Thomas D. Gildersleeve

Taylor Porter Partner Tommy Gildersleeve has a broad-based environmental and administrative law practice that makes him particularly suited to advise clients with multifaceted issues. Tommy is ranked by his peers among Best Lawyers in America in Environmental Law – Litigation.

His practice involves all aspects of environmental law ranging from permitting and compliance counseling to litigation of toxic tort and other environmental claims and advising clients regarding environmental aspects of mergers and acquisitions.

Tommy has successfully represented clients in administrative proceedings before the Environmental Protection Agency, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as well as in matters before various federal and state courts. Tommy also represents clients in administrative matters before the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

Tommy obtained his J.D. from Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 2002 where he was a member of the Louisiana Law Review. Prior to attending law school, Tommy obtained a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University and worked as a process engineer overseeing the day-to-day operation of polyethylene and polypropylene chemical plants.

He is admitted to practice before federal courts in the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of Louisiana and is also admitted to practice before all Louisiana and Texas state courts. He is a member of the Louisiana and Texas State Bar Associations, the Defense Research Institute (Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Section), the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, and the Air and Waste Management Association.

• Performed comprehensive environmental due diligence evaluations in support of mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and debt offerings involving refineries, petrochemical facilities, pipelines, public utilities, lumber mills, and numerous other industrial facilities and advised clients regarding structuring of transactions to equitably allocate known and potential environmental liabilities and risks following completion of transaction.
• Key member of team that obtained LPSC approval for $3.4 billion acquisition of investor-owned electric utility by private equity group.
• Defeated class certification in toxic tort suit alleging personal injuries to over 16,000 plaintiffs arising out of a chemical release, resulting in nominal settlement.
• Defending class action suit alleging personal injuries to 10,000 plaintiffs based on contamination of drinking water
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of shipbuilding facility against insurer for costs incurred to remediate environmental contamination.
• Successfully defended developer against claims that major residential development was prohibited by existing zoning and servitudes burdening property sought to be developed.
• Obtained new trial for municipality overturning verdict that awarded substantial personal injury damages to residents living in close proximity to sewer treatment plant operated by municipality; plaintiffs’ claims ultimately dismissed on appeal.
• Member of trial team that obtained favorable verdict for refinery owner in CERCLA case involving extensive soil and groundwater contamination arising out of historic operations at petrochemical facilities.
• Negotiated settlement of CERCLA response costs among PRPs, DOJ, EPA, TCEQ, and insurers at Texas site requiring extensive remediation, which resulted in large majority of cleanup costs being borne by insurers and other PRPs.
• Led permitting of grassroots carbon recycling facility and guided facility through resolution of compliance issues and implementation air permit requirements; obtained beneficial use permit avoiding need for more costly and burdensome RCRA permit.
• Favorably resolved numerous compliance orders and other enforcement actions taken by state and federal resource agencies through negotiation as well as through administrative hearing process.
• Regularly advises clients regarding compliance with state and federal regulations affecting air, water, and waste.

• Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., 2002
• Louisiana State University, B.S., 1996

• Louisiana, 2002
• Texas, 2003

• Baton Rouge Bar Association
• Louisiana State Bar Association
• Texas Bar Association
• Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
• Defense Research Institute
• Air and Waste Management Association

• Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Law – Litigation