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Lawyer Profile

Image of William T. Gorton III

William T. Gorton III

Stites & Harbison, PLLC
  • Recognized Since:
    2007
  • Recognized in:
    Energy Law
    Environmental Law...
  • Law School:
    University of Kentucky
  • Lawyer Page:
    http://www.stites.com/attorney...
  • Website:
    http://www.stites.com
  • E-mail:
    wgorton@stites.com
  • Languages:
    English
  • Location:
    250 West Main Street, Suite 2300
    Lexington, KY 40507-1758
"Bill has a combination of a mining engineering background, in addition to his legal background. Bill has a thorough knowledge of the regulatory and administrative landscape."

-Robert Lavitt (The Travelers Companies, Inc.), Hartford

"Bill's knowledge and experience in environmental regulations, natural resource issues, land acquisition, construction, and nonprofit organizations have been irreplaceable assets to our company. His advice is conveyed in terms that are easy to understand. Bill is always available, pleasant, and helpful. The past two years simply would not have been possible without his help!"

-Janet Bridges (Riverwoods Environmental Education Center), Somerset

Read More Client Comments
  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Lawyer Practice Areas
  • Firm Details
  • Case History

Lawyer Bio

Bill Gorton is Chair of the Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Service Group for the firm. He is national counsel to numerous clients on environmental regulatory and land and water resources matters. He advises healthcare clients in permitting, acquisitions and environmental compliance matters. Bill has represented clients in the waste management sector including acquisitions, due diligence, compliance and contracting. He has been counsel in the development of numerous independent gas, solar and waste-coal power plants. He has been Lead Counsel to numerous surety companies regarding over $4 billion in financial guarantees on bankrupt and/or defaulting mining operations, hazardous waste facilities and solid waste disposal facilities throughout the United States. He has been primary environmental counsel in the development of interstate pipeline associated with major natural gas resource development. He also counsels on large natural resource and energy, waste industry, business or corporate transactions, and project development assessing and addressing environmental regulatory issues and accomplishing clients' goals. Bill is also an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Law at the University of Kentucky's Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation program.

Before embarking on a law career, Mr. Gorton managed many projects as an environmental consultant on projects throughout the U.S.

Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Bar & Court Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Additional Information

Education:

  • University of Kentucky , J.D., with distinction, graduated 1988
  • Pennsylvania State University, B.S., Man-Environment Relations, emphasis in Natural Systems, graduated 1976

Bar Admissions:

  • Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Kentucky, Kentucky Bar Association
 

Court Admissions:

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Affiliations:

  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Kentucky Bar Association - Member
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association - Member
  • Energy and Mineral Law Foundation - Trustee

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Energy Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Mining Law
  • Natural Resources Law
 

Awards:

  • Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated
  • ChambersUSA America's Leading Lawyers for Business
  • Benchmark Litigation magazine, Litigation Star (2015-present)
  • International Law Office and Lexology, Client Choice Award for Excellence in Client Service (2015)

Special Focus:

  • Administrative
  • Coal
  • Contract
  • COVID-19
  • Energy
  • Energy Companies
  • Environmental
  • Legislative
  • Mining
  • Project Development
  • Regulatory
  • Timber
 

Additional Information:

Prior to Stites & Harbison
Prior to attending law school, Bill was the manager of the Kentucky office of Skelly & Loy Engineers-Consultants and had managed natural resource development and environmental remediation projects throughout the United States. At Skelly & Loy, he developed the mine land reclamation programs under the Title IV of the Surface Mine, Control and Reclamation Act for Alaska and Virginia. He also managed technical projects for the U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Bureau of Mines, U.S. EPA, Appalachian Regional Commission and numerous state agency and private sector clients. He is Chair of The Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeways Commission and has also advised the Kentucky Rails to Trails Council, Inc. on a pro bono basis, formed as part of the nationwide movement to develop abandoned rail beds into trails for recreation use. Bill is Assistant Professor/Adjunct at the University of Kentucky in the Natural Resource and Environmental Science Program teaching Environmental Law and Regulation. He is also a Trustee to the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation. An avid cyclist, Bill is a spin instructor at the Lexington YMCA. In 2010, Bill joined a group of amateur cyclists who participated in six stages of the Tour de France.
 

Lawyer Client Comments

"Bill has a combination of a mining engineering background, in addition to his legal background. Bill has a thorough knowledge of the regulatory and administrative landscape."

Robert Lavitt, The Travelers Companies, Inc., Hartford

"Bill's knowledge and experience in environmental regulations, natural resource issues, land acquisition, construction, and nonprofit organizations have been irreplaceable assets to our company. His advice is conveyed in terms that are easy to understand. Bill is always available, pleasant, and helpful. The past two years simply would not have been possible without his help!"

Janet Bridges, Riverwoods Environmental Education Center, Somerset

"Our Botanic Garden project is long term and complex, with "lots of moving parts" and more committees than sometimes seems manageable - just ask Bill!! He's adept not only at understanding all of those parts, but also at making the appropriate connections between them, while providing exceptional leadership in guiding us through the maze. I've been impressed with his ability to see and explain both sides of an issue - that's very important to us, since our project is based more on partnerships than on "winning" at the expense of another party. That said, he stands his/our ground when he needs to, advocating - and educating - for our project when circumstances require it. We could not have chosen - and the selection process was very competitive - a better attorney to help us with this project."

Lindsay Totten, Horticultural Society of Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh

Lawyer Practice Areas

Key: Awarded in Best Lawyers Not Currently Awarded for this Area in Best Lawyers

Firm Details

Image for Stites & Harbison, PLLC View Firm Profile
Stites & Harbison, PLLC
http://www.stites.com
 
Headquarters
400 West Market Street, Suite 1800
Louisville, KY 40202-3352
(502) 587.3400
10 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

Georgia

Georgia

Atlanta, GA

303 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 2800

Atlanta, GA 30308

United States

(404) 739.8800

Get Directions

Indiana

Indiana

Jeffersonville, IN

323 East Court Avenue

Jeffersonville, IN 47130

United States

(812) 282.7566

Get Directions

Kentucky

Kentucky

Covington, KY

100 East RiverCenter Boulevard, Suite 450

Covington, KY 41011

United States

(859) 652.7600

Get Directions

Frankfort, KY

250 West Main Street, Suite 2300

Frankfort, KY 40507

United States

(502) 223.3477

Get Directions

Lexington, KY

250 West Main Street, Suite 2300

Lexington, KY 40507-1758

United States

(859) 226.2300

Get Directions

Tennessee

Tennessee

Franklin, TN

604 West Main Street

Franklin, TN 37064

United States

(615) 595.0636

Get Directions

Memphis, TN

6410 Poplar Avenue, Suite 180

Memphis, TN 38119

United States

(901) 866.8975

Get Directions

Nashville, TN

401 Commerce Street, Suite 800

Nashville, TN 37219

United States

(615) 782.2200

Get Directions

Virginia

Virginia

Alexandria, VA

1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 325

Alexandria, VA 22314

United States

(703) 739.4900

Get Directions

Lawyer Case History

Major U.S. Coal Company Bankruptcies

Represented many national sureties in bankruptcies of major coal company bankruptcies including Peabody Energy, Arch Coal, Alpha Natural Resources, Patriot Coal and others, working with debtors, federal and state regulatory agencies to develop plans for addressing $ billions in outstanding environmental and land reclamation liabilities.

Gas Pipelines

Represented national pipeline company in environmental permitting under state and federal law and easement acquisitions for interstate pipeline from PA en route through TN.

Landfills/Waste Beneficial Uses

Represent landfill operators in permitting and compliance issues, solid waste management planning with local governments, and landfill gas utilization. facilitated numerous projects utilizing CCR in land reclamation and other beneficial uses.

Gold and other hard rock mining

Advise and represent surety clients in numerous defaults and/or bankruptcies of western U.S. gold mining/processing companies.

Montana and Wyoming Powder River Basin Coal Company

  • Advised and developed the state and federal reclamation financial assurance replacement program ($150 million) including permit transfer, owner/controller notice and collateral releases associated with Montana and Wyoming Powder River Basin Coal Company sales.

New York Department of Insurance as Rehabilitator of Frontier Insurance Co.

  • Acted as national counsel in coordinating matters for the New York Department of Insurance as Rehabilitator of Frontier Insurance Co. regarding surety exposure on over $1 billion for hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities, underground and surface coal mines, gold mines and processing facilities, solid waste disposal facilities, recycling facilities and other regulated industries throughout the United States.

Timber Investment Management Organizations

  • Counsel to major Timber Investment Management Organizations in the acquisition of large Appalachian timer tracts and surface rights.

Major U.S. surety industry client

  • Lead counsel to major U.S. surety industry client with the United States Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining in federal rulemaking regarding “owner/controller” liability under the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act.

Horizon Natural Resources bankruptcy

  • Led a team of lawyers on behalf of a major surety company in the bankruptcy of Horizon Natural Resources, the largest coal company bankruptcy in U.S. history. The team developed strategies to assure land reclamation on over 400 mines under federal and five state regulatory programs while mitigating over $125 million in surety exposure.

Power Plants

  • Environmental counsel in development and/or financing of numerous independent power plant.
 
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