Daniel R. Farino

Dan concentrates his practice on complex environmental litigation. He is actively involved in advising and litigating on behalf of companies in the defense of product liability, natural resource damage, toxic tort, property damage, and personal injury claims. Dan has brought and defended cases in federal and state courts in a number of jurisdictions. He has significant experience in mass tort product liability multidistrict litigation involving defective design and failure to warn theories of liability in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Puerto Rico, and beyond.

Both a litigator and a counselor who uses his decades of experience in environmental law to help clients make reasoned judgments in complicated and difficult situations, Dan has an excellent eye for detail, along with a knack for identifying ‘needle in a haystack’ documents that can help shape a winning legal strategy. Clients appreciate his cost efficient, thorough, and experienced early assessment of environmental litigation strategy and defenses. Dan’s goal is to give his clients the information they need to understand clearly the various available paths forward, and with his help, to choose the best one based on their particular goals and needs.

Dan serves clients in all phases of a case, with a significant focus on preparing key fact and expert witnesses for deposition, as well as deposing fact and expert witnesses in an array of subject matters, including those involving soil and groundwater contamination from underground storage tanks and surface spills. While Dan focuses primarily on environmental litigation, he also applies his litigation background to resolving associated regulatory issues, assisting clients in navigating New Jersey’s complex SRRA, TRSR, and ISRA regulations and obligations.

As a member of Archer Discovery Strategies, Dan maintains in-depth knowledge of e-discovery trends and obligations, and frequently oversees the collection, review, and production of paper documents and electronically stored information in state, federal, and multidistrict litigations.

Dan is the current Secretary of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section, and has served as the vice-chair of Medford Township’s Environmental Affairs Advisory Committee.

Representative Experience

  • Ongoing representation of an international petroleum company in multiple MTBE product liability cases alleging defective design and failure to warn and seeking natural resource damages in a consolidated multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of New York involving lawsuits in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Puerto Rico, and beyond.
  • Lead counsel in actions for property damage and nuisance under the Spill Act associated with operations at service stations.
  • Frequent regulatory and compliance counseling for a client engaging in the ongoing investigation and remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons.
  • Successfully secured national and international payment for denied insurance claims for complex product liability insurance claims on behalf of energy client.
  • Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of gasoline service station operators in action under Spill Act to recover for remediation necessitated by negligent contractors.
  • Deposed numerous homeowner plaintiffs in mass plaintiff toxic tort actions alleging exposure to hazardous substances.
  • Defended depositions of hydrogeologic and other technological experts in mass plaintiff toxic tort action alleging exposure to hazardous substances.
  • Obtained successful dismissal of personal injury action from Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on basis of forum non conveniens.
  • Obtained favorable settlements of contribution actions under the Spill Act in groundwater and soil contamination matters.
  • Successful negotiations of Notices of Violation with state regulatory agencies for violations of New Jersey’s Administrative Code and Technical Regulations, resulting in a favorable reductions of penalties on behalf of gasoline service station operators.

Professional and Community Involvement

  • Treasurer, Environmental Law Section, New Jersey State Bar Association
  • Burlington County Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Former Vice-Chair, Medford Township’s Environmental Affairs Advisory Committee
  • Former Member, Young Lawyer Committee, Burlington County Bar Association
  • Volunteer coach for local baseball teams

Select Articles

Past Speaking Engagements and Seminars

  • An Introduction to Environmental Law in a New Climate,” New Jersey State Bar Association Environmental Law Section & NJICLE (October 2023)
  • “Site Investigation and Remediation: Working with Your Technical Consultants,” New Jersey State Bar Association Environmental Law Section & NJICLE (June 2022)
  • Are Suppliers Really ‘Responsible?’: A Fireside Chat on Appellate Decision Regarding Supplier Liability under New Jersey’s Spill Act,” Archer & Greiner Webinar (June 2021)
  • “NJ Pact: Effects, Predictions, & Incentives,” New Jersey State Bar Association Environmental Law Section & NJICLE (November 2020)
  • “A 2,020-Foot Overview of New Jersey’s Spill Act,” New Jersey State Bar Association Environmental Law Section & NJICLE (October 2020)
  • “Daubert Considerations for Hot Button Environmental Litigation,” New Jersey State Bar Association Environmental Law Section (June 2019)
  • “Underground Storage Tanks, Environmental Due Diligence, and Litigation Lessons Learned,” Client Presentation (April 2019)
  • “Hot Topics in Environmental Law: PFAS Regulatory Status and Litigation Themes,” New Jersey State Bar Association Webinar (April 2019)
  • “CERCLA Contribution Claims: Guidance and Litigation Strategies for Environmental Lawyers,” NJICLE Webinar (January 2018)
  • “Toxic Torts: Emerging Issues and Litigation Strategies,” New Jersey State Bar Association Environmental Section/NJICLE (November 2017)
  • “Emerging Contaminants: Litigation Themes and Considerations,” New Jersey State Bar Association Environmental Law Section (June 2017)
  • “Corporate Compliance and Ethics & eDiscovery Trends and the Use of Social Media,” Rutgers Institute for Professional Education (December 2016)
  • “TSCA in the 21st Century: Existing Regulation of Chemicals in Commerce and Looming Changes,” New Jersey State Bar Association Environmental Law Section (June 2016)
  • “Proposed RCRA Amendments for Management of Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals,” New Jersey State Bar Association Environmental Law and Health Law Sections (March 2016)

NEWS & EVENTS

Law Journal Honors Daniel R. Farino and Robert L. Ransom as “New Leaders of the Bar”

Covid-19 Environmental Remediation and Enforcement Policy Updates

Daniel Farino to Serve as Speaker at NJICLE's "An Introduction to Environmental Law in a New Climate" Program