Mr. Otis is a partner in the Environmental group. He represents clients in matters involving environmental laws, regulations and policies as they relate to transactions, litigation and enforcement actions.
Mr. Otis has supervised due diligence investigations and negotiated contract provisions defining and allocating environmental risks and assets in multiple domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, financings and real estate developments.
Mr. Otis advises clients active in the international carbon markets, and he has experience in international arbitrations having numerous claims of non-compliance with major U.S. and foreign environmental, health and safety laws. He also advises clients on compliance with a variety of environmental statutes and regulations, including the Clean Air Act, Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Prior to joining Curtis, Mr. Otis spent nine years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where he played a key advisory role in policy areas such as global climate change, use of market mechanisms and economic analysis methodology. Mr. Otis coordinated contributions from EPA's Policy Office to President Clinton's 1992 Climate Change Action Plan. He also served the Enterprise for the Environment multi-stakeholder project chaired by former EPA Administrator William Ruckelshaus.
Mr. Otis has developed and taught classes in environmental policy and law at both Indiana University and Vassar College.
COURTS
U.S. District Court - Eastern District of New York
MEMBERSHIPS
New York State Bar Association
International Law Section
Chair
Co-Chair, International Environmental Law Committee
Environmental Law Section
Co-Chair, International Environmental Law Committee
EPA Alumni Association, Member of the Board of Directors
PRO BONO
Represented New York Counsel of Dog Owner Groups (NYCDOG) in successful litigation in the New York State Supreme Court.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Cider Mill Friends of Open Space and Historic Preservation
Advisory Board
New York League of Conservation Voters
Policy Committee
Indiana University School of Law
Environmental Law Advisory Board
State University of New York at Genesco
Political Science Advisory Board
Andrew D. Otis