James J. Dragna

Partner

Los Angeles Phone +1.213.680.6436 Fax +1.213.612.2501

300 South Grand Ave., 22nd Floor//Los Angeles, CA 90071-3132//United States

James J. Dragna represents energy, aerospace, and manufacturing clients in environmental matters nationwide, including air, water, and wastewater enforcement and litigation. His practice includes the representation of clients in multi-party, multi-claim litigation following environmental crises, infrastructure litigation, hazardous waste proceedings, and municipalities in water treatment, collection, and discharge infrastructure matters. Jim also serves as group or common counsel to several multiparty Superfund groups. Jim serves several major municipalities as special counsel in wastewater litigation and permitting issues.

Jim’s work includes the development of broad-based litigation and settlement strategies in some of the nation’s most complex environmental proceedings. His work includes serving as coordinating or lead counsel in several major environmental proceedings, including the multi-district litigation involving the explosion and release of hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig into the Gulf of Mexico, the multi-district proceedings involving the release of methane from the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility in Porter Ranch, California, and the Kerr-McGee bankruptcy proceeding, the largest environmental bankruptcy proceedings involving the legacy environmental obligations of the former Kerr-McGee Corporation. He also represents municipal and water agency clients in major water infrastructure, natural resource, water rights, and revenue litigation. Jim takes great pride in his ability to develop creative resolutions of complex environmental issues and, where collaboration fails, in his ability to litigate these disputes to achieve decisive results.

Prior to entering private practice, Jim served as senior trial counsel at the US Department of Justice, Environmental Enforcement Section in Washington, DC, where he managed the EPA’s environmental enforcement litigation in Regions IX and X. He has been recognized by Chambers USA for the last ten years and sources “have great respect” for him. Before joining Morgan Lewis, Jim was a partner and group leader of the environmental, land use, and natural resources practice of another international law firm.

selected representations

Coordinating counsel for Sempra Energy and Southern California Gas Company in all litigation and regulatory matters involving the Aliso Canyon gas leak in Porter Ranch, California
National coordinating counsel for the non-operating minority investors in the Macondo well associated with the explosion and release of hydrocarbons in the Gulf of Mexico
Representation of Anadarko and Kerr-McGee in the largest environmental bankruptcy in the United States
Common counsel in four major multiparty Superfund actions
Involved in over 50 Superfund actions nationwide
Special counsel on wastewater issues to the cities of Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Diego, Oakland, San Luis Obispo and county of Orange
National or regional environmental counsel for several multinational oil, chemical, fertilizer and packaging companies on air, water and waste matters
Counsel for one of California’s largest water purveyors in native American water rights case and in litigation involving the development of water rates in Southern California
Group counsel for a consortium of Southern California Water purveyors, including the Metropolitan Water District, in successful litigation against a coalition of Northern California Water purveyors involving the proceeds of the sale of hydroelectric power generated by the State Water Project

Representative Clients