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Sylvestri_Paul

Paul D. Sylvestri

Partner
  • Rochester and Corning
  • 585.231.1194

As a lawyer, a former environmental consultant for the EPA, and a professional with industrial experience, Paul provides clients with valuable insights from several perspectives that are critical to the success of any project containing environmental interests. His unique perspective enables him to ask the right questions and to challenge scientific concepts commonly overlooked.

Remediation and Redevelopment of Brownfield Sites
Paul regularly assists clients with the process of investigating and cleaning up brownfields (impacted properties). Paul negotiates with federal and state agencies and responsible parties regarding the terms of orders and crafts settlement agreements related to clean-up obligations. He also guides clients through the New York State Brownfields Cleanup Program.

Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions
Paul assesses potential environmental liabilities and regulatory issues in all types of transactions, on all sides of a deal. He reviews site assessment data, environmental compliance, and permitting and operational conditions of facilities to identify and delineate concerns, and guides clients to get the deal done while leveraging environmental issues and protecting their interests.

Cost Recovery Actions and Compliance Matters
Paul defends and prosecutes litigated matters concerning a party’s responsibilities to investigate and cleanup impacted properties. He also assists clients in their compliance with environmental regulations and defends clients against allegations of non-compliance by regulatory authorities.

Environmental, Land Use and Zoning Matters
Paul shepherds development projects through the government approval process, including environmental impact analysis, and defends those approvals from legal challenges when necessary.

PROFESSIONAL & CIVIC AFFILIATIONS

  • Vice President and Member, Board of Directors, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester
  • Former Advisory Board Member, Monroe County Environmental Management Council
  • Former Member, City of Rochester Environmental Commission
  • Former Chair, Environmental Management Subcommittee for revising the City of Rochester’s Comprehensive Plan
  • Member, Leadership Rochester, Class of 1994

HONORS & AWARDS

  • Recognized by Chambers USA in 2018 and 2020-2022 in the field of Environment (Upstate NY)
  • Named as Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” in Rochester, NY for Land Use and Zoning Law (2020), Litigation – Environmental (2016), and Environmental Law (2011)
  • Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for Environmental Law; Land Use & Zoning Law; Litigation ‐ Land Use and Zoning; Litigation – Environmental
  • Selected to the Upstate New York Super Lawyers list, 2010-2019
  • Recipient, “Leaders in Law” Award, The Daily Record, 2014
  • Listed as a Top Lawyer in Corporate Counsel magazine for 2010
  • Martindale-Hubbell DistinguishedSM Peer Review Rated

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

  • Represents L Enterprises, LLC in the cleanup, purchase and redevelopment of a 95-acre parcel in Ithaca, NY. The project transforms 821,000 square feet of vacant former industrial space into a 1.7 million-square-foot, revitalized, mixed-use district to include residential, office, commercial, retail, restaurants, warehousing, and manufacturing.
  • Negotiated a buyout of a client’s liability under CERCLA with DEC that allowed client certainty and provided a cost-effective resolution.
  • Represents the City of Rochester in its efforts to prepare the former Vacuum Oil refinery site for future redevelopment, including obtaining participation in the investigation and cleanup from prior owners/operators.
  • Represents The Guthrie Clinic in the sale of a former hospital complex and making the site “shovel ready” for the purchaser under the NYS Brownfield Cleanup Program.
  • Served as environmental counsel for the purchase of Morton Salt (Morton International, Inc.) for $1.7 billion.

NEWS

Press Releases

PRACTICE AREAS

ADMISSIONS

  • New York

EDUCATION

  • George Mason University, J.D.
  • University of Rochester, B.S., Chemical Engineering

As a lawyer, a former environmental consultant for the EPA, and a professional with industrial experience, Paul provides clients with valuable insights from several perspectives that are critical to the success of any project containing environmental interests. His unique perspective enables him to ask the right questions and to challenge scientific concepts commonly overlooked.

Remediation and Redevelopment of Brownfield Sites
Paul regularly assists clients with the process of investigating and cleaning up brownfields (impacted properties). Paul negotiates with federal and state agencies and responsible parties regarding the terms of orders and crafts settlement agreements related to clean-up obligations. He also guides clients through the New York State Brownfields Cleanup Program.

Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions
Paul assesses potential environmental liabilities and regulatory issues in all types of transactions, on all sides of a deal. He reviews site assessment data, environmental compliance, and permitting and operational conditions of facilities to identify and delineate concerns, and guides clients to get the deal done while leveraging environmental issues and protecting their interests.

Cost Recovery Actions and Compliance Matters
Paul defends and prosecutes litigated matters concerning a party’s responsibilities to investigate and cleanup impacted properties. He also assists clients in their compliance with environmental regulations and defends clients against allegations of non-compliance by regulatory authorities.

Environmental, Land Use and Zoning Matters
Paul shepherds development projects through the government approval process, including environmental impact analysis, and defends those approvals from legal challenges when necessary.

PROFESSIONAL & CIVIC AFFILIATIONS

  • Vice President and Member, Board of Directors, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester
  • Former Advisory Board Member, Monroe County Environmental Management Council
  • Former Member, City of Rochester Environmental Commission
  • Former Chair, Environmental Management Subcommittee for revising the City of Rochester’s Comprehensive Plan
  • Member, Leadership Rochester, Class of 1994

HONORS & AWARDS

  • Recognized by Chambers USA in 2018 and 2020-2022 in the field of Environment (Upstate NY)
  • Named as Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” in Rochester, NY for Land Use and Zoning Law (2020), Litigation – Environmental (2016), and Environmental Law (2011)
  • Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for Environmental Law; Land Use & Zoning Law; Litigation ‐ Land Use and Zoning; Litigation – Environmental
  • Selected to the Upstate New York Super Lawyers list, 2010-2019
  • Recipient, “Leaders in Law” Award, The Daily Record, 2014
  • Listed as a Top Lawyer in Corporate Counsel magazine for 2010
  • Martindale-Hubbell DistinguishedSM Peer Review Rated

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

  • Represents L Enterprises, LLC in the cleanup, purchase and redevelopment of a 95-acre parcel in Ithaca, NY. The project transforms 821,000 square feet of vacant former industrial space into a 1.7 million-square-foot, revitalized, mixed-use district to include residential, office, commercial, retail, restaurants, warehousing, and manufacturing.
  • Negotiated a buyout of a client’s liability under CERCLA with DEC that allowed client certainty and provided a cost-effective resolution.
  • Represents the City of Rochester in its efforts to prepare the former Vacuum Oil refinery site for future redevelopment, including obtaining participation in the investigation and cleanup from prior owners/operators.
  • Represents The Guthrie Clinic in the sale of a former hospital complex and making the site “shovel ready” for the purchaser under the NYS Brownfield Cleanup Program.
  • Served as environmental counsel for the purchase of Morton Salt (Morton International, Inc.) for $1.7 billion.

NEWS

Press Releases

PRACTICE AREAS

ADMISSIONS

  • New York

EDUCATION

  • George Mason University, J.D.
  • University of Rochester, B.S., Chemical Engineering
Sylvestri_Paul
Paul D. Sylvestri