EMAIL:
PHONE: 404-812-0843
Office Address:
1200 Peachtree Street, N.E
Suite 600
Atlanta, GA 30309
Georgia State University
(M.B.A., 1977)
London School of Economics
(L.L.M, 1974)
University of Florida College of Law
(J.D., 1971)
University of Florida
(B.A., 1968)
Georgia
Florida
Past Chair, State Bar of Georgia Environmental Law Section
Past Chair, Atlanta Bar Environmental Law & Toxic Tort Section
President, Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Georgia Top 100 Super Lawyer
Chambers USA
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Environmental Law
Best Lawyers® 2011 Lawyer of the Year – Environmental Law – Atlanta
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rating
Who’s Who Legal (Environment)
Rick Horder has practiced environmental law and litigation for over 48 years. He advises clients on environmental enforcement, permitting, compliance, and counseling matters. Rick has particular insight into Clean Water Act issues, including permitting, wetlands, and jurisdictional determinations, as well as RCRA, CERCLA, EPCRA, the Endangered Species Act, and the Coastal Zone Management Act.
Rick's litigation background encompasses a wide range of environmental matters involving regulated substances such as asbestos, formaldehyde, PCBs, and dioxin. He represents clients in toxic tort personal injury cases, citizen suits, agency enforcement actions, natural resources damages claims, and property contamination disputes. Rick brings valuable knowledge from his government and corporate experience, having served as an Assistant United States Attorney representing the EPA, and later as Regional Counsel and Associate General Counsel for Georgia-Pacific Corporation. He also acts as a mediator in environmental disputes, having successfully facilitated resolutions in over 300 environmental matters.
As an Assistant United States Attorney from 1974 to 1977, he represented the U.S. EPA in numerous water and NEPA cases. From 1978 to 1989, he was Regional Counsel, and later Associate General Counsel, for Georgia-Pacific Corporation, where he was responsible for all environmental and toxic tort compliance and litigation company-wide. In 1989, he joined Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, a large Atlanta law firm, where he served as head of the Environmental, Land Use, and Natural Resources Practice Team in Atlanta. He is a Founding Partner at KMCL.
Rick earned his J.D. and bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, his M.B.A. from Georgia State University, and his Master of Laws (L.L.M.) from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
Two-time Chair, State Bar of Georgia, Environmental Law Section
Two-time Chair, Atlanta Bar Association, Environmental Law & Toxic Tort Section
President, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Board Member, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Advisory Board Member, Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Georgia Super Lawyer; Georgia Top 100 Super Lawyer, Chambers USA listing; The Best Lawyers in America®; Who’s Who Legal (Environment); Lawyers of Distinction; Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rating.
Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership - Class of 2011
Atlanta Legal Aid Society Randall L. Hughes Lifetime Commitment to Legal Services Award
Emory Public Interest Committee Inspiration Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Public Interest
Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award, Out-of-State Award Winner, The Florida Bar
National Center on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Award, Georgia State University
William B. Spann, Jr. Award presented by the Access to Justice Committee and the Pro Bono Project of the State Bar of Georgia
Leadership Atlanta, Class of 1982
Moderator, “PFAS Symposium,” March 2022.
“16 Things I Have Learned About Mediation,” State Bar of Georgia, Environmental Law Section Seminar, September 2021.
“Reagan v. Trump: Remembering the Reagan Administration to Inform Today’s Events,” Environmental Law Section Summer Seminar, Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, June 2017.
“Legislative Update”, Coastal Issues & Shoreline Regulations in Georgia, The Seminar Group, November 2017.
“Working with Experts,” Green Law, July 2016.
“Environmental Law Practice,” Emory University School of Law, March 2016.
Successfully mediated over 300 environmental matters as both Party representative and Mediator.
Represented a property owner in federal district court litigation involving off-site PCB and solvent contamination, securing a $20 million judgment.
Defended the owner of a dry-cleaning supply business against a $10 million property contamination claim in Fulton County, Georgia, resolving the matter for a minimal amount.
Successfully defended numerous dioxin litigation matters, including a class action alleging property damage to riparian owners from NPDES-permitted discharges, while negotiating favorable insurance coverage.
Oversaw defense of a class action involving over one million individuals alleging personal injury from phenol-contaminated drinking water, achieving a favorable settlement after nine years of litigation.
Represented a PRP group in remediation claims brought by the State of Michigan and the United States involving 57 miles of PCB contamination in the Kalamazoo River.
Served as primary outside counsel in multi-defendant environmental insurance coverage litigation for a Fortune 100 corporation, resulting in a multi-million dollar settlement.
Represented a petroleum marketer in the sale of over 100 locations, successfully allocating environmental liabilities between parties.
Represented the City of Atlanta in a multi-billion dollar Clean Water Act suit by a citizen group, U.S. EPA, and the State of Georgia, negotiating a favorable consent decree.
Successfully represented a company against claims stemming from inadvertent disposal of low-level radioactive waste in a landfill.
Successfully mediated over 300 environmental matters as both Party representative and Mediator.