Environmental Justice in Superfund and Brownfields Redevelopment

Nicole Moshang is a litigation partner at the firm where she represents clients in the pursuit of and in defense of environmental claims for cost recovery, contribution, natural resource damages, toxic tort, breach of contract, insurance coverage and enforcement and penalty actions under various state and federal statutes. In addition to her litigation practice, Nicole advises clients on a range of environmental matters, including regulatory compliance with federal, state and local regimes. Nicole's clients have ranged from Fortune 500 corporations in an array of business sectors to closely held businesses, sole proprietorships, municipalities, and school districts in a variety of complex environmental litigation matters.

Beyond her litigation practice, Nicole fulfills her passion for providing guidance and mentoring to new attorneys through her participation in the firm’s hiring and mentoring programs. She is currently the firm's Hiring Partner.

Outside her firm activities, Nicole is an active member of several organizations including the Women's Energy Network, Villanova Law School Inn of Court and liaison for the firm’s sponsorship of the Association of Corporate Counsel, Delaware Valley Chapter. Nicole has also been an active longstanding member and former Co-Chair of the Society of Women Environmental Professionals of Greater Philadelphia. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia.

On her personal time, Nicole enjoys spending time with her husband and two children at RiverCrest Golf Club in between their daughter’s competitive figure skating schedule and son’s early morning hockey games.

Dr. Nicky Sheats, Esq., is the director of the Center for the Urban Environment of the John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy at Thomas Edison State University and has defined the primary mission of the Center as providing support for the environmental justice (EJ) community. Among the issues he works on are air pollution, climate change, cumulative impacts, developing EJ legal strategies and increasing the working capacity of the EJ community.

Sheats was a founding member of the NJ EJ Alliance, EJ Leadership Forum, EJ and Science Initiative and an informal NE EJ Attorneys Group. He has been appointed to the NJ Clean Air Council, EPA’s Clean Air Act Advisory Committee and National EJ Advisory Council, and was a co-author of the human health chapter of the 2014 national climate assessment. Early in his career Sheats practiced law as a public interest attorney.

Nicky holds a B.A. from Princeton University and earned a Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences, J.D. and M.P.P. from Harvard University.

Matthew Cohn’s practice focuses on all aspects of environmental law, pairing his legal experience with a professional background in environmental science. His work includes litigation, environmental due diligence and counseling on regulatory compliance.

Issues Matt frequently litigates include CERCLA cost recovery and contribution cases, RCRA citizen suits, toxic tort cases, permitting and insurance coverage disputes, and enforcement actions for violations of air, water and waste laws. He also counsels businesses on Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act regulations and has managed due diligence projects including site assessments under the EPA’s All Appropriate Inquiries Rule and the investigation and remediation of contaminated properties.

Before becoming an attorney, Matt spent several years as a hydrogeologist for a global environmental engineering and consulting firm. That experience included planning and implementing environmental investigations, assessing risks and identifying cost-effective remedies.

Matt regularly writes and speaks on environmental law topics including fracking and vapor intrusion. He also plans and contributes to continuing legal education programs sponsored by the Illinois State Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section Council.