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Mr. Brooks is a partner at Phillips Nizer LLP, co-chair of the firm’s Environmental Law Practice and a member of its Litigation Practice. Individual and business clients rely upon him as their advocate in environmental and complex commercial litigation matters, and as their advisor on environmental aspects of real estate, corporate and financial transactions – especially, of late, brownfield transactions.
His involvement in environmental legal matters began more than a quarter century ago, first as a policy maker, then as a practitioner, and occasionally along the way as a visiting professor.
Prior to law school, he worked on environmental policy and legislation both in Washington, D.C. as Legislative Staff Assistant to the late former United States Senator Daniel P. Moynihan, and in New York as Research Analyst and Director of Public Information for the State Legislative Commission on Water Resource Needs of Long Island. During law school in New Orleans, he served as Research Assistant to develop legislation to preserve the Atchafalaya Basin.
Mr. Brooks started his legal career as a commercial and environmental litigator, acquiring skills in the United States Department of Justice Summer Honors Program and at Wall Street firms. He tries cases and argues appeals in state and federal courts, and appears before arbitral panels. His appellate skills were recognized while still in law school, when he was named the Nation’s “Best Oralist” in the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition. He has orchestrated the successful defense of cases ranging from ERISA to Superfund and RCRA matters, as well as the successful prosecution of complex commercial matters.
His colleagues twice selected him Chairman of the International Environmental Law Committee of the New York State Bar Association. Through that involvement, he became aware of the nature and extent of environmental degradation in Central and Eastern Europe. Soon thereafter, he established Cirrus Resources Inc., a company through which he advised both Fortune 100 companies and local entrepreneurs on the structuring of economic development projects in that formerly Communist region. During this period, he was one of two private sector representatives appointed to the United States delegation to the CSCE Conference on the Conversion of Military Production Facilities.
While at Tulane University School of Law, Mr. Brooks was the Judicial Extern to United States District Court Judge Morey L. Sear, and served as Articles Editor of The Maritime Lawyer.
For Mr. Brooks' media appearances and speaking engagements, please conduct a search on our Media page here.
Honors:
- Selected as a "Super Lawyer" in the 2012 Super Lawyers Business Edition (Construction, Real Estate & Environmental Law)
- Selected as a "Super Lawyer" for 2011 and 2012 New York Super Lawyers – Metro Editions (Environmental Law)
- Selected by the Long Island Business News as "Ones to Watch: Long Island Law" published in their November 9, 2011 issue.
Social Media:
Professional Memberships:
- New York State Bar Association
(Former Chair of the International Environment Law Committee; Former Member of the Executive Committee of the International Law & Practice Section)
- American Bar Association
(Chair, Environmental Transactions and Brownfields (ETAB) Committee; Vice Chair, Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Committee and Co-Chair, Emerging Issues/Hot Topics Sub-Committee)
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