Michael R. Goldman

Shareholder

214.692.0025 (Direct)
214.692.6610 (Fax)
goldman@gsfpc.com

Guida, Slavich & Flores, P.C.
750 N. St. Paul Street, Suite 200
Dallas, Texas 75201

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Mr. Goldman, a shareholder in the firm, has focused his practice on environmental litigation. He represents public and private clients in cases arising under the federal, state, and local environmental laws. Mr. Goldman has successfully represented clients in cost recovery and contribution actions and negotiated settlements in complex hazardous waste cleanup matters. He has also represented clients in commercial litigation as well as insurance defense matters. Mr. Goldman has represented individuals and businesses in state and federal courts in many diversified areas, including:

• Litigation relating to property damage claims and cleanup costs;
• Litigation relating to alleged contamination from underground storage tanks (“USTs”) and petroleum products;
• Citizen’s suit defense;
• CERCLA, RCRA and the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act;
• Clean Water Act;
• Commercial litigation;
• Cost recovery/contribution actions;
• Defense of enforcement actions;
• Endangered Species Act;
• Insurance defense and coverage litigation;
• Nuisance litigation;
• Real estate and land use litigation; and
• Toxic torts.

A sampling of his experience includes:

• Arbitrated a complex commercial litigation matter in Dallas, Texas;
• Tried a breach of contract matter to a Dallas jury in the 101st Judicial District Court, Dallas County in which client received a favorable verdict;
• Defended a large municipality in a citizen’s suit concerning multiple violations of the city’s storm water management plan. The city was ultimately dismissed on summary judgment and the citizen’s group was denied its attorney’s fees;
• Defended a former property owner in Harris County concerning alleged arsenic contamination which occurred over twenty years ago. Worked in parallel with the TCEQ concerning clean-up obligations for the ultimate closure of the property;
• Represented a property owner in Tarrant County whose property was contaminated by a neighboring property owner with Benzene and other hydrocarbons due to a leaking UST;
• Defended a manufacturer in Grayson County concerning nuisance and related claims by adjacent property owners;
• Defended a property contamination case in Yoakum County in which the property was contaminated by a leaking UST. The TCEQ was a party in the lawsuit and was involved in the ultimate clean-up obligations.

Education

• J.D. - South Texas College of Law - 1999
• B.S. Microbiology - The University of Texas at Austin - 1995
• Briefing Attorney for Justice Bill Vance with the Tenth Court of Appeals of Texas

Bar Admissions

• Texas
• Arizona

Court Admissions

• United States Supreme Court
• United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
• United States District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas

Honors and Affiliations

• Named a Texas Super Lawyers’ Rising Star in Environmental Law for 2010, 2011 and 2012
• Candidate for the 2012 Chairman’s Task Force for the State Fair of Texas
• Vice-Chairman of the Second Annual Big Tex Golf Classic (2012)
• Vice-President of the Environmental Law Section of the Tarrant County Bar Association (2011-present)
• Co-Chairman of the State Fair of Texas Raffle (2011)
• Committee of the First Annual Big Tex Golf Classic (2011)
• Selected for the 2010 Dallas Association of Young Lawyers’ Leadership Class
• Fellow of the Dallas Bar Foundation, Class of 2008
• Secretary of the North Texas Association of Environmental Professionals (2008)
• Board member of the Dallas Electric Club (2010-present)
• Co-Chairman, Ask-A-Lawyer Committee with Dallas Young Lawyers Association (2005)
• Member, ADAM Energy Forum (2011-present)
• Member, Petroleum Engineers Club of Dallas (2010-present)
• Member, Energy & Environmental Law Sections of the Dallas Bar Association (2006-present)
• Member, Society of Texas Environmental Professionals (2008-present)

Publications

• “Key Environmental Cases Concering the Oil & Gas Industry” (2010) (prepared with regard to related speaking engagement for executives in the natural gas industry)
• “Environmental Game Changers for Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Development” to Dalworth Association of Division Order Analyst Spring Seminar (May 2012).
• “Drilling into Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Development: A Texas and Environmental Law Perspective,” Dallas Geological Society (May 2012).
• “Texas and Federal Environmental Issues Impacting Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Development,” ADAM Energy Forum (May 2012).
• “Environmental Issues Related to Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Development and the Laws that Govern,” 2012 Permian Basin Landmen’s Association Spring Education Seminar (April 2012).
• “Drilling into Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Development: A Texas and Environmental Law Perspective,” Fourth Annual Energy Symposium sponsored by Texas Wesleyan Law Review and the Tarrant County Bar Association Energy Law Section in Fort Worth, Texas (March 2012).
• “Environmental Game Changers for Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Development,” Dallas Bar Association Energy Law Section (March 2012).
• “Texas and Federal Environmental Issues Impacting Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Development,” Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies of Dallas (March 2012).
• “Environmental Issues Related to Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Development and the Laws that Govern,” Desk and Derrick Club of Dallas (March 2012).
• “Drilling into Hydraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Development: A Texas Environmental Law Perspective” (October 2011).
• “Allocating Environmental Liabilities and Risks by Contract and Making that Stick,” 33rd Annual State Bar of Texas Advanced Real Estate Law Course (July 2011).
• “Environmental Case Law Update: An Idiosyncratic View,” Dallas Bar Association Environmental Law Section (April 2011).
• “Environmental Strategies for the Barnett Shale,” 2011 Energy Symposium sponsored by Texas Wesleyan Law Review and the Tarrant County Bar Association Energy Law Section (March 2011).
• “Environmental Litigation in the Barnett Shale,” Fort Worth Association of Petroleum Landmen (March 2011).
• “Environmental Game Changers: Texas Oil & Natural Gas Industry,” Petroleum Engineers Club of Dallas (January 2011).
• “The Hidden Agendas Behind Citizen Suits,” POWER Magazine (September 2010).
• “What To Do When Your Employee Is Being Investigated,” American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resource, Environmental Enforcement and Crimes Committee Newsletter (January 2010).