Latest Business and Legal News

These news items and case summaries are a service provided by FindLaw. Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, P.C. does not endorse any service or product advertised or discussed in any of these items.

Business

[03/17] Metro 2009 net income falls 7 percent

Intellectual Property

[03/10] Google to digitize old books from Rome, Florence

Insurance

[03/17] Catholic nuns urge passage of Obama's health bill

Environment

[03/17] Opposition to tuna ban grows at UN meeting

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Case Summaries

Intellectual Property

[03/11] Delaware Valley Floral Group, Inc. v. Shaw Rose Nets, LLC
In plaintiffs' suit seeking declaratory relief against the inventor and owner of a patent relating to a process that produces larger rose heads by placing elastic, porous nets over the rose heads during the growing process, district court's grant of summary judgment pursuant to the on-sale bar under section 102(b) is affirmed where: 1) defendant failed to raise a genuine issue of material fact surrounding the dates of conception or commercial sales; 2) defendant failed to dispute that the invention was ready for patenting; and 3) defendant failed to show that the district court erred in disregarding the evidence presented in its motion for reconsideration.

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Insurance Law

[03/17] Chandler v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.
In an action seeking car rental costs from an insurer arising out of an auto accident, dismissal of the complaint is affirmed where, under California law, an insurer is permitted to recoup a payout from a third-party tortfeasor's insurance company before the insured has sued the third-party tortfeasor, and without first making the insured whole.

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Environmental Law

[03/15] Communities for a Better Env't v. S. Coast Air Quality Mgmt. Dist.
In plaintiffs' suit against ConocoPhillips and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (District), for failing to prepare an EIR before approving a refinery project, judgment of the court of appeals is affirmed as neither the statute of limitations, nor principles of vested rights, nor the CEQA case law on which ConocoPhillips and the District rely, justified employing as an analytical baseline for a new project the maximum capacity allowed under prior equipment permits, rather than the physical conditions actually existing at the time of analysis. Therefore, the District abused its discretion in determining the project at issue would have no significant environmental effects compared to a baseline of maximum permitted capacity.

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Commercial Law

[03/15] Kim v. Carter's Inc.
In plaintiffs' suit against a children's clothing retailer for damages under Illinois contract and consumer protection law, claiming they were victims of deceptive pricing, dismissal of the complaint is affirmed where: 1) with respect to plaintiffs' breach of contract claim, defendant has fulfilled its obligations under the straightforward, everyday sales contract described in the complaint; and 2) plaintiffs' allegations fail to establish the actual damages element of their Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practice Act (ICFA) claim.

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Practice Areas

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Environmental Law Practice

Environmental law has been a hallmark of Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, P.C. since its inception. Attorney Miller heads the firm’s Environmental law practice, where both he and Attorney Picadio each have over 23 years experience representing a wide range of clients, including industrial concerns, municipalities and individuals, navigating the complex web of state and federal statutes and regulations, local ordinances, and case law governing solid waste, hazardous waste, water pollution, clean air, storage tanks, wetlands and real estate development.

At Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, P.C., our attorneys assist clients in obtaining required permits and complying with regulations and auditing principles, advise them on hazardous waste, municipal and residual waste, hazardous substance cleanup and Superfund matters, and effluent and air emissions issues. Contact our environmental lawyers today for legal assistance.

Negotiation or Litigation Involving Environmental Issues

Our firm provides comprehensive environmental law representation of organizations and individuals involved with litigation concerning the regulation of air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous wastes, leaking underground storage tanks, coal mining and contaminated sites. We also assist clients in negotiating real estate transactions involving contaminated and recycled industrial sites, utilizing the state’s land recycling statutes and regulations to achieve results. Our representation has included the following matters:

Representing a remediation contractor in a multi-party, multi-faceted litigation arising from a fly ash land slide that impacted a residential neighborhood.
Representing a waste and recycled oil recovery transporter in superfund litigation arising out of the cleanup of a waste oil recovery facility.
The representation of a waste disposal company in various regulatory and permitting matters, including litigation arising out of permitting and civil penalty actions.
The representation of a major chemical manufacturer concerning several hazardous disposal sites where its waste was disposed by a transporter.
The representation of a municipal water company in an action against the owners and operators of several industrial facilities located near the water company's water supply wells for damages caused by groundwater contamination by industrial solvents.
The representation of a generator of listed hazardous wastes in an action brought by the owner of the disposal company which accepted them for delivery to and disposal at the disposal company's landfill. The action, which was brought under the federal and state superfund laws as well as Pennsylvania common law, sought several million dollars in the estimated costs involved in closing the landfill in compliance with Pennsylvania hazardous waste disposal area regulations.
The representation of a hazardous waste disposal company which transported industrial wastes to a municipal landfill, in an action brought by the United States Environmental Protection Agency seeking to compel generators and transporters of industrial wastes to finance the estimated $50 million closure of the landfill.
The representation of a municipal operator of a sewage collection and treatment system in multifaceted litigation arising out of the alleged contamination of farm land from cadmium contained in sewage sludge used as a fertilizer and soil conditioner on the land.
The representation of a coal mining company in an appeal of a compliance order directing the treatment or abatement of a large polluting groundwater discharge emanating from the ground approximately 200 yards off the mine site.
The representation of a large real estate development company in an action against the state environmental protection agency and a local municipality challenging a construction ban imposed by DER as a result of the municipality's failure to enact a sewage facilities plan acceptable to DER.
The representation of a municipal drinking water authority involving contamination of the public water supply with MTBE.
The representation of the operator of a POTW in a civil penalty action initiated by EPA under the Clean Water Act for alleged failure to enforce pre-treatment standards.

Both Attorneys Miller and Picadio are listed in Best Lawyers in America, in the field of Environmental Law for 2005 – 2006.

Contact Us for Legal Help with Your Environmental Concerns

Our environmental law attorneys have the management, organizational, and legal skills you need to navigate both complex and simple environmental law matters. We provide our clients with the knowledge and information needed to make informed decisions. Contact us for additional information if the lawyers at Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, P.C. can be of assistance to you.

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