George Gigounas > DLA Piper LLP (US) > San Francisco, United States > Lawyer Profile

Housed within the firm’s broad-based overarching product liability and mass torts group, which is led out of Atlanta by Christopher Campbell , DLA Piper LLP (US) has a strong and increasingly active presence throughout the country across a range of toxic tort matters. The firm has been at the vanguard of market trends in the space and has consequently picked up some key instructions in relation to many issues, including as it relates to toxic forever chemicals and climate change-related suits. San Francisco-based partner George Gigounas has been at the forefront of many of these environmental disputes, including his work alongside Los Angeles-based Angela Agrusa for a food and beverage manufacturer in litigation brought by a non-profit environmental advocacy group attempting to hold manufacturers responsible for plastic pollution in the California beaches and waterways.

DLA Piper LLP (US) advises clients on environmental issues relating to corporate, real estate and finance transactions. It utilizes its products liability and PFAS teams for support on transactions in heavily regulated industries and the team is led by George Gigounas, who splits his time between Washington DC and Atlanta, and Gwen Keyes Fleming, who recently joined from Van Ness Feldman LLP and splits her time between San Francisco and San Diego. Jeff Salinger in New York is a key name for ESG issues, climate change matters, brownfield redevelopments and health and safety issues.

The environmental practice group at DLA Piper LLP (US) is led by George Gigounas, who splits his time between San Francisco and San Diego, and Gwen Keyes Fleming, who splits her time between Washington DC and Atlanta and joined the firm from Van Ness Feldman LLP in April 2022. The practice offers coast-to-coast expertise and is particularly strong in PFAS, plastics and climate change issues. It acts for high-profile clients in the manufacturing, defense and chemical sectors.

The environmental practice group at DLA Piper LLP (US) was bolstered in April 2022, with the arrival of Gwen Keyes Fleming from Van Ness Feldman LLP; she splits her time between Washington DC and Atlanta and now co-heads the team alongside George Gigounas, who is based in San Francisco and San Diego. With coast-to-coast expertise, the practice is well placed to handle matters across the US and leverages its international network for support on cross-border mandates. It is particularly strong in emerging contaminants, such as PFAS, climate change and environmental justice issues and provides advice in relation to litigation and transactional matters. Fleming is an EPA alumna with experience in policy, compliance and enforcement defense, while Gigounas is a name for site clean-ups, product-related toxic exposure and pollution liability.