Tiffany Hedgpeth focuses her practice on environmental law, with particular emphasis on litigation relating to contaminated soil, groundwater and surface water as well as sewage spills and discharges. She has particular experience in breach of contract actions that involve complicated environmental issues. Many of her cases include Clean Water Act, CERCLA and RCRA issues.
Tiffany represents municipalities and private companies across a variety of industries, such as wood treating, pesticide and fertilizer manufacturing and sales, petroleum refining and sales, and aerospace. She has defended clients against enforcement actions brought by EPA and citizen groups. Tiffany serves as liaison counsel for a group of potentially responsible parties (PRPs) in four consolidated cases involving a regional Superfund site. She has a national practice and has participated in federal court cases in numerous states.
Most of Tiffany’s cases involve extensive fact finding, both in terms of documents and witnesses. She understands the strain that litigation poses on an entity and its employees and works hard to limit business disruption and employee stress throughout the litigation process. While most of Tiffany’s cases are resolved without having to go to trial, she also has trial experience.
- Defended through trial a municipal water district in a breach of contract action involving discharges of reclaimed water into a Clean Water Act impaired water body and sewage treatment levels technologically achievable. The case resulted in a complete defense judgment and was featured by the Daily Journal as a top 10 verdict for 2009.
- Defended a municipality in a breach of contract case involving responsibility for landfill gas migration. A favorable settlement was obtained.
- Represented a pesticide manufacturer in a breach of contract case involving environmental contamination at newly acquired manufacturing facilities. After we obtained a victory in the first phase of arbitration, a successful settlement was reached.
- Currently representing a specialty metals producer in a CERCLA and common law tort litigation involving regional contamination (South El Monte Operable Unit of the San Gabriel Superfund Site)
- Defended a pesticide distributor in CERCLA litigation (Des Moines TCE Site). The case was resolved through summary judgment in favor of our client.
- Represented an aerospace company in CERCLA and state Superfund litigation (Chatham Brothers Barrel Yard Site). The case resulted in favorable settlements with the state and private party plaintiffs.
- Represented a petroleum company in a criminal investigation involving alleged reporting violations and illegal discharges. The case resulted in a favorable settlement.
- Currently representing an air district with regard to citizen group challenges to its permitting program
- Speaker, Groundwater Management: Monitoring and Prospects for Future Regulation, California Water Quality & Its Impact on Supply, Law Seminars International, San Francisco (July 19–20, 2010)
- Top 10 Defense Verdicts of 2009, Daily Journal
- Los Angeles’ Top 100 Lawyers, Los Angeles Business Journal, 2009
- Who’s Who in Los Angeles Law, Los Angeles Business Journal, 2008
- Super Lawyers, Southern California (2006, 2010)
- American Bar Association
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Admitted to practice in California
- U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Supreme Court
- University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1994
- University of California, Davis, Bachelor of Science, with high honors, 1991