Overview

Steve Parascandola is recognized as one of North Carolina's leading environmental, health and safety lawyers by Chambers USA: America's Leading Business LawyersThe Best Lawyers in America©, Marquis' Who's Who in American Law, Business North Carolina's Legal Elite, and North Carolina Super Lawyers. He leads Smith Anderson's Governmental Affairs, Administrative and Regulatory Law team, including the Environmental and OSHA practice groups.

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Steve began his career as an environmental, health and safety attorney in the New York City office of a prominent regional law firm. Prior to joining Smith Anderson in 1996, he also spent almost four years as Senior Enforcement Counsel for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Among other things, Steve served as co-counsel in the first Superfund cost recovery action ever brought by the State of North Carolina, and helped to implement the state Brownfields Program. He has also served as lead defense counsel in one of the largest OSHA enforcement actions brought to date in North Carolina.

His current practice involves many substantive areas of environmental, OSHA and land use law, including the State and Federal CERCLA, RCRA, UST, FIFRA, TSCA, FDA, FSMA, USDA/APHIS, Dry Cleaner Solvent and Brownfields Programs. His practice also includes water quality, landfill, storm water, and wetlands issues. In addition, Steve advises clients in the biotechnology, pesticide, agricultural, pharmaceutical and food management industries with respect to registrations, certifications, labeling, permits, and regulatory compliance. He is a registered lobbyist in North Carolina.

He regularly counsels clients on risk management, particularly with respect to mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, insurance matters, investigations and audits, and public company environmental disclosures. He also has extensive experience representing clients before regulatory agencies and has handled a broad range of complex transactions for the purchase, sale, leasing, construction and development of commercial, industrial, and public utility properties.

Within the firm, Steve has held various leadership positions, most recently serving as a member of the firm’s Partnership Admission and Compensation Committees.

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Areas of Focus

Credentials

Recognition

  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers, Environmental (2013-2023)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Environmental Law (2007-2024)
  • Business North Carolina "Legal Elite," Environmental
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated
  • North Carolina Super Lawyers (2010-2013, 2016-2021)
  • Marquis Who's Who in American Law
  • Fluent in Italian and Spanish; conversational and written Portuguese

Education

  • Stetson University, J.D., 1988
    • Law Review
  • Eckerd College, B.A. 1984
  • Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 1982-1983

Bar & Court Admissions

Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
  • The Florida Bar
  • New York Bar Association
  • North Carolina Bar Association
    • Member, Environmental Law Section Council
  • Wake County Bar Association
  • Local Advisory Board, Capital Bank
  • Member, Existing Industry Committee, Cary Chamber of Commerce
  • President, Board of Governors of MacGregor Downs Country Club, Ltd. 
  • Member, North Carolina Association of Environmental Professionals
  • Member, North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry’s Environmental Concerns Committee
  • Member, North Carolina Economic Developers Association

Experience

  • Advised a special materials company on the purchase of substantially all of the assets of a leading manufacturer of value-added ferrotitanium, titanium sponge, titanium powders, and specialty forms.
  • Advised an investment company in a definitive agreement to purchase the outstanding equity interests of the largest independent blender and packager of lubricants to the automotive, agriculture, commercial and heavy duty markets in North America.
  • Served as local environmental counsel for Fortune 100 company that owns and operates large scale waste-to-energy facilities.
  • Represented a major convenience store chain for over 20 years in connection with acquisitions, enforcement defense, environmental permitting, and private party settlements throughout 14 states.
  • Represented a leading North Carolina developer in connection with contaminated property redevelopments throughout North Carolina.

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  • Represented a global developer and manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals and agrochemicals  in connection with defense of one of the single largest OSHA enforcement actions ever brought by the N.C. Department of Labor.
  • Represented an international privately-held soft drink manufacturer, seller and distributing company in connection with its acquisitions and environmental and OSHA compliance at facilities across the United States.
  • Represented one of North Carolina’s largest community banks in connection with financing of Brownfields Program projects throughout North Carolina.
  • Advised a semiconductor and LED company on the environmental aspects of the divestiture of its lighting products business unit for an initial cash payment of $225 million plus the potential to receive an earn-out payment based on the business’s post-closing performance.
  • Assisted the largest electric utility in the United States for over 16 years with acquisitions, dispositions, and regulatory compliance regarding the utility's power plant properties, lakes, substations, transmission and distribution projects across North and South Carolina.
  • Represented a national paper product company in connection with its environmental permitting and OSHA compliance at several North Carolina facilities.
  • Represented a major convenience store chain with environmental insurance coverage disputes throughout the Southeast.
  • Represented the largest electric utility in the United States who is a performing party in a CERCLA removal action at the largest Superfund Site in North Carolina and also in related contribution litigation brought against over 150 parties.
  • Represented the nation's third-largest poultry producer in OSHA enforcement defense, managing OSHA inspections, and with responses to employee complaints made to NCDOL's OSH Division.
  • Represented one of the nation's largest convenience store chains with the acquisition of 47 stores and 6 ethanol distribution facilities in Kansas and Missouri.
  • Assisted a global developer and manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals and agrochemicals with OSHA compliance, document requests and inspections by NCDOL's OSH Division.
  • Represented various clients to defend against and avoid to third-party claims for property damage and personal injury related to off-site contamination from underground storage tanks and general facility operations.

