Donald Nanney

Donald C. Nanney’s practice focuses on environmental law and real estate, including environmental aspects of business and real estate transactions, regulatory compliance counseling, environmental assessments/audits, contractual allocation of environmental risks, environmental insurance, environmental litigation, claims and penalties, hazardous materials emergencies, and sustainability issues.

Donald is the author of Environmental Risks in Real Estate Transactions: A Practical Guide (Second Edition, 1993; First Edition, 1990) and co-author of California Environmental Law Handbook (Third Edition, 1989, through Eleventh Edition, 1999).

He has published widely on issues in his areas of focus, with articles appearing in legal journals and other professional and business publications, and has frequently spoken at programs held by the Los Angeles County Bar Association, State Bar of California, and other professional organizations.

EXPERIENCE :

• Member of Citizens Task Force on Financial Administration and Internal Controls, appointed by Mayor of Pasadena, Calif., in response to a $6.4 million embezzlement case by a city employee (2015)
• Captain, U.S. Army, Judge Advocate General’s Corps (Active Duty 1975–1979); assigned as Legal Officer in the Administrative Law Division, Office of The Judge Advocate General, Department of the Army, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.; received Meritorious Service Medal and Honorable Discharge
• Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Signal Corps, Infantry; assigned to graduate studies in law under the Distinguished Military Graduate Program of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (1971-1974)
• Negotiation of Enviromental Insurance: Key Changes in Policy Terms That Insureds Should Seek and Insurers May Give, Real Property Section, Los Angeles County Bar Association, 2007
• New Brownfields Legislation: Real Progress or Window Dressing?, Real Property Section/Environmental Law Section – Los Angeles County Bar Association, 2002
• Learning from Belmont Learning Center (An Environmental Primer for Land Deals), Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association – Los Angeles County Bar Association (Real Property Section), 2001
• Mitigating Factors in Appraisal and Valuation of Contaminated Real Property (Co-Author) (Program: Beauty Is In the Eye of the Beholder: What Is Contaminated Property Really Worth, Real Property Section/Environmental Law Section – Los Angeles County Bar Association, 1999
• Environmental Insurance is Finally Catching On (Program: Hazardous Waste and Real Property Transactions), California Continuing Education of the Bar, 1998
• New Asbestos Regulations: OSHA Rules Affecting Real Property Management (Program: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Real Estate Sales & Brokerage Law and Much More), Real Property Section – The State Bar of California, 1994
• Recent Developments Regarding Hazardous Substance Disclosure Obligations of Lessees, Lessors, and Sellers of Real Property (Co-Author) (Program: Fundamentals of Real Property Practice), California Continuing Education of the Bar, 1989
• Environmental Due Diligence in Real Estate Transactions: Will the Hope for a Level Playing Field be Realized? (Course: Environmental Risks in Real Estate Transactions: Performing Assessments and Avoiding Liability), University Extension Programs in Environmental Management – U.C. Riverside, 1994
• Defended and settled administrative claims and penalty actions regarding alleged violations of hazardous waste laws or occupational safety and health regulations.
• Represented parties in major contaminated site cases, including Superfund sites requiring intensive negotiations with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Provided compliance counseling regarding environmental laws and regulations affecting ownership or operation of real property, and advice concerning environmental liability.
• Successfully defended a major movie studio against Proposition 65 citizen suits and claims under California’s Unfair Competition Law in cases involving alleged exposures to chemicals and discharges of pollutants.

EDUCATION :

• University of California, Davis, J.D., 1974
• U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School at University of Virginia, Honor Graduate, 1975
• Stanford University, A.B., with distinction, 1971

BAR ADMISSIONS : California

COURT ADMISSIONS :

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
• U.S. District Court — Central District of California
• U.S. District Court — Northern District of California

AFFILIATIONS :

• California State Bar, Member, Environmental Law Section and Real Property Law Section
• Los Angeles County Bar Association, Member, Real Property Section and Environmental Law Section
• Building Owners and Managers Association – Greater Los Angeles
• Stanford Professionals in Real Estate
• Stanford Alumni Association