Denise G. Fellers skillfully litigates federal and state actions involving groundwater contamination, including Superfund cost recovery actions and mass toxic tort matters. She provides both advice and counsel on complex regulatory issues and compliance matters, and she litigates environmental matters on both the plaintiff side (such as cost recovery and contribution claims) and the defense side (defending environmental and common-law claims). Denise leverages her deep understanding of state and federal environmental laws in these complex cases to creatively and cost effectively manage often lengthy disputes.
Over the last 10 years, Denise has worked extensively in the Superfund area including representing working groups as common counsel at large hazardous waste sites. In this leadership role, she negotiates consent decrees with federal and state agencies, works with federal and state agencies in environmental investigations and remedy selection, drafts comprehensive comments on agency decision documents, and manages consultants. She also oversees necessary technical work that interplays with clients’ legal needs, leads third-party cost recovery and contribution efforts, and supports allocation among potentially responsible parties.
Through her work on these Superfund sites, Denise represents a variety of diverse interests including oil and gas companies, aerospace corporations, chemical companies, municipal organizations, and landfill operators, to name a few.
Her experience in regulatory compliance matters involves the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the California Hazardous Substance Account Act (HSAA), the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and California’s Proposition 65.
Most of Denise’s cases involve the strategic management of discovery issues, such as pre-litigation investigations, depositions, written discovery, preparation of expert witnesses, and resolution of various discovery disputes. She has experience drafting and arguing case dispositive motions and is adept at handling pre-trial issues such as preparation of exhibit lists, witness lists, motions in limine, designation and counter-designation of deposition testimony, and direct and cross-examination of expert witnesses.
Fellow, American College of Environmental Lawyers
Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law, Los Angeles (2023–2025)
Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation–Environmental, Los Angeles (2023–2025)
Chair, Environment, Energy, and Resources (Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts) Section, American Bar Association
Chair, Environment, Energy, and Resources (Superfund and Natural Resources) Section, American Bar Association
Executive Committee, Environmental Law Section, Los Angeles County Bar Association (2009–current)
Chair, Environmental Law Section, Los Angeles County Bar Association (2020)
Member, Environmental Law Section, California State Bar
Member, Los Angeles Chapter, Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Rising Star, Southern California Super Lawyers (2010–2013)
Recognized, Environmental Litigation, Southern California Super Lawyers (2014–2023)
Phi Beta Kappa