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Insights

News

Publications & Alerts

  • Co-Author, "North Carolina Construction Law Deskbook," Chapter VII: Environmental Issues in Construction Law, 2013
  • Author, "North Carolina Construction Law Deskbook," Environmental Law Chapter, 2010
  • Co-Author, "Water Availability: Practical Approaches for Dealing with Drought and Growth Pressures," Land Use Institute, 2008
  • Co-Author, "Consider State Incentives Before Deciding to Expand," Business North Carolina Law Journal, 2005
  • Author, "Businesses Face Significant Regulation Bringing Biotech Products to Market," Business North Carolina Journal, 2001

Events & Programming

  • Presenter, "OSHA Hot Topics and Trends: 2023 and Beyond," Smith Anderson's 31st Annual Employment Law Update, Cary, N.C.
    Speaking Engagement
  • Speaking Engagement
  • Co-Presenter, "COVID-19 Roundup," Smith Anderson 29th Annual Employment Law Update, Virtual
    Speaking Engagement
  • Speaking Engagement
  • Presenter, "COVID-19 and the Workplace: Staying Out of Trouble,” Smith Anderson 28th Annual Employment Law Update, Virtual
    Speaking Engagement
  • Co-Presenter, "Open for Business During the Times of COVID-19: Key Considerations for North Carolina Businesses," Webinar hosted by NCEDA
    Speaking Engagement
  • Co-Presenter, "Open for Business During the Times of COVID-19: Is Your Company Prepared?" Webinar hosted by the NCBA
    Speaking Engagement
  • Reopening Safely Under OSHA
    Webinar
  • Presenter, "Reopening Safely Under OSHA," Live Webinar
    Speaking Engagement
  • Presenter, "OSHA Hot Topics and Trends: 2019 and Beyond," Smith Anderson 27th Annual Employment Law Update, Cary, N.C.
    Speaking Engagement
  • Presenter, “Navigating an OSHA Case: From Inspection to Hearing,” Western North Carolina Safety & Health Conference, Asheville, N.C.
    Event
  • Presenter, "Navigating an OSHA Citation from Inspection to Hearing," Eastern Carolina Safety and Health School, New Bern, N.C.
    Event
  • Co-Presenter, "Navigating an OSHA Case From Inspection to Hearing," North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys' 2016 Winter Workshop, Morrisville, N.C.
    Event
  • Co-Presenter, "OSHA 2015: A Busy Year and More to Come - Will You Face Enforcement Action and Are You Ready,?" Smith Anderson's 23rd Annual Employment Law Update, Raleigh, N.C.
    Event
  • Presenter, "Federal Legislative and Regulatory Update," North Carolina Chamber's Energy & Environmental Management Conference
    Event
  • Webinar
  • Webinar
  • Co-Presenter, "OSHA 2014 and Beyond: Back in the Enforcement Business," Smith Anderson’s 21st Annual Employment Law Update, Raleigh, N.C.
    Event
  • Co-Presenter, "OSHA 2013 and Beyond: Back in the Enforcement Business," North Carolina Manufacturers Alliance’s Environmental, Energy, Health and Safety School
    Event
  • Presenter, "Hazard Communication Standard & Worker Safety Requirements Applicable to Corrective Action," North Carolina Bar Association Environmental Law Section Meeting
    Event
  • Co-Presenter, "OSHA 2013 and Beyond: Enforcement Defense Strategies," Eastern Carolina Safety and Health School
    Event
  • Presenter, North Carolina Chamber of Commerce 3rd Annual Environmental Management Summit
    Event
  • Co-Presenter, "OSHA 2010 and Beyond: Back in the Enforcement Business," Smith Anderson's 18th Annual Employment Law Update, Raleigh, N.C.
    Event
  • Co-Presenter, "Introduction to Biotech: Environmental, Health & Safety Laws Commonly Affecting the Biotechnology Industry, Emerging Trends in Environmental Law," North Carolina Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Raleigh, N.C.
    Event
  • Presenter, "Addressing Environmental Issues in Mergers and Acquisitions," North Carolina Bar Association Business Law Section Annual Meeting
    Event
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