Scott Summy

Scott Summy is a shareholder at Baron & Budd, one of the largest and oldest firms in the United States that specializes in environmental litigation. Mr. Summy heads the firm’s Environmental Litigation Group, which litigates complex environmental contamination cases all over the country.

A large part of the Group’s practice focuses on representing public entities in litigation to recover costs of removing chemical contamination from public water supplies, governmental facilities, natural resources, and public property.

Through this type of litigation, the Group seeks to shift the costs of remediation to the chemical manufacturers and suppliers responsible for the contamination and away from public entities and taxpayers. The Group also represents individuals and public entities in large complex cases including wildfires and oil spills.

Mr. Summy and his Group represent large public entities including San Diego, Long Beach, San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley, Portland, Port of Portland, Spokane, Seattle and the State of Washington in environmental and public nuisance actions against Monsanto Company for polluting America’s waterways with polychlorinated biphenyls. He has been appointed a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington in the case.

Mr. Summy represents Sonoma County, Napa County, Mendocino County, Lake County, City of Santa Rosa, Ventura County, City of Ventura, Santa Barbara County, City of Santa Barbara, Montecito Water District, Fire Protection Districts and other public entities in both Northern and Southern California in litigation against PG&E and SoCal Edison for damages resulting from the devastating wildfires of 2017.

In addition to several public entities, Mr. Summy represents thousands of families and businesses who lost everything due to the negligent maintenance, inspection, and operations of these investor-owned utilities. Mr. Summy also represents Calaveras County in the 2015 Butte Wildfire, including claims for many tens of millions of dollars.

Mr. Summy regularly represents public water providers whose water is contaminated by intrusive chemicals. On behalf of these clients, Mr. Summy seeks cost recovery for treatment facilities, operation and maintenance costs, out-of-pocket expenses, and administrative costs. Mr. Summy also represents private well owners around the country whose wells are contaminated.

Education:

• Texas Tech University School of Law (J.D. 1990)
• Tarleton State University (B.A. 1986)
• Bar & Court Admissions:
• Texas
• New York
• North Carolina
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

Professional Associations:

• American Water Works Association
• American Association for Justice, Environmental Law Section
• Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies
• Dallas Bar Association, Fellow
• International Municipal Lawyers Association
• Public Justice
• State Bar of New York
• State Bar of North Carolina
• State Bar of Texas, Environmental Law Section