William Clarke

Practices & Industries

• Environmental Law
• Government & Public Policy
• Land Condemnation
• Land Conservation
• Brownfields Redevelopment
• Litigation
• Manufacturers & Distributors

Education

• Princeton University, AB, American History, 1979
• UNC Chapel Hill School of Law, JD, 1982

Bar & Court Admissions

• American Bar Association, Section: Natural Resources, Energy and Environment
• North Carolina Bar Association, Section: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources, Chair, 2010, Member, 1989-1995, 1999-2002
• North Carolina State Bar

Biography

Billy Clarke is a partner with the firm. He has twenty-nine years of experience representing public and private clients in Environmental Law. Billy Clarke is a native of Western North Carolina. He has strong ties to the community, the region and the state. He is well regarded by his peers, having been recognized as a member of Best Lawyers in America since 1998, a member of Business North Carolina magazine's Legal Elite since 2005 and a North Carolina Super Lawyer since 2006.

His practice focuses on environmental permitting and compliance, transactions involving the purchase and sale of contaminated property, environmental and administrative litigation, water quality issues and the representation of local governments on environmental matters. He has extensive experience in Brownfields Redevelopment for both public and private clients.

Billy obtained his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his Juris Doctor from UNC Chapel Hill. He is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association (Past Chair of the Section of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources) and the American Bar Association (member of the Section on Natural Resources, Energy and Environment).

Experience

Successfully represented a number of local governments on environmental issues including the purchase and sale of properties with environmental contamination, Brownfields Redevelopment, and acquisition of easements for water and wastewater

Successfully represented large manufacturers and natural resources companies in obtaining and defending environmental permits

Successfully represented numerous private clients in negotiating the purchase and sale of properties with environmental contamination including Brownfields Redevelopment

Regulatory expertise includes water quality, wastewater collection and treatment, underground storage tanks and petroleum contamination, sedimentation and erosion, US Army Corps of Engineers permitting and solid waste issues

Successfully represented local government agencies and private clients in land condemnation matters including easements for sewer lines, electric transmission lines and highway rights of way

Professional

The Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law, 1995-2012; Natural Resources Law, 1995-2012; Litigation/Environmental, 2012

Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite, Environmental Law, 2005-present; Hall of Fame for Environmental Law, 2012

Institute for the Environment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Directors, 2009-2010; Member, 2000-present

North Carolina Super Lawyers, Environmental Law, 2006-2012

Numerous North Carolina Bar Association presentations, including:

NPDES Permits

Environmental Liability for Lenders

Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions

Sedimentation and Erosion Litigation

Community Service

Golden LEAF Foundation, Board of Directors, 1999-present Former Chair and Current Vice Chair of the Board

Independent College Fund of North Carolina Board of Directors, 2009-present; Member, 2005-present

The Pisgah Center, Inc. Board of Directors.