Alternate Office(s)
Practice Areas
- Administrative Litigation & Government Enforcement Actions
- Air Quality Issues
- Environmental
- Environmental Crimes
- Environmental Litigation & Toxic Torts
- Internal Investigations & Criminal Defense
- Litigation
- Permitting & Regulatory Compliance Advice
- Underground Storage Tanks & Petroleum Distribution
- Waste Management & Superfund Litigation
Education
- B.S., Arizona State University, 1979
- M.S., Arizona State University, 1989
- J.D., Lewis and Clark University, Northwestern School of Law, 1993
Bar & Court Admissions
- Arizona, 1993
- South Carolina, 1999
- Not Admitted in North Carolina
Scott K. Ames
Scott Ames brings the benefits of a diverse professional background and a remarkable blend of experiences to clients involved in complex environmental matters. With a thorough understanding of the environmental sciences, he vigorously represents both corporate defendants and state environmental agencies in environmental litigation.
- He has experience representing both Fortune 500 companies and state environmental agencies in:
- CERCLA enforcement actions
- Toxic tort litigation
- Prosecution of environmental laboratory fraud cases
- He also is experienced in assisting environmental crimes units of state and federal environmental agencies.
Representative Cases
Melody L. Baker, et al. v. Motorola, et al. in the Superior Court of the State of Arizona in and for the County of Maricopa, Case No. CV 92-02603. Mr. Ames represented an industrial defendant in a class action lawsuit alleging diminution of property values for residential and commercial properties located near an existing plume of groundwater contamination and exposure to hazardous substances in municipal drinking water supplies warranting lifetime medical monitoring.
Diane Lofgren, et al. v. Motorola, et al. in the Superior Court of the State of Arizona in and for the County of Maricopa, Case No. CV 93-05521. Mr. Ames represented an industrial defendant in this mass action personal injury lawsuit alleging personal injuries resulting from exposure to industrial air emissions and groundwater contamination that impacted the water quality of municipal drinking water supply wells and the water distribution system.
In the Matter of Michael G. English and Westech Laboratories, Inc. Mr. Ames represented the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Laboratory Licensing, in the prosecution of a laboratory fraud case. At the time of the hearing in 1996-97, it was the largest administrative hearing in Arizona history totaling seven weeks of testimony. The Department was successful in proving all allegations related to the intentional falsification of laboratory results, some of which were directly related to the identification and quantification of contaminants in municipal drinking water supplies.
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control v. Western Atlas, Inc. et al., United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Columbia Division, Case No. 3-00-1760-10 (BC). Mr. Ames represented an industrial defendant that was a supplier and recycler of industrial solvents and a transporter of hazardous wastes that had allegedly contributed to groundwater contamination. This was a CERCLA enforcement action that sought to hold five defendants jointly and severely liable for past and future government-incurred response costs and natural resources damages.
SSS Management Corporation v. The Chestnut Group, Inc., et al., United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Greenville Division, Case No. 6:04-2240-20. Mr. Ames represented the plaintiff landowner in this action seeking injunctive relief under RCRA and cost recovery under CERCLA against former owner/operators of an industrial property with existing soil and groundwater contamination.
Of Note
- Former Manager within the State of Arizona’s environmental laboratory.
- Consulted on environmental issues with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
- Experienced in analytical chemistry, hydrogeology and the fate and transport of chemicals.
- Served as an expert witness on environmental matters for the State of Arizona.
- Taught classes in environmental law.
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association: Environmental Transactions, Audits & Brownfields Committee; Superfund & Hazardous Waste Committee; Toxic Torts & Environmental Litigation Committee
- Arizona Bar Association: Administrative Law Section; Environmental & Natural Section; Trial Practice Section
- South Carolina Bar Association: Environmental, Natural Resources Section; Torts, Insurance Practice Section