Gregory J. Newmark

Partner

  • Gregory J. Newmark
  • Phone: +1 213 689 7434

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    865 South Figueroa Street, Suite 3100
    Los Angeles, CA 90017-5450
    USA

Gregory J. Newmark represents public and private entity clients in litigation and compliance matters involving water quality, water rights, water rates, environmental contamination, inverse condemnation, and brownfields. Mr. Newmark also advises public entities on land use laws, including the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, and reviews environmental documents. He has extensive litigation experience, including complex multi-party disputes.

Mr. Newmark has acted for clients in a broad array of environmental and land use matters, often serving as counsel in administrative permitting and enforcement proceedings before the State Water Resources Control Board and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board to negotiate the terms of permits and orders.  He litigates administrative appeals and civil actions on behalf of waste discharge and NPDES permittees, and has handled numerous cases involving groundwater contamination issues. 

 Mr. Newmark previously was a Deputy AG for the California Department of Justice, where he represented natural resources agencies in trial court and appellate litigation. 

Mr. Newmark is a 1997 graduate of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a cum laude graduate of the University of New Mexico. 

Admissions

  • California

Education

  • University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, J.D., 1997
  • University of New Mexico, B.A., cum laude, 1994

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Partner, 2025-present
  • Meyers Nave
    - Principal, 2006-2025
  • Fox & Sohagi
    - Associate, 2006
  • California Department of Justice, Natural Resources Section
    - Deputy Attorney General, 2000-2006
  • Law Office of Shawn Khorrami
    - Associate, 1997-2000

Professional Activities

  • Urban Water Institute
    - Member, Board of Directors
  • California Lawyers Association
    - Environmental Law Section
    -- Member, Executive Committee
    --Past Co-Chair, Legislation Committee

  • National Association of Attorneys General Clean Air Act Conference
    - California Delegate

  • Associate Editor, Hastings West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law and Policy

  • Participant, Hastings Public Interest Law Foundation

Honors and Awards

  • Recipient, Certificate of Commendation, U.S. Department of Justice

  • Listed in Southern California Super Lawyers

Media Hits

  • Quoted, “Group Asks 9th Circ. For 2nd Shot At Calif. Water Case,” Law360, November 30, 2020

  • Quoted, “City, Environmentalists Duke Out Chromium 6 Water Woes,” Courthouse News Service, April 11, 2019

  • Quoted, “State May Have to Pay Local Water Agencies Millions,” SFGate, August 29, 2016

Selected Publications

  • Author, “Appellate Court Finds Certain State-Mandated Stormwater Permit Requirements Imposed on Local Governments Are Subject to Cost Reimbursement,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, January 28, 2021

  • Author, “Records Retention Policies and CEQA Compliance,” Urban Water Institute newsletter, October 2020

  • Author, “Clean Water Act Update: SCOTUS’ New ‘Functional Equivalent’ Test and County of Maui vs. EPA’s New Navigable Waters Protection Rule,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, May 7, 2020

  • Author, “US Supreme Court Expands CERCLA Jurisdiction and PRP Definition,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, April 29, 2020

  • Author, “New WOTUS Rule Attempts to End 40 Years of Ambiguity,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, January 29, 2020

  • Author, “EPA’s New PFAS Action Plan: Urgent Next Steps for the Regulated Community,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, February 19, 2019

  • Author, “EPA Proposes Rescinding ‘Waters of the United States’ Rule: Comments Due August 28,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2017

  • Author, “Bills Respond to Rollback of Environmental Laws,” Daily Journal, March 20, 2017

  • Author, “Forecast for the ‘Waters of the US’ Rule? Very Muddy,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2017

  • Author, “California Senators Introduce Environmental Bills to Counter Potential Rollbacks from Trump Administration,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2017

  • Author, “State Water Board Extends Water Conservation Regulations and Makes Minor Amendments,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2017

  • Author, “TSCA Reform Close to Reality, But at the Expense of California’s Green Chemistry Regulations?,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2016

  • Author, “California Supreme Court Opens Door for State Reimbursing Local Agencies for Unfunded Mandates,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2016

  • Author, “Stormwater Discharge: Avoid Enforcement Actions,” Facility Executive, September 29, 2016

  • Author, “State Water Board Adopts New Approach to Urban Water Conservation in Extended Emergency Regulations,” Meyers Nave Client Alert, 2016

  • Author, “Application of the California Construction Storm Water General NPDES Permit to Oil and Gas Projects,” The Override, September 15, 2010

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, "PFAS: Not Only Diamonds are Forever," Urban Water Institute Spring Conference, February 26, 2025

  • Presenter, “It’s the Wild West: A PFAS Update from California,” California Lawyers Association Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, 2019

  • Panel Moderator, “Getting Stuck with the Teflon Contaminant - How PFAS will Affect Water Agencies,” 26th Annual Water Conference, Urban Water Institute, 2019

  • Presenter, “Creative Non-Litigation Solutions to Regional Groundwater Contamination Problems,” Los Angeles County Bar Association Environmental Law Section's Spring Symposium, 2018

  • Panel Moderator, “To Litigate or Not To Litigate,” Urban Water Institute's Spring Water Conference, 2018

  • Presenter, “Unfunded Mandate Test Claims: Status, Results, and Implications,” California Stormwater Quality Association, 2016

  • Panel Moderator, “The Future of Water Conservation Regulations – With or Without Drought,” Urban Water Institute’s Spring Water Conference, 2016

  • Panelist, “Enforcement of Water Conservation Mandates: Requirements, Risks and Responses for Water Suppliers,” Urban Water Institute’s Annual Conference, 2015

  • Panel Moderator, “Legislating Groundwater Sustainability- Will It Work & At What Price?” Urban Water Institute’s Spring Water Conference, 2015

  • Panel Moderator, “Storm Water Update: Two Decades Down the Drain?,” Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, 2010

  • Speaker, “Southern California Stormwater Water Quality,” Law Seminars International, 2010

  • Speaker, “Federal and California Water Quality Regulation,” Western Area Counsel Office Environmental Law Conference, 2010

  • Instructor, “California Water Quality: An Introduction to Regulation under State and Federal Law,” Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, 2009

  • Panelist, “Acquiring and Preserving Water Rights,” Lorman Education Services, 2008

  • Panelist, “The Perfect Stormwater: Where is the Finish Line for Urban Runoff Control?,” Sonoma County Bar Association, 2008

  • Panel Moderator, “Smelt Down: Endangered Species and Water Supply in Crisis,” Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, 2008

  • Panelist, “The Perfect Stormwater: Where is the Finish Line for Urban Runoff Control?,” City Attorneys Association of Los Angeles County Annual Conference, 2008

  • Panelist, “Current Issues in Stormwater Regulation,” Lorman Education Services, 2007

  • Guest Lecturer, “Municipal Sewage Spill Litigation,” UCLA Environmental Law Clinic, 2003

  • Panelist, “Sewage Happens, Hot Environmental Legal Issues on the California Central Coast,” Santa Barbara, California, 2002 (discussion on application of state and federal water  quality laws to sewage spills from municipal wastewater collection systems). [Transcript published at Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of California, “Sewage Happens,” Environmental Law News, 2003

  • Speaker, “Avoiding Legal Pitfalls When Investigating Forest Fire Cause and Origin,” Office of the State Fire Marshal, 2001