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Gerald Pouncey Jr.

Gerald L. Pouncey Jr.

Chairman
Phone: 404.504.7738
Fax: 404.365.9532
gpouncey@mmmlaw.com
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Gerald L. Pouncey, Jr. is the Chairman of Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP. A Senior Partner in the firm, he also heads the Environmental and Infrastructure Practices. His primary focus is the acquisition, disposition and/or the redevelopment of properties with significant environmental impact (including state and federal superfund sites), mergers, investments and financing related to such properties and the development and implementation of green energy technologies and strategies. He lectures nationally on these topics.


Mr. Pouncey has led efforts in the permitting, financing, acquisition, redevelopment and regulatory closure of numerous industrial properties, mines and landfills throughout the United States including a former wood treating facility in South Florida, a former airplane manufacturing facility in New York, former Department of Defense facilities, several former automobile assembly facilities across the country, a former granite mine in Maryland, a former chrome ore smelting facility in South Carolina, a former oil field in California and numerous other similar projects. Included with these projects is the Atlantic Station Redevelopment in Atlanta, a project that was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the nation’s best Brownfield redevelopment. Mr. Pouncey has also led efforts in the expansion and redevelopment of various port facilities. He has also developed, negotiated and implemented various financial incentives allowing these projects to take place. He has served as lead negotiator for industry (both foreign and domestic) considering locating in the Southeast. Mr. Pouncey’s practice also encompasses all of the facets of design, development and construction of sustainable buildings, renewable energy facilities, including various LEED certified developments.


Mr. Pouncey served as a legislative appointee to the Commission formed to review reauthorization of Georgia’s Hazardous Waste Trust Fund. As part of this legislative committee, he was the principal author of Georgia’s new brownfield legislation. Mr. Pouncey is the past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Council for Quality Growth, the Georgia Brownfield Association, the Walker School and Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society. He is a board member of the North Georgia and Metropolitan Atlanta Water Management District. Mr. Pouncey also serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the national Environmental and Energy Committee of the International Council of Shopping Centers. Mr. Pouncey is a contributing author to the American Bar Association publication, Brownfields, A Comprehensive Guide to Redeveloping Contaminated Property.


Mr. Pouncey has been voted as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business by Chambers USA and honored as a "Georgia Super Lawyer" by Atlanta magazine. Mr. Pouncey is listed as Who’s Who in the Law by Atlanta Business Chronicle. He was selected by his peers as one of Georgia Trend's Legal Elite and as a member of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialty of Environmental Law. The Best Lawyers in America also named him Environmental Lawyer of the Year for 2017. He was also honored by the National Law Journal in 2016 as an Energy and Environmental Trailblazer. In 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023, Mr. Pouncey was named by Atlanta Magazine as one of Atlanta’s 500 most influential leaders.

Representative Experience

  • Served as lead environmental counsel for the Atlantic Station project, which is the nation's largest brownfield redevelopment, including acquisition and redevelopment of the project.
  • Served as lead negotiator for locating the 1 billion dollar Toyo Tire facility in Georgia.
  • Served as environmental counsel to Jacoby Development in Jacoby's acquisition of the former Ford Auto Assembly Plant in Hapeville, Georgia, a 130-acre Brownfield south of Atlanta, now home to the Porsche North America Headquarters.

Accolades

  • Selected, Best Lawyers, Environmental Law, 2007 - 2024
  • Selected, Chambers USA, Environmental Law, 2007 - 2023
  • Named, Atlanta Magazine's Atlanta 500 Most Influential Leader, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
  • Named, Environmental Lawyer of the Year, The Best Lawyers in America, 2017
  • Named, National Law Journal’s Energy & Environmental Trailblazer, 2016
  • Multiple Selections, Georgia Super Lawyer by Atlanta Magazine
  • Selected by his peers as one of Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite
  • Listed, Who’s Who in the Law by Atlanta Business Chronicle
  • Law Clerk to Honorable James C. Hill, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 1985 - 1986
  • 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award for the College of Engineering at Auburn University

 

Membership

  • Board of Directors, Georgia Chamber of Commerce
  • Board Member, North Georgia and Metropolitan Atlanta Water Management District
  • Member, Regional Leadership Institute, Atlanta Regional Commission
  • Member, Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Environmental & Energy Committee
  • Chairman, International Council of Shopping Centers National Environmental Land Use & Energy Committee
  • Past Board Member and Chair of the Environmental and Toxic Tort Section, Atlanta Bar Association
  • Past Chair and Current Executive Committee Member and Board Member for the Council for Quality Growth
  • Chair-Elect of Auburn Engineering Council
  • Former Chairman of the Board of Directors, The Walker School
  • Former Chair and Current Executive Committee Member, Georgia Brownfield Association

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