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Biography

Mr. Freeman has over 35 years of experience representing buyers, sellers, and developers of contaminated properties, as well as both plaintiffs and defendants in Superfund and other litigation regarding the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. He is a frequent author and speaker on environmental law topics. He is the recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Service Award from the New York City Brownfield Partnership and a 2012 Burton Award as “an outstanding law firm author.” His extensive bar association and pro bono activities include service as President of the New York City Brownfield Partnership, Vice Chair of the New York State League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Co-Chair of the New York State Bar Association Environmental Law Section Committee of Hazardous Waste/Site Cleanup, and Special Legal Counsel to the United Nations Environment Programme for North American Environmental Affairs. David is one of six “Band 1” environmental attorneys in New York included in the Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.  Chambers has quoted clients as saying of Mr. Freeman, “[He] is a tremendous environmental lawyer and a really nice guy. He’s a legend in the field.” … “[He] is always very responsive. He gets back to us promptly and always follows up.” … “[He is] the dean of the New York environmental Bar and a very effective negotiator,”… “Has many strengths, including excellent analysis of issues, understanding of government agencies, client service and the ability to achieve the best outcome”… “He is a good negotiator who never loses his cool and always stays focused on what’s important.” Mr. Freeman is also included in New York Super Lawyers.

Prior to entering private practice, David served as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Frank E. Moss (D-Utah) and a trial attorney at the Federal Trade Commission. He received both his undergraduate and law degrees cum laude from Harvard University. He is a member of the New York, Massachusetts, and District of Columbia bars.

David’s practice focuses on:

  • Representation of buyers, sellers, and developers of brownfields and other contaminated properties and of parties engaged in hazardous waste cleanups
  • Litigation related to remediation, cost recovery, property damage, and exposure to toxic substances
  • Conducting and/or supervising environmental due diligence
  • Counseling with respect to environmental insurance issues

Other Info About David

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Among David’s representations have been the following:

  • Representation of Citigroup Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary MRC Holdings, Inc. with respect to the investigation and cleanup of the Gowanus Canal Superfund Site in Brooklyn, New York.
  • Representation of The Related Companies in connection with multiple brownfield projects in Manhattan and Queens.
  • Representation of Syntex Corporation, Syntex (USA), Inc., and Syntex Agribusiness, Inc. in connection with personal injury, property damage, and cleanup cost recovery litigation brought by the United States, the State of Missouri, and private plaintiffs with respect to dioxin contamination at Times Beach and 42 other sites in Eastern Missouri.
  • Representation of Phibro, Inc. in connection with the Multidistrict MBTE Product Liability Litigation in the Southern District of New York.
  • Representation of Getty Petroleum Marketing Inc., Getty Properties, Corp., and Getty Realty Corp. with respect to claims for property damage, injunctive relief, and punitive damages with respect to contamination from a gasoline station site in New York City.
  • Representation of Metro-North Commuter Railroad in a cost recovery action for alleged PCB contamination of a golf course in Stamford, Connecticut.
  • Representation of Lehman Asset Management Corporation in connection with environmental cleanup and filing of a Remedial Action Outcome Statement with respect to TCE contamination at the Brickstone Site in Andover, Massachusetts.
  • Representation of Kobe Copper Products, Inc. in private party cleanup cost recovery litigation with respect to alleged PCB contamination at the Ward Transformer Superfund Site in Wade County, North Carolina.
  • Representation of Lonza, Inc., a Swiss-based fine chemical and pharmaceutical company, with respect to cleanup of the Peterson Puritan Superfund Site in Cumberland, Rhode Island.
  • Representation of Jewish Home Lifecare in the cleanup of a former gas station in the Bronx to facilitate the construction of low-income housing.
  • Representation of a major tenant of 7 World Trade Center and a major insurer of the Deutsche Bank building in connection with the environmental cleanup of those properties in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001.
  • Representation of a major automobile manufacturer in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in an appeal of a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board regarding a waiver of Clean Air Act requirements for automotive air emissions.

David is a frequent speaker and writer on environmental topics. He is a contributing author to the American Bar Association’s handbook, Environmental Aspects of Real Estate Transactions, and a member of the Board of Advisors of Real Estate/ Environmental Liability News. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of West Publications’ Journal of Environmental Law & Practice and is an Annual Update Editor for West’s treatise, Environmental Law & Regulation in New York. He won a 2012 Burton Distinguished Legal Writing Award as “an outstanding law firm author” for his article on ASTM’s new Building Energy Performance Assessment Standard.

David is also active in pro bono and bar association activities. He is Vice Chair of the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and a Director and the past President of the New York City Brownfield Partnership. He is Co-Chair of the Committee on Hazardous Waste of New York State Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section, and was the recipient of the Section’s 2001 Distinguished Service Award. He is also Co-Chair of the Section’s Brownfields Task Force.

Education

Harvard Law School|Harvard University

J.D., cum laude|B.A., cum laude

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Courts

David is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

State of New York|Commonwealth of Massachusetts|District of Columbia|District of Columbia Court of Appeals|United States District Court for the Southern District of New York|United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York|United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit|Supreme Court of the United States

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Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Honored by The New Jewish Home at the 2025 Eight over Eighty Gala

Included on the Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business list, Environment

Recognized by Best Lawyers®, 2026 Edition:  Environmental Law

Included on the New York Metro Super Lawyers list, Environmental; Environmental Litigation (past)

Recipient, Distinguished Service Award, New York City Brownfield Partnership, 2021

Recipient, 2012 Burton Award for Legal Achievement as “an outstanding law firm author”

Recipient, Distinguished Service Award, New York State Bar Association, Environmental Law Section, 2001

Included on the Martindale-Hubbell AV® Peer Review Rated list

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Director and Past President, New York City Brownfield Partnership

Vice-Chair, Board of Trustees, New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Environmental Law & Practice (West), 1998-2000

Board of Advisors, Real Estate / Environmental Liability News

American Bar Association
Section on Environment, Energy and Resource Law

New York State Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
Co-Chair, Committee on Hazardous Waste
Co-Chair, Brownfields Task Force

Co-Founder, U.S. TAG ISO 14000 Legal Issues Forum

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Vice Chair and Member, Board of Directors, New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund

Member, Board of Directors, The New Jewish Home

Member, Village of Mamaroneck Flood Mitigation Advisory Committee

Member (2017-2023) and Chair (2023), Village of Mamaroneck Committee for the Environment

Town of Mamaroneck (New York) Planning Board, 1990-1992

 

Board of Directors, Mamaroneck-Larchmont Student Aid Fund, 1984-1988