Profile

In his more than 35 years of practice, Craig Pendergrast has learned the ins and outs of a broad range of businesses while helping his clients work through their risks, problems and disputes. He is an environmental lawyer and litigator who solves problems and resolves disputes in a thorough, detail-driven, professional and cost-effective manner.

In the environmental field, he is a highly experienced resource for his clients and colleagues. He helps them understand the complex world of environmental regulation, risk, consulting and liability, and structure deals or resolve disputes in a way that makes sense and allocates risks and expenses appropriately.

Mr. Pendergrast works closely with executives, in-house counsel and environmental managers, consultants and the firm’s real estate and corporate lawyers to help clients address a wide variety of environmental matters involving transactional, advisory, insurance, regulatory, remediation, permitting, compliance, enforcement, brownfields, waste, water, air, wetlands and litigation issues. 

He has particularly strong interest and experience in integrated water management and the law relating to it, having served on the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District’s inaugural Technical Coordinating Committee which developed the District’s integrated water supply, waste water, and storm water management plans and model ordinances for their implementation. Among other water law engagements, he has served as counsel for the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, Flint Stakeholders group which developed a Sustainable Water Management Plan for those river basins which have long been the subject of "water wars" involving intrastate and interstate water management considerations.

He also has a particularly strong focus on matters involving contaminated properties, including the development of plans and allocation of risks and costs associated with their purchase and sale, investigation, and remediation. He has formed and led groups of potentially responsible parties to work through the many legal challenges, including litigation, presented by such sites.

Prior to joining Taylor English, Mr. Pendergrast practiced for a combined 23 years with a full-service, AmLaw 100 law firm and an international firm whose clients included top financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies.

Memberships

State Bar of Georgia, Environmental Law Section, Real Property Law Section and Alternative Dispute Resolution Section

Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership, Class of 2010

Georgia Association of Water Professionals

Georgia Solar Energy Association

Community Involvement

Little Five Points Community Improvement District, Chair

The Trust for Public Land, Former Georgia Advisory Council Member, Continuing Urban Parks Committee Member

Groundwork Atlanta, Former Board Member

Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, Former Technical Coordinating Committee Member

Georgia Conservancy, Former Board and Executive Committee Member

Trinity Presbyterian Church, Elder

Keep Atlanta Beautiful Inc., Former Board Member

Peachtree Hills Civic Association, Past President

Practice Highlights

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