Brad Marten is a longstanding leader and innovator in environmental law, bringing his clients decades of experience handling complex environmental litigation and several of the largest environmental damages cases ever brought in the United States.
Brad has gained a national reputation by successfully representing clients in nearly every sector of the economy, across the United States for 40 years. These include several of the largest environmental damages cases ever brought in the United States and dozens of other cases and transactions for clients in mining, manufacturing, refining, transportation, food processing, agricultural and financial services industries.
Brad has decades of experience handling complex cleanup and cost recovery cases, including serving as co-counsel on both the Exxon Valdez oil spill (1989) and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010). Brad has successfully served as lead or common counsel at Superfund sites in over 15 states, in matters involving more than 100 parties, and damages over $1 billion.
Brad is the former president of the American College of Environmental Lawyers and a member of the Environmental Law Institute’s Board of Directors. He also organized and chairs the annual Environmental Law Institute’s GreenTech conference. Brad is consistently ranked by his peers as one of the top environmental lawyers in America. He is listed on Law Dragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, Best Lawyers, and other peer reviewed publications. His leadership has brought Marten national recognition.
- Representing parties in complex Superfund and natural resource damage environmental claims and litigation throughout the United States. These include dozens of federal and state Superfund sites in negotiation with EPA and the Justice Department, Natural Resource Trustees, state agencies, and Indian Tribes.
- Defending permitting and enforcement actions brought against public and private companies in various sectors.
- Representing the principal contractor at a nuclear waste cleanup facility.
- Representing developers in addressing environmental concerns at projects involving over 40 million square feet of office space, as well as residential developments, commercial areas, transit facilities, golf courses, and timberlands.
- Fellow, American College of Environmental Lawyers, President, 2011-2012; Director 2010-2012
- Board of Directors, Environmental Law Institute (Washington, DC)
- Chair, Environmental Law Institute's GreenTech Conference (2019-present)
- Law Dragon's Hall of Fame (2023)
- Chambers USA, Washington - Environment, Band 1
- Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated
- Top 100 Super Lawyers in Seattle, WA (2003-present)
- Who’s Who Legal, Global Leader in Environmental Law, 2023
- Best Lawyers in America®, Environmental Law and Litigation
- “Best Practices for Resolving NRD Claims and Suits,” LSI Advanced NRD Seminar, Santa Fe, New Mexico (July 2012)
- “A Short History of Natural Resource Damage Claims,” Natural Resource Damages: The Ground, Groundwater and the Gulf seminar, Miami, Florida (January 2011)
- “The U.S. Supreme Court's Environmental Docket – Making Sense of the 2009 Term, a Harbinger of What is to Come?” UW School of Law Conference, Seattle, Washington (October 23, 2009)
- "Implications of the Recent US Supreme Court Rulings," Environmental Law Education Center, Portland, Oregon (July 10, 2009)
- Litigating CERCLA Natural Resource Damage Claims, BNA, 22 Environmental Reporter 670
- Co-Author, Model Toxics Control Act Handbook
Agency Compliance and Enforcement
Investigations and Enforcement Defense
NEPA and Other Environmental Reviews
- J.D., Harvard Law School (1981)
- M.A., Yale University (1977)
- B.A., Cornell University (1975)
- State Bar of Washington, #13582 (1983)
- The District of Columbia Bar, #359276 (1981)