Overview
Jeff Porter is an environment attorney in Holland & Knight's Boston office. With more than three decades of litigation and transactional experience, Mr. Porter focuses his practice on assisting clients with permitting for major projects, as well as regulatory compliance and litigation.
Some of the largest global companies and landowners rely on Mr. Porter's insights and strategic guidance. He has extensive experience representing clients in high-profile negotiations and has successfully negotiated agreements between his clients and state and federal regulatory agencies.
In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Porter frequently writes on environmental law topics, including the Clean Water Act, coastal resilience, waterfront development and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) liability.
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Porter was an attorney at a national law firm in Boston. During that time, he served as a member of the transition committees for Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Attorney General Andrea Campbell. He also advised the Massachusetts Legislature's Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture during the drafting of the Brownfield legislation that has spurred the beneficial redevelopment of underutilized former industrial sites across the Commonwealth.
Representative Experience
- Obtained one of the largest private-party Superfund response cost recovery in Massachusetts history after filing a motion for summary judgment of the responsible party's liability
- Represented a pharmaceutical manufacturer in connection with the acquisition of a portion of a former military base for the construction of a large-scale biologics manufacturing facility
- Obtained dismissal of contamination-related property damage claims made by the owner of an industrial property against its long-time tenant
- Successfully defended a client against a claim that it was responsible for contamination of a municipal water supply
- Represented an owner of a former urban rail yard in connection with its remediation and planned redevelopment, including interactions with the rail operator
- Represented a resort developer in connection with environmental and legal issues relating to the remediation and redevelopment of its waterfront site
- Successfully represented a Boston-based multinational conglomerate regarding the remediation of the Housatonic River, including successful petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Appeals Board and several rounds of high-level negotiations with the EPA, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, as well as advocacy with elected officials and other stakeholders; representation culminated in a widely supported 2020 agreement between EPA, Housatonic River Municipalities, Connecticut and the client, leading to expedited actions to remediate the river
- Represented a client in the acquisition, permitting and redevelopment of its Boston global headquarters site; representation included dealings with the purchaser of the site and advocacy before Massachusetts and Boston permitting authorities, culminating in one of the most rapid approvals of a waterfront construction project in Massachusetts history
- Successfully represented Trustees of the Reservations and other land protection organizations in amicus briefing to Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court regarding application of Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution to protect land purchased by a municipality for conservation purposes
- Represented owners of condominiums and resort property in amicus briefing to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding whether the Federal Clean Water Act extends to state-permitted discharges of treated effluent to groundwater
Credentials
- Cornell Law School, J.D.
- Bates College, B.A., Political Science, cum laude
- Massachusetts
- American College of Environmental Lawyers, Regent, Fellow and Executive Committee Member
- Boston Harbor Now, Board of Trustees, Chair, 2017-2021
- Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, Board of Directors, 2013-2016
- The Nature Conservancy Global Trustee Advisory Council, Chair, 2014-2015; Vice Chair, 2013-2014
- The Nature Conservancy, Massachusetts Chapter, Former Chair and Current Member of Board of Trustees
- Massachusetts Environmental Trust, Trustee, 2013-Present
- Boston Harbor Island Alliance, Board Member and Officer, 2000-2013
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Waste Site Clean Up Advisory Committee
- American Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Boston Bar Association
- The Best Lawyers in America guide, Environmental Lawyer of the Year – Boston Litigation, 2006-2024; Environmental Law, Litigation, 2006-2025
- Top 200 Lawyers in America, Forbes, 2024
- Environmental Lawyer of the Year in Massachusetts, Global Law Experts, 2024
- Chambers USA – America's Leading Lawyers for Business guide, Environment Law, 2004-2024
- Leading U.S. Environmental Lawyer, Lawdragon 500, 2023-2024
- Top Author, Environmental, JD Supra Readers' Choice Awards, 2022, 2024
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers magazine, Environmental, 2004-2023
- Boston Magazine, Top Lawyer, Environmental, 2023
- Go To Lawyer, Environmental/Energy Law, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, 2023
- Who's Who Legal, Environment & Climate Change, 2022-2023
- Legal Influencer, Infrastructure – US, Lexology, Q2 2021, Q3 2021, Q2 2022
- Global Excellence Awards, Most Outstanding Environmental Lawyer – Boston, Acquisition International magazine, 2018
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
- Phi Beta Kappa