Geoff Rathgeber

• Defending a Fortune 500 manufacturer in a high-profile class action involving nuisance, trespass, and CERCLA response costs claims.
• Representing a carpet manufacturer in a lawsuit by a municipality alleging that multiple defendants’ operations contaminated a local drinking-water source with PFAS.
• Defended an aerosol manufacturing company and its corporate parent in government investigations arising out of a chemical spill that entered an unnamed tributary near the client’s facility.
• Member of a class action defense team for Porsche Cars North America Inc. and Porsche AG in multidistrict litigation in San Francisco in the Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” MDL.
• Advised on internal corporate audits and investigations and assisted clients with disclosing potential violations under the EPA’s voluntary self-disclosure policy in Regions 4 and 7.
• Preparing web, document, and product label disclosures under California SB 657 and related human trafficking, conflict minerals, and supply chain legal requirements.
• Providing review and analysis of potential liabilities associated with new consumer products, including compliance with the FPLA, CPSA, FHSA, and FTC Green Guides.
• Advised a major Korean cosmetics company on the cannabis cosmetic marketplace, including cannabis and cannabis-derivative products, the current and ongoing regulatory framework, and business and legal challenges and opportunities.
• Advising clients on compliance with recent amendments to Prop 65.
• Counseled a Fortune 50 client on the sale and transport of certain chemicals.
• Drafted various contracts and services agreements for Fortune 500 companies to clearly delineate scope of services, payment terms, representations and warranties, insurance requirements, and indemnification obligations.
• Conducted environmental diligence and evaluated potential environmental liabilities in the acquisition of commercial and industrial properties.
• Counseled Fortune 500 lenders on environmental liabilities, indemnities, and insurance.

Geoff Rathgeber is a senior associate in the Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Group. He defends companies in environmental litigation, enforcement, and compliance matters under state and federal laws, including CERCLA, RCRA, CWA, and CAA. He also develops strategies for regulatory compliance with hazardous and solid waste, consumer product labeling and packaging, and supply chain issues, and assists clients with crafting corporate policies to satisfy supply chain disclosure obligations. In addition, Geoff routinely drafts complex agreements for environmental services and provides counsel to buyers, sellers, and lenders on environmental and product-related liabilities in real estate and other corporate transactions.

Geoff received his J.D., with honors, from Emory University in 2013. While in law school, Geoff served as a notes and comments editor of the Emory International Law Review and as a legal extern for Atlanta Spirit LLC (the former parent company of the Atlanta Hawks) and The Coca-Cola Company; he also received the Dean’s Award for excellence in Sports and Advertising Law.

An All-American athlete in college, Geoff earned his A.B. in history and literature from Harvard College. Upon graduation, he became the first person in Harvard’s history to win both the Bingham Award (Male Athlete of the Year) and the Reardon Award (excellence in scholarship, character, leadership, and athletic ability).

Bar Admissions

• Georgia

Education

• Emory University (J.D., 2013)
• Harvard College (A.B., 2008)