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Heather Friedman

Heather T. Friedman

Partner
Phone: 404.504.7781
Fax: 404.365.9532
hfriedman@mmmlaw.com
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Heather Friedman focuses her practice on the resolution of complex environmental issues from a business perspective. She uses her extensive understanding of both environmental considerations and the accompanying legal ramifications to advise clients in various sectors on a wide variety of environmental matters. In this capacity, she works closely with her clients on the acquisition, development, disposition, management and financing of properties throughout the country. Her practice involves both developed and underutilized environmentally impacted properties for uses including industrial, retail, hotel, office, residential and mixed-use purposes. She serves as environmental counsel for a large variety of clients, including national REITs, developers, regulated parties, financial institutions and institutional lenders. 

Heather routinely engages with the US Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies in a wide range of capacities, including with respect to brownfield projects, superfund sites, hazardous site cleanups, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permitting and compliance, enforcement matters, underground storage tank programs, and wetland and state water permitting. She also has broad-based expertise in environmental insurance, environmental due diligence matters, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and Phase II investigations (for both corporate and real estate transactions), and the negotiation of contractual environmental risk allocation (within Purchase and Sale Agreements, Asset Purchase Agreements, Stock Purchase Agreements, Remediation Agreements, Environmental Escrows, Loan Agreements, Environmental Indemnity Agreements and Leases).

Representative Experience

  • Served as lead environmental counsel in a multi-year high-profile brownfield redevelopment which includes a 200+ assemblage of properties with overlapping regulation by EPA and state environmental agency, negotiations with EPA Headquarters and EPA Region 4, and resolving environmental issues in connection with initial of phase construction. This representation included spearheading the removal of the property from the EPA National Priorities List which provided for entry into the state voluntary cleanup program and the ability to pursue residential development.
  • Nationwide environmental counsel for a publicly traded retail REIT with past and current projects involving the navigation of state environmental regulatory frameworks and the implementation on environmental strategies in connection with acquisition, management, and development of retail centers.
  • Counsel for insurance agency in US EPA superfund enforcement matter that resulted in successful removal of claimant from designation as a party responsible for cleanup costs.
  • Environmental counsel for global manufacturing organization with respect to both RCRA permitting and ongoing compliance as well as disposition of legacy environmentally impacted properties regulated by RCRA for redevelopment.
  • Environmental counsel for client with two New York States matters that required negotiation and resolution of agreements with New York state regulatory counsel for cleanup and liability protection.
  • Lead environmental counsel for acquisition and ongoing development of former GM facility in Atlanta, Georgia, regulated by the Georgia Brownfield Program for redevelopment into a combined film studio complex and mixed use development.
  • Serve as counsel for nationwide property management company in negotiation with USEPA of material reduction of penalties for Toxic Substances Control Act enforcement matter.
  • Lead environmental counsel for acquisition of a $250 million, 2.3 million square foot industrial facility in Dallas, Texas, located on a naval base with regulatory oversight by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality.
  • Environmental representation of financial institutions with respect to loan transactions (with particular focus on environmental insurance) and real estate transactions.

Accolades

  • Selected, Best Lawyers, Environmental Law, 2019 - 2025
  • Selected, Chambers USA, Environmental Law, 2012 - 2024
  • Named, Georgia Super Lawyer “Rising Star” in Atlanta magazine, 2010, 2012 - 2015, 2017 - 2018

Membership

  • International Council of Shopping Centers, Environmental Sub-Committee
  • Executive Board, Past-President, Georgia Brownfield Association

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