Tiffany Hedgpeth

Tiffany Hedgpeth focuses her practice on environmental litigation and compliance counseling relating to contaminated soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water as well as sewage spills and other 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, private companies, and individuals across a variety of industries, including product manufacturing; pesticide and other chemical formulation, packaging, and sales; property investment; metal forming; and aerospace. She regularly represents parties in cost recovery actions, contract matters, administrative enforcement and permitting proceedings, and has defended clients against enforcement actions brought by EPA, states, and citizen groups. Tiffany has served as liaison counsel for a group of potentially responsible parties (PRPs) in five 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 client stress throughout the litigation process. While most of Tiffany’s cases are resolved without a trial, she also has trial experience. Tiffany was cited by a client in Legal 500 US (2011) as being “client focused, cost-conscious and strategy driven.” Recognized as a leading environmental practitioner by Chambers USA (2013-2018), she has been described as an “extremely hard-working” lawyer who pays “great attention to detail.”

Prior to joining Edgcomb Law Group, Tiffany was a partner working in the environmental group of a 1000+ attorney international law firm. She joined Edgcomb Law Group in 2013, as one of the first partners in the Southern California office.

Significant Representations

• Representation of a municipal entity in NPDES permit appeal actions for discharges from multiple wastewater treatment plants.
• Representation of a manufacturer in multi-party CERCLA litigation.
• Representation of individuals in sales of contaminated properties.
• Representation of manufacturers and property owners in proceedings before Regional Water Quality Control Boards involving contaminated soil, groundwater, and sediments.
• Representation of a former manufacturer in consolidated actions brought by EPA, the State of California, and water purveyors pursuant to CERCLA and common law (South EL Monte Operable Unit of the San Gabriel Valley Superfund Site). After years of litigation and mediation, cases were resolved through settlements.
• Representation of a municipal water district through trial 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.
• Representation of a chemical blender in a multi-agency investigation and enforcement action. The matters were resolved by settlements and the development of an improved compliance program.
• Representation of client operating multiple contaminated facilities in developing countries.
• Representation of a developer in a breach of contract and nuisance action involving responsibilities for contamination. Following mediation, the case was resolved through settlement.
• Representation of a manufacturing company regarding vapor intrusion issues at a Superfund site.
• Representation of a pesticide distributor in product liability and common law tort actions involving groundwater contamination. The cases resulted in favorable settlements.
• Representation of a former manufacturer in toxic tort/wrongful death litigation.
• Representation of non-operating partners to the MC 252 lease in actions brought by multiple public and private entities as a result of the oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon vessel at the site of the Macondo well.
• Representation of a municipality in a breach of contract case involving responsibility for landfill gas migration. A favorable settlement was obtained.
• Representation of a pesticide manufacturer in a breach of contract case involving environmental contamination at newly acquired retail and production facilities. After obtaining a victory in the first phase of arbitration, a successful settlement was reached.
• Representation of a pesticide distributor in CERCLA litigation (Des Moines TCE Site). The case was favorably resolved through summary judgment.
• Representation of 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.
• Representation of a petroleum company in a criminal investigation involving alleged reporting violations and illegal discharges. The case resulted in a favorable settlement.
• Representation of an air district with regard to citizen group challenges to its permitting program. The case was resolved through a successful motion to dismiss.