Biography

Mr. Comella is head of the Environmental, Safety and Toxic Torts Group in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP and a member of the Leading Lawyer network in Environmental Law. Mr. Comella’s practice spans both regulatory counseling and environmental-based litigation. With over two decades of experience in the solid and hazardous waste industry he regularly counsels operators of landfills, treatment systems, recycling operations and waste generators on compliance and permitting matters arising under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. He has negotiated settlement agreements with environmental regulatory agencies in virtually every EPA region and in every part of the country. He has represented landfill owners, developers, and end-users on all aspects of landfill gas projects, including contract drafting, negotiation, regulatory compliance, enforcement action defense, and litigation to enforce contract rights. He has advised numerous companies in the renewable field on the availability of environmental attributes (carbon credits, renewable energy credits, etc.). He has defended multiple clients on defective construction claims, including those involving mold contamination and asbestos removal. He has defended both governmental enforcement actions and private lawsuits involving PCB contamination and clean-up standards. With a long history in both Superfund and Brownfields, he is experienced at applying clean-up standards across regulatory fields and negotiating contract conditions and insurance provisions to reduce environmental liability. He has extensive experience defending environmental and engineering professionals against negligence and contract claims, and has also defended companies from toxic tort lawsuits relating to the release of hazardous chemicals. He has broad experience handling matters bridging environmental and bankruptcy law. Prior to joining Seyfarth Shaw, Mr. Comella spent seven years as in-house counsel for a major waste management company where he had responsibility for hazardous waste issues arising across the country .

Education

J.D., George Washington University, with honors (1983)

Articles Editor, George Washington University Journal of International Law and Economics

B.A., Beloit College, cum laude (1978)

Admissions

• Illinois

Courts

• United States Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh and District of Columbia Circuits
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar)

The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no certificate, award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.