David Crass is chair of the firm's Agribusiness, Food Processing and Distribution Group, a leader in the firm's Energy and Sustainability practice and a member of the firm's Management Committee. Mr. Crass has served as the Managing Partner of the firm's Madison Office (2005-2008) and as chair of the firm's Land and Resources Practice Group (2003-2005). He focuses his practice primarily in the areas of environmental and energy law, climate change counseling, agricultural and food industries and renewable energy project development. Mr. Crass has represented clients in a number of multi-party environmental remediation sites including state and federal-lead hazardous waste sites, manufactured gas plant waste sites, impacted sediment cleanups, emergency spill response and removal actions. Mr. Crass has litigation experience in administrative contested case hearings, civil toxic tort defense, contribution actions, government enforcement defense, professional engineering malpractice and environmental insurance coverage litigation. On the transactional side, Mr. Crass has assisted both buyers and sellers in assessing environmental issues in real estate and corporate transactions, Brownfield redevelopments and insurance-backed liability transfers, and has also counseled lenders on various environmental issues. Mr. Crass has secured and negotiated federal, state and local permits and approvals for a number of projects, including industrial facilities, renewable energy plants and livestock operations.
