James R. (“Jim”) Arnold is the principal of The Arnold Law Practice. He has devoted his practice to environmental law. Clients retain Jim and other attorneys who associate with The Arnold Law Practice to represent and counsel them in many aspects of “environmental” law including Proposition 65 compliance, soil and groundwater pollution, consumer products, “brownfields,” USTs, air quality, water quality, waste disposal, air emissions, management of hazardous wastes, vapor intrusion, NEPA/CEQA, insurance (both coverage for past pollution and negotiating brownfields insurance), transactions (including leases, purchase and sale agreements, licenses, business acquisitions, and loans), and other matters.
Career: Jim was admitted to the California Bar in 1973, and spent the earlier part of his career with the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles. He is admitted to the state and federal courts in California, and the Federal Claims Court.
Education: Claremont Men’s College, B.A., Political Science
University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D.
Professional Activities: Jim continues to serve in leadership of bar associations and other nonprofit groups. He writes and teaches environmental law, road and access law, cleaning up underground fuel tanks, ethics, insurance coverage, and other topics, for both lawyers and non-lawyers. He is active in local and national bar associations, including the Bar Association of San Francisco, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Contra Costa County Bar Association, the California State Bar, and the American Bar Association (ABA). He has chaired the ABA’s Superfund and Hazardous Waste Committee and has co-chaired the Environmental Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco. He served as Secretary of the ABA’s Section of Environment and is the current Chair of the that Section’s Committee on Sponsorships.
Author: “Recent Toxics Issues in Due Diligence and Transactions,” The State Bar of California 30th Annual Real Property Retreat May 11, 2011; Chapter 72, “Hazardous Waste Cleanup and Land Use,” in the treatise, California Environmental Law and Land Use Practice (Lexis 2010); “2010 Update on Environmental Insurance Law,” Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Committee, ABA/SEER, Jan. 2011; Annual Update Programs, Environmental Enforcement andEnvironmental Ethics, Bar Association of San Francisco, 2003-2007.
Professional Career – Highlights: USDOJ Trial Attorney, Washington, DC 1974-1978; Assistant US Attorney, Los Angeles, 1978-1987; Severson & Werson, 1991-1996; The Arnold Law Practice 1998-present.
Public Service: Member, California Water Resources Control Board UST Cleanup Fund Advisory Group, 2009-present; Director, CORE Environmental Foundation, Inc., 2010-present; Director, Roberts Environmental Center, Claremont McKenna College, 2009-present; Director/President, East Bay Services to the Developmentally Disabled, Inc., 1991-2009; Lecturer, Environmental Aspects of Real Estate Transactions, American Law Institute-ABA,1988-1998; Chair, Annual RCRA-CERCLA Update program, ABA, 1988-1998.
