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Practice Mr. Otis practices in the area of environmental law. He defends and 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. He advises clients on issues associated with greenhouse gas emission reduction projects, including drafting and negotiating Emission Reduction Purchase Agreements and financing documents. Mr. Otis also has experience in international arbitrations in which there were numerous claims of non-compliance with major US and foreign environmental, health and safety laws. He advises clients on compliance with a variety of environmental statutes and regulations, including the Clean Air Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act. Prior to joining the Firm, he spent nine years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. At the EPA Mr. Otis played a key policy advisory role in a number of areas, including global climate change, the use of market mechanisms as innovative policy tools, and hazardous air pollutant regulation. Among other activities, 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 is Co-Chair of the International Law and Practice Section Committee on International Environmental Law of the New York State Bar Association. Mr. Otis has developed and taught classes in environmental policy and law at both Indiana University and Vassar College. Mr. Otis is admitted to practice in the State of New York. Education J.D., cum laude, Indiana University, 1990 - Board of Editors, Indiana Law Journal M.P.A., Indiana University, 1990 B.A., State University of New York, 1985 Associations American Bar Association, Environment, Energy & Resources Section New York State Bar Association, International Law and Practice and Environmental Law Sections Environmental Law Institute Publications Contributing author to Inside the Minds: Environmental Law Deal Strategies. Subtitle: Leading Lawyers on Identifying Environmental Liabilities, Structuring Transactions, and Developing a Negotiation Strategy (Aspatore Inc., November 2007). | 