EMAIL:
PHONE: 404-812-0844
Office Address:
1200 Peachtree Street, N.E
Suite 600
Atlanta, GA 30309
Mercer University
(J.D., magna cum laude, 1990)
Sewanee
(B.A., 1984)
Georgia
Board Member, The Longleaf Alliance
Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (C’ 2013), Board Chair (2019–2020)
Chambers
America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2005–Present)
The Best Lawyers in America® 25th Anniversary Edition, Environmental Law
Best Lawyers® 2020 Lawyer of the Year – Litigation – Environmental – Atlanta
Best Lawyers® 2013 Lawyer of the Year – Litigation – Environmental – Atlanta
Scott brings nearly four decades of environmental law experience to KMCL, where he serves as a founding partner. His practice encompasses litigation, regulatory compliance, and transactional matters for clients ranging from publicly traded companies and private businesses to government entities and nonprofits. Scott is especially known for developing creative solutions to novel and complex environmental challenges.
His transactional work spans all 50 states, covering more than 10,000 properties. Scott has played a key role in the redevelopment of hundreds of environmentally challenged sites, including numerous Brownfield properties in Georgia and similar sites nationwide. He has extensive knowledge in environmental underwriting for commercial loans, representing lenders, borrowers, investors, and purchasers of distressed assets.
Scott has successfully litigated environmental matters involving toxic torts, nuisance claims, federal and state cost recovery, and various statutory rights. His experience extends to prosecuting insurance coverage for policyholders on environmental and other claims. Through his regulatory practice, Scott has managed contaminated site investigations and cleanups, stormwater control projects, and sediment and surface water abatement efforts. He has contributed to legislative initiatives, helping draft Georgia's Voluntary Remediation Program and amendments to the Georgia Brownfield Act.
Prior to becoming a founding partner in KMCL and one of its two legacy firms, Kazmarek Geiger & Laseter LLP, Scott was a partner in the Environmental Practice of McKenna Long Aldridge (now Dentons) and in the firm now known as Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton.
Scott received his J.D. from Mercer University School of Law, where he graduated at the top of his class and served as a member of the Mercer Law Review.
Board Member, The Longleaf Alliance
Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (C’ 2013), Board Chair (2019–2020)
Chambers
The Best Lawyers in America® 25th Anniversary Edition, Environmental Law
Best Lawyers® 2013 Lawyer of the Year – Litigation – Environmental – Atlanta
Best Lawyers® 2020 Lawyer of the Year – Litigation – Environmental – Atlanta
America´s Leading Lawyers for Business (2005–Present)
Scott has published numerous law review, journal, and other periodical articles and contributed chapters to treatises. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, especially those focused on brownfields and environmental issues in secured lending and foreclosure.
Developed and implemented a strategy for a global pharmaceutical company to preserve multi-site indemnification agreements despite a Fortune 100 company's bankruptcy discharge efforts.
Served as Special Assistant Attorney General for the Georgia Department of Transportation concerning environmental matters in litigation, regulatory matters and transactions.
Acted as national environmental counsel for special servicers to CMBS transactions involving liability management exercises, loan sales, auctions, deed in lieu transfers, foreclosures, and performing-loan special servicing events addressing environmental issues in all 50 states.
Represented a policyholder in an environmental coverage case resulting in an Alabama Supreme Court decision of first impression holding that EPA PRP Letters trigger insurers' duty to defend.
Assisted a real estate investment company in securing environmental insurance for one of the first sites removed from Georgia's hazardous site inventory. Successfully obtained coverage when the state re-listed the property and defended against both state claims and toxic tort claims from an adjoining landowner.
Represented a suburban church in acquiring a contaminated property through purchase of a mortgage from a CMBS pool, taking a deed in lieu of foreclosure, and negotiating with local government to re-route a road and arrange a property swap, resulting in doubled campus size for the church and expanded facilities for the municipality.
Represented a municipality seeking contribution for manufactured gas plant cleanup costs from corporate successors dating back to 1850. After a two-week trial establishing liability, secured a settlement creating a multimillion-dollar escrow fund for river sediment remediation.
Filed suit against insurance companies on behalf of individuals and trusts benefiting the family of a deceased pesticide plant founder facing tens of millions in cleanup costs. Won partial summary judgment, secured a multimillion-dollar settlement, and obtained a release of liability from USEPA.