Rego, John A.

With over 20 years of experience as an environmental advocate for clients and training as a chemical engineer, John Rego resolves environmental disputes by blending sound scientific positions with practical legal guidance. John has used this pragmatic, fact-driven approach to negotiate and, when necessary, litigate on behalf of companies in the electronics, petroleum, metals, and manufacturing sectors in matters ranging from litigation of natural resource damage claims to settlement of substantial bankruptcy claims to negotiation of federal air emission standards.

John's environmental litigation experience encompasses defense of Superfund and Clean Water Act claims, common law "toxic tort" claims, and hazardous waste citizen suits, as well as successful challenges to actions by state and federal agencies. For example, on behalf of Eramet Marietta, John challenged the federal manganese emission standards for ferroalloys production, leading to a settlement in which the U.S. EPA withdrew its standards and adopted those proposed by our client. John also recently obtained summary judgment against the Ohio EPA, overturning the agency's effort to prevent Gould Electronics from completing a precedent-setting cleanup under Ohio's Voluntary Action Program. However, John believes that with creativity, diligence, and a sound technical approach, most environmental disputes can be avoided or resolved without costly litigation.

John oversees the environmental team in the Cleveland Office. He is the executive editor of Jones Day's quarterly electronic climate change advisory, The Climate Report, and has been recognized as a leading Ohio and U.S. environmental counselor by Chambers, The Best Lawyers in America, and Ohio Super Lawyers.