Profile: James N Cahan

Environment

Biography: Environment

James N Cahan, a partner in Sidley's national environmental practice, focuses on air pollution matters, environmental aspects of bankruptcies and transactions, environmental permitting and environmental management. Mr Cahan has been advising clients on air pollution matters since he left the office of the general counsel, air division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, where, between 1978 and 1982, he helped develop and defend national regulations implementing the Clean Air Act. Most recently, he has been representing clients in the New Source Review area, both in the enforcement context and providing advice regarding new projects. Mr Cahan has also represented several clients regarding hazardous air pollutants and MACT standards. In addition, he has assisted clients obtain Title V operating permits and handled numerous air-related regulatory, permitting and enforcement matters. In the area of bankruptcy dissolutions and reorganisations, Mr Cahan has extensive experience in working with debtors, creditors, banks and other interested parties regarding strategies, negotiations and resolution of a wide variety of environmental claims and other bankruptcy issues. With regard to environmental management, he assists corporations with their policies and programmes for managing their environmental, health and safety problems, including audit programmes, corporate and plant level training programmes, management system assessments and ISO 14000 reviews. Mr Cahan is also well versed in the full range of hazardous waste and Superfund issues; asbestos and project management, including plant permitting and decommissioning; and has extensive experience in dealing with the environmental aspects of corporate acquisitions and real estate transactions.