Law Firm Overview

Sive, Paget & Riesel has been a leader in Environmental Law and Litigation since the early 1960's. More than four decades ago, Sive, Paget & Riesel lawyers led the administrative and judicial proceedings in the landmark Storm King Mountain litigation in New York's Hudson River region. The Storm King Mountain dispute preceded Earth Day, the National Environmental Policy Act and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Sive, Paget & Riesel builds on this broad experience everyday, applying insight and innovation to support clients facing a wide range of environmental issues such as:

• Hazardous Substance Litigation
• Development Permitting and Litigation
• Transactional Due Diligence
• Compliance Counseling and Audits
• Hazardous Waste Cleanups
• Wetlands and Regulatory Takings Litigation
• Civil and Criminal Investigations and Enforcement Litigation

Along with our nationally recognized environmental work, Sive, Paget & Riesel has developed a strong reputation for its general litigation efforts. Our litigation practice provides strength and depth unique for a firm of its size. All of our partners are actively involved in litigation and our attorneys have extensive experience in all aspects of complex trials and appeals. Recognized leaders in their fields, members of our legal team are former federal prosecutors and governmental litigators, and have served as faculty for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, presented at national conferences and served as legal expert on MSNBC and other news programs. We pride ourselves in providing high quality, cost-effective representation with personal attention to our clients' needs.

Over the years Sive, Paget & Riesel has developed great strength and depth in both Environmental Law and Litigation. This enables our lawyers to approach counseling, transactions and agency practice with a complete understanding of litigation risks and the need to establish a beneficial evidentiary record. Our reputation for being on the leading edge attracts a wide variety of clients, from industrial and manufacturing companies to local and federal government agencies.

Sive, Paget & Riesel concentrates in five primary areas: Environmental Law, Development and Land Use, Municipal Law, General Litigation, and Employment Litigation.

In each area, our goal is to deliver innovative and cost-effective professional services. The strength of our experience combined with a collaborative approach ensures that our lawyers work closely with clients, partnering to deliver successful solutions to complex, time-sensitive issues.

Environmental Law & Litigation

More than four decades ago, our lawyers led the administrative and judicial proceedings in the landmark Storm King Mountain litigation. Since those early days of environmental law Sive, Paget & Riesel has remained at the forefront of the field. This long and extensive practice has allowed our lawyers to develop wide-ranging expertise and experience in virtually all areas of environmental law. Our environmental law practice includes solid and hazardous waste, hazardous substances, toxic torts, energy-related siting and permitting, industrial permitting, underground storage tanks and oil spills, air quality, water quality and wetlands and environmental justice. Our lawyers litigate in federal and state courts under CERCLA (the "Superfund" law), the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act.

Development & Land Use

From the inception of project planning through the defense of legal challenges, Sive, Paget & Riesel offers comprehensive legal services built on our extensive experience with large-scale projects and our pioneering work in environmental law. We represent clients with regard to a range of land use and permitting issues including rezoning, requests for zoning variances, site plan approvals, subdivision plans, historic preservation and landmark designation.

Municipal Law

Sive, Paget & Riesel assists municipalities with litigation, Environmental Impact Statement development and evaluation, complex land development matters and civil rights issues. Our firm has litigated regulatory takings and permit denial cases both for and against local governments. Our unique experience representing a range of local governments, developers and community organizations enables our lawyers to bring a very broad perspective to solving municipal problems quickly and in ways acceptable to divergent interests.

As part of our Municipal Law practice, our experienced lawyers are also active in election law, having litigated and consulted in the areas of legislative drafting, redistricting and administrative hearings. Sive, Paget & Riesel's focus on election law includes assisting private groups, political committees and candidates in complying with federal and state election rules for ballot access and campaign finance.

General Litigation

Sive, Paget & Riesel has great strength and depth in litigation and trials. In addition to our nationally recognized leadership in environmental litigation, we have always maintained an active, cost-efficient general litigation practice. Our representation of corporations, educational institutions and municipalities has led to an emphasis in employment litigation and commercial litigation, and our growing construction law practice involving construction and contractual disputes.

At Sive, Paget & Riesel, our lawyers are actively involved in litigation, with experience in all aspects of complex trials and appeals. The firm's trial lawyers include former federal prosecutors, state and city attorneys and federal law clerks.

Employment Litigation

Sive, Paget & Riesel has provided expert advice and representation in all aspects of employment law for over two decades. We are continuously building on our experience to offer clients a full range of services addressing both prevention and resolution of workplace disputes. It is this cost effective, highly successful approach that has attracted clients from around the country including educational institutions, local governments and some of the nation's largest corporations.

Areas of Practice

• Hazardous Substance Litigation
• Development Permitting and Litigation
• Transactional Due Diligence
• Compliance Counseling and Audits
• Hazardous Waste Cleanups
• Wetlands and Regulatory Takings Litigation
• Civil and Criminal Investigations and Enforcement Litigation
• Environmental Law & Litigation
• Development & Land Use
• Municipal Law
• General Litigation
• Employment Litigation

West Practice Categories

Employment Law -- Employee, Employment Law -- Employer, Environmental Law, Hazardous Waste, Permits, Regulatory Compliance & Auditing, Wetlands & Wild Lands, Litigation & Appeals, Land Use & Zoning, State, Local & Municipal Law