500 automotive parts supplier. Directed and worked with local counsel in numerous jurisdictions to secure favorable trial court and appellate rulings, culminating in a pivotal state supreme court reversal of its own prior precedent in favor of the client's position.
Regional counsel for a major chemical company in ongoing toxic tort litigation in several states.

Environmental Compliance and Enforcement

Advising multiple clients across industries on RCRA-compliant management of wastes, including an electric battery recycler, a logistics provider, an auto parts manufacturer, and beverage manufacturer.
Defended a waste management company against multiple debarment actions following RCRA-related criminal enforcement.
Advising an international transportation and logistics company on environmental matters throughout the country, including strategy for compliance and enforcement matters across multiple states and EPA regions.
Represented a multinational energy and technical market service provider in a CERCLA enforcement action for legacy liabilities at a former manufacturing facility; negotiations with the EPA reduced the federal and state past response cost demand in the final consent decree by more than $1 million.
Advising a national restaurant chain on environmental compliance programs for new supply warehouses and vehicle fueling and maintenance operations, including Clean Air Act requirements, management and handling of hazardous materials and waste, and vendor guidelines.
Advising logistics and manufacturing clients on the applicability and scope of the Department of Transportation’s hazardous materials regulations, including package marking, labeling and packaging requirements, employee training, and incident notification. Counseling and advising on international standards and norms, including ICAO, IATA, IMDG, and various foreign requirements for transporting all classes of hazardous materials, as well as advising on evolving regulations for the shipment of lithium batteries and reverse pharmaceuticals.
Counseled scrap metal recycling facilities facing enforcement actions for alleged violations of California’s hazardous waste laws and regulations.
Advised on temporary closures and staff reductions for automotive parts manufacturing facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and regulator expectations for ongoing environmental compliance during closures.
Represented a multinational automotive parts manufacturer in a RCRA enforcement action; handled day-to-day negotiations with EPA Region 4 and worked with the client to develop a compliance plan and supplemental environmental project that reduced the monetary penalty by more than $1 million—the maximum reduction available under EPA policy.
Developed compliance solutions for the world's second-largest glass manufacturing company during the negotiation of an enforcement action by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control alleging hazardous waste violations under California law.
Advised a medical sterilization company on land use-related issues concerning its ethylene oxide facilities.

Transactional

Advising clients on environmental compliance and liability issues in mergers and acquisitions, real estate transfers, and financing transactions. Clients include Fortune 500 lenders and manufacturers across industry sectors, including auto parts, appliance, cement, ink, and paper manufacturers.
Conducting and advising on due diligence assessments for purchasers and lenders; retaining and working with consultants, engineers, and other environmental professionals to quantify potential liabilities and evaluate risk.
Advising on enrollment in state brownfield programs and developing creative strategies to mitigate or allocate environmental risks for potential purchasers.
Drafting and negotiating purchase agreement language to effectively allocate potential environmental risk and liability between parties.

Ronnie A. Gosselin

Litigation

Environmental Compliance and Enforcement

Transactional

Bar Admissions

Education

Memberships