Gail S. Port is head of Proskauer’s interdepartmental Environmental Group. Gail has been practicing environmental law, land use and litigation for over 40 years. Her practice is concentrated in counseling national and international clients on environmental issues and risks.
Gail advises her clients on environmental issues in complex, multi-site mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy and restructuring matters, real estate transactions, financings, licensing and permitting environmental compliance, Superfund and hazardous waste cases, federal and state enforcement proceedings, capital markets transactions, sustainability and climate change issues, remediation matters, brownfields, multi-media environmental enforcement proceedings; environmental litigation and administrative proceedings, land use matters, and historic preservation.
Prior to joining Proskauer, from 1984 to 1989, Gail was the deputy general counsel, acting general counsel and chief environmental advisor to the New York State Urban Development Corporation, where she was involved in the environmental law aspects of high-visibility, large-scale land use and development projects and related financing transactions. Before her public service, Gail was an associate at a prominent environmental boutique law firm.
Gail is a fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers, a national professional association of preeminent environmental lawyers with distinguished careers. In addition, following her initial appointment by Governor Mario Cuomo (and State Senate confirmation), from 1992 until 2012, Gail served as one of only five citizen members on the New York State Environmental Board.
Gail has lectured and written widely on a broad spectrum of environmental topics. She also was an adjunct faculty member of Pace University School of Law, where she taught commercial environmental law.
Education
-
New York Law School, J.D., 1976
magna cum laude
Articles Editor, New York Law School Law Review
- State University of New York College at Cortland, B.S., 1973
Admissions & Qualifications
- New York
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court, New York, Eastern District
- U.S. District Court, New York, Northern District
- U.S. District Court, New York, Southern District
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships
Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers
New York State Bar Association Environmental Law Section (Executive Committee, Section Council and Former Chair)
New York City Bar Association (Former Chair of Environmental Law Committee, Past Member of International Environmental Law, Administrative Law and Energy Law Committees; Current Member, Task Force on Legal Issues on Climate Adaptation)
Audubon New York (Board of Directors)
New York League of Conservation Voters (Board of Directors, Vice-Chair and Co-Chair of Policy Committee)
New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (Board of Directors)
New York City Environmental Law Leadership Institute (Founding Member, Board of Advisors)
Environmental Advocates of New York ( Former Member of Board of Directors)
Awards & Recognition
Chambers USA: New York: Environment: