David L. Wallis
Shareholder

(602) 530-8136dlw@gknet.com

David leads the firm’s Environmental & Natural Resources Department and focuses his practice on complex environmental remediation, enforcement, litigation, and regulatory counseling. He represents clients in all aspects of environmental remediation, natural resource damage claims, environmental and toxic tort litigation, solid and hazardous waste compliance and permitting, asbestos and lead paint abatement, water quality permitting and compliance, underground storage tank corrective actions, and environmental due diligence matters.

David L. Wallis

Clients and colleagues alike appreciate that David is solution-oriented and looks for practical ways to realize each client’s end game when dealing with environmental matters. Always prepared, David is valued for his ability to consistently identify the issues and options that matter most and will make the difference for his clients. A precise communicator with meticulous attention to detail and accuracy, David answers complex questions in a streamlined, understandable way.

David practices at the intersection of preparation, experience, and know-how. He has helped clients resolve their environmental liabilities and negotiate cost recovery and cleanup settlements involving soil, groundwater, and sediment cleanup on over 100 remediation sites in 20 states. He also has conducted over 120 comprehensive environmental compliance audits in 30 states, Brazil, Canada, and Venezuela, as well as counseled clients on over 500 real estate transactions in 11 states.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

  • Represented a former owner and operator of the USS Lead Smelter and Refinery Site in East Chicago, Indiana on various multi-party remedial investigations, removal actions, remedial actions, and liability allocation.
  • Acted as lead legal counsel on townsite soil remediation projects in four states involving remediation of over 3,000 residential and commercial properties.
  • Represented a client in multi-million-dollar cost recovery and class action lawsuits related to remediation projects in Oklahoma and New Jersey.
  • Negotiated a settlement of natural resource damage claims associated with a former smelter site in Oklahoma, and actively defended natural resource damage claims in three other states.
  • Provided strategic legal advice to clients in sediment remediation projects in Michigan, New Jersey, Montana, and New York.
  • Represented clients on ongoing townsite residential remediation projects in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Kansas, Illinois, and Arizona.
  • Evaluated environmental liabilities and permitting requirements at new mining and manufacturing projects in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.
  • Conducted environmental due diligence at commercial sites in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington.
  • Represented clients in over 18 cost recovery actions under Superfund, solid waste, and underground storage tank laws.
  • Obtained government agency closure of contaminated sites in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.

ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

David regularly participates in the development of environmental legislation and regulations in four states and on the federal level. From 1995-2000, he was the primary author of the Arizona Solid Waste Statute and amendments to Arizona’s Hazardous Waste, Special Waste, Used Oil, and Waste Tire Statutes.

  • State Bar of Arizona, Member
  • Arizona Solid Waste Coalition, Chair, 1995-Present
  • State Bar of Arizona, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section; Newsletter Editor, 1994-96; Executive Council, 1996-2001
  • Environmental Auditing Roundtable, Member, 1995-2000
  • Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Solid and Hazardous Waste Subcommittee, Chair, 1997-2011
  • Maricopa County Association of Governments, Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Member, 1998-2002
  • Arizona State University, Visiting Instructor on Environmental Law, 1989-Present

HONORS & AWARDS

  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Environmental Law, 2009-2025
  • Chambers, USA®, Environment, 2019-2025
  • BTI Client Service All-Star, BTI Consulting Group, 2013
  • Arizona's Finest Lawyers, 2011
  • The International Who's Who of Environment Lawyers, 2011

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Best Lawyers
Client Comment
The Phoenix-based Gallagher & Kennedy environmental team has remarkable depth and expertise across the full environmental spectrum- remediation, reclamation, air, water, waste and contribution/cost recovery. Dave Wallis is an outstanding, client-focused and solution driven environmental lawyer.
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Chambers USA
Client Comment
David Wallis is a very good attorney.