professionalIMG

Susan P. Phillips

Member
617.348.1713
vCard
Boston


Education

  • University of Chicago (JD)
  • Cornell University (BA)

Bar Admissions

  • Massachusetts

For over 25 years, Susan’s practice has involved the full range of federal, state, and local environmental and land use regulations. As her practice is primarily transactional in nature, she advises developers, lenders, purchasers, and sellers of property with hazardous waste or environmental permitting issues, and assists in securing permits and approvals necessary for property transfer and development. Additionally, she coordinates due diligence and provides counsel in assessing risks, evaluating and obtaining environmental insurance, and structuring transactions in order to effectively allocate environmental risks.

In 2011 and 2012, the firm received the Acquisition International Legal Award for “US Environmental Law Firm of the Year.” The awards celebrate excellence and reward firms, teams and individuals for their contribution to client service, innovation and commitment to quality.

Susan represents clients in negotiations with state and local environmental agencies, and has represented manufacturing and other industrial businesses with respect to a wide variety of environmental matters, including state and federal air quality, storm water discharge, wetlands, petroleum storage tanks, Chapter 91, groundwater withdrawal, asbestos, lead paint, indoor air, and other regulatory compliance issues.

Her particular emphasis is on advising national retail store chains on the acquisition and redevelopment of Brownfield sites throughout the country. She assists in the purchase and cleanup of individual properties, as well as in financing multistate property portfolios through sale/leaseback and other mechanisms, including counseling clients on disclosure and working with rating agencies on environmental issues. Susan has addressed environmental concerns in the acquisition and ground-leasing of more than 4,100 properties in over 40 states. She has also served as environmental counsel on more than 50 sale-leaseback transactions involving more than 2,500 retail properties with an aggregate value of approximately $8 billion.

Susan is actively involved with ASTM International in the development of various environmental standards. She co-chaired the drafting committee and was also a member of the legal committee for the Standard for Vapor Intrusion Assessment in Real Estate Transactions, published in 2008, and collaborated on the subsequent Standard Guide for Vapor Encroachment Screening on Property Involved in Real Estate Transactions, published in 2010. She is also a member of the Task Group for revising ASTM's Phase I Standard, to be published in 2013.

Recognitions & Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America: Environmental Law (2013)
  • Chambers USA: Massachusetts – Environment (2011 – 2013)
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Environmental (2006 – 2012)
  • Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers (2011)
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent 

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Member, International Council of Shopping Centers
  • Member, New England Women in Energy and the Environment
  • Board member, Elizabeth Stone House
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Massachusetts Bar Association
  • Member, Boston Bar Association