Office Location: Norfolk, VA.
Joe is a member of the firm’s Construction and Government Contracts practice group. He concentrates his practice on environmental law, government contracts, and government regulatory matters.
With over 25 years of experience, Joe assists his clients on a wide range of matters, including Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) remediation and cost recovery, hazardous waste management, regulatory compliance, permitting, enforcement matters, land use, and riparian property rights, and contracts. He also helps clients understand their risk from emerging contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), that have become a significant concern for industrial activities, wastewater treatment facilities, publicly-owned treatment works, airports, oil facilities, landfills, disposal facilities, and local communities.
As part of the increased concern with climate change, and in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic’s evolution into a hub of renewable energy, Joe has increased his focus on offshore wind and resiliency planning.
Joe advocates for his clients in arbitration and mediations, and before state and federal regulatory agencies, including Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Marine Resources Commission, municipal wetlands and Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Boards, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In addition to environmental, land use, and riparian matters, Joe guides clients through the complex government contracts process, including handling claims and disputes, facility clearances, FOCI, and DSS security matters, investigations, overseas and contingency contracting, and small business matters. Joe also helps clients navigate through challenging U.S. import and export regulations, including compliance with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
Before joining Vandeventer Black, Joe served as a Navy Judge Advocate for over twenty years. Joe served in numerous Navy commands, including special warfare, overseas, and deployable units. Through his years of military service, Joe was responsible for advising senior Navy leaders and executives, including the 4-star Fleet Commander, on myriad legal issues associated with heavy industrial processes, upland development, offshore wind and renewable energy siting, and countless activities in the maritime environment.
After retiring from active duty, Joe worked for the Dept. of the Navy’s Office of General Counsel, where he continued his environmental and government contracting practice. This included large remediation and redevelopment projects on current and former military facilities and ranges. In addition, he was a principal adviser on cutting-edge legal issues associated with emerging contaminants, such as PFAS.
Joe serves on the Board of Governors of the Virginia State Bar Environmental Law Section. Dedicated to education, Joe taught as an adjunct professor at William & Mary Law School and Old Dominion University on Environmental Law, Occupational Health, and other legal topics. He has presented at numerous professional and academic forums on emerging trends in law and regulation.