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Stephen L. Kass

Stephen L. Kass

Partner
Co-Director, Environmental Practice Group; Chair, Pro Bono and Public Service Committee; Member, Ethics Committee

Wall Street Office
2 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005
kass@clm.com
phone: 212-238-8801
fax: 212-732-3232 download v-card

Practice Areas

Litigation, Environmental

Practice Description

Environmental practice encompasses all aspects of environmental and land-use law, including litigation, corporate transactions, project permitting, administrative proceedings, hazardous substances claims and regulations, environmental impact statements, landmarking, real property transfers, and international environmental claims and regulation.

Education

  •  B.A., 1961 Yale University (magna cum laude)
  •  LL.B., 1964 Harvard Law School (cum laude)

Admissions

  • 1964 New York
  • 1967 U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • 1996 U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • 1974 U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • 1986 U.S. Supreme Court

Affiliations

  • The Association of the Bar of the City of New York: Vice President (1985-86); Chair, Special Committee on Consumer Affairs (1969-74); Chair, Committee on Inter-American Affairs (1978-81); Chair, Nominating Committee (1982); Chair, Council on International Affairs (1986-89); Chair, Special Committee on International Environmental Law (1991-94); Chair, Committee on Social Welfare Law (1995-98); Chair, Special Task Force on Downtown Redevelopment (2001-2002); Member, Executive Committee (1974-78); Member, Committee on Legal Assistance (1969-72); Member, Ad Hoc Anti-Poverty Committee (1970-75); Member, Committee on Pro Bono Obligations (1978-80); Member, Committee on Police Law and Policy (1981-82); Member, Committee on Second Century (1984-86); Member, Special Committee on Drug Laws (1986-97); Member, Committee on International Human Rights (1990-93); Member, Committee on International Law (1994-95); Member, Council on International Affairs (1994-Present); Member, Committee on International Security Affairs (1998-Present); Member, Nominating Committee (1999)
  • New York State Bar Association: Chair, Committee on Environmental Litigation, Section on Commercial and Federal Litigation (1994-98); Member, Section on Environmental Law (since 1986); Member, Special Committee on Public Interest Law (1975-77); Chair, Special Committee on Legal Services Delivery (1974); Member, House of Delegates (1978-79)
  • American Bar Association: Member, Section on Housing and Urban Development; Member, Section on Natural Resources, Energy and Environment; Member, ABA Journal Advisory Board (1973-78)

Publications Available on this website...

"Congestion Pricing Next Time," New York Law Journal, April 25, 2008; "The Road Map From Bali, Parts 1 and 2," New York Law Journal, February 29, 2008; "Reforming U.S. Fuel Economy Standards," New York Law Journal, January 2, 2008; "Environment, Development and Human Rights," New York Law Journal, October 26, 2007; "Saving the Oceans: Magnuson-Stevens Act Amendments," New York Law Journal, August 24, 2007; "Assessing Mayor Bloomberg’s ‘Plan 2030’," New York Law Journal, June 29, 2007; "The Supreme Court’s Greenhouse Gas Decision," New York Law Journal, April 27, 2007; "Power Plant Cooling Water, Hudson River Fish - Again," New York Law Journal, February 23, 2007; "Climate Change and Environmental Practice," New York Law Journal, December 22, 2006; "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' New Nationwide Permits," New York Law Journal, October 27, 2006; "The Revised Equator Principles," New York Law Journal, September 1, 2006; "The Supreme Court Addresses the Clean Water Act," New York Law Journal, June 23, 2006; "Litigating Climate Change Via State Regulations, Federal Courts," New York Law Journal, April 28, 2006; "'Improving' the National Environmental Policy Act?," New York Law Journal, February 24, 2006; "Judge Alito's Environmental Record," New York Law Journal, December 23, 2005; "Recovering from Katrina," New York Law Journal, November 3, 2005; "New York’s Brownfield Law Opens Up New Development Opportunities," Client Advisory, November 2004; "Rebuilding Lower Manhattan," New York Law Journal, October 26, 2001

Additional Publications

Regular column on "Environmental Law" in New York Law Journal since October 1986 and numerous writings in other professional publications. See attached list of Stephen L. Kass Professional Publications

Other Professional Activities

  • International Affairs: Human Rights Watch, Special Counsel, African Division, 2006--; Member, Board of Directors (1985-2005, Chair, Policy Committee; Chair, Americas Advisory Committee); Council on Foreign Relations (Latin America Study Group, Cuba Study Group, Energy and the Environment Study Group, Economic Integration in Americas Study Group); Americas Society
  • Legal Services: Founder, Chair and Member of Board of Trustees, Community Law Offices (now the Volunteer Division of Legal Aid Society); Board of Directors, Welfare Law Center (Chair, 1989-99); Board of Directors, Municipal Employees Legal Services Fund (Chair, 1974-76); Board of Directors, Community Action for Legal Services (1973-76); Board of Directors, The Legal Aid Society (1976-82)

Teaching

  • Adjunct Professor of International Environmental Law, Brooklyn Law School (2004-Present)
  • Adjunct Professor of International Environmental Law, Pace University Law School (1998-2005)
  • Adjunct Professor of Historic Preservation Law, Pace University Law School (1990-92)
  • Lecturer, Environmental Law and Policy, State University of New York at Purchase (1978-80)

Languages

Proficient in Spanish

Illustrative Matters

Mr. Kass has, since 1972, represented a wide range of corporate, governmental and non-profit clients in environmental matters. For a general description of these matters, see the description of the firm's Environmental Practice Group, which includes a partial listing of past and present clients in this area.