With over 30 years of experience, Michael Goodstein’s practice includes environmental legal issues arising under federal, state, local, and tribal environmental laws, including regulatory matters, natural resource and property damage, and related insurance coverage. He helps clients identify and address environmental risks, as well as pursue and defend environmental claims, including negotiation, mediation, litigation, counseling and liability structuring. He uses his 360-degree view of environmental law to strategically advise and work with clients to achieve optimal results. Michael is regularly recognized by his peers as a top environmental lawyer and serves on the leadership council of the Environmental Law Institute.
Michael also served with the United States Justice Department in the Environmental Enforcement Section for 12 years. He was twice awarded the John Marshall Award, one of the Department of Justice’s highest honors, for outstanding legal achievement. He has also received the Gold Medal from the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency for his contributions to the Clean Water Act enforcement program.
While serving with the Justice Department, Michael represented the United States on a number of landmark cases under the Superfund law, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act. These cases included United States and Texas v. Koch Industries, a multi-state Clean Water Act enforcement action which involved over 300 oil spills, and United States v. Smithfield Foods, which resulted in the highest Clean Water Act penalty ever assessed after trial at the time.
