Free and Open to the Public
Pamela Elkow, an attorney with 25 years' experience in environmental law, discusses how business and the environment can work in balance when she speaks at Mitchell College on Thursday, March 24 at 7:00 PM in the Weller Center.
"'Business' and 'the environment' are often painted as opposites, the objects in a zero sum game, such that if you are in favor of or support one, you must be opposed to the other. In reality, there should be no such dichotomy, and smart businesses understand that working in conjunction with 'the environment' is good for their business, good for the environment and good for our communities," says Ms. Elkow. Pulling examples from her work and beyond, she will discuss business and the environment peacefully coexisting.
Ms. Elkow represents clients in remediating or redeveloping brownfields; purchasing or selling businesses or real estate with significant environmental liabilities or challenges; obtaining permits; providing environmental, health, and safety compliance counseling; and responding to governmental enforcement. Her clients include large companies engaged in the remediation of legacy properties, portfolio companies in the business of acquiring and and remediating contaminated property for investment or resale, and municipalities engaged in redevelopment efforts.
Her approach to clients and their issues is pragmatic and business-oriented. With respect to property redevelopment, she understands that every client has a different risk profile and each property has a different intended use, and any remedial strategy must fit those criteria, while being cost-effective and protective of human health and the environment. When representing the buyer or seller in a transaction, she works with the transaction team to manage due diligence and negotiate the allocation of environmental liabilities, with awareness that the role of the environmental attorney is not simply to identify the risks associated with the deal but to find a solution if one exists.
Ms. Elkow is the Chair of the American Bar Association's Section of Energy, Environment, and Resources Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Committee and a frequent lecturer and writer on environmental issues for audiences such as developers, environmental consultants, and other lawyers. She is also on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Business Council of Fairfield County, and was recently appointed by Governor Dannel P. Malloy to the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Port Authority.
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About Mitchell College and the Speakers' Series
A small liberal arts college, Mitchell developed its distinct educational approach over 75 years, blending a tradition of mentoring with an expertise in teaching diverse learning styles to create a highly individualized model that benefits all students. Mitchell is committed to the broader community through building strong, creative and cooperative partnerships. Located on a beautiful waterfront campus in historic New London, it is also home to championship NCAA Division III athletics and the Duquès Academic Success Center which included the renowned Bentsen Learning Center.
The Mitchell College Speakers' Series opens the doors of the college to its local New London family and the Connecticut community and invites them to engage with acclaimed speakers from all walks of life. Join us throughout the 2015-16 academic year as we discover and celebrate the lives of our guests, learn from them, and explore the world through their stories. For more information, call 860.701.5092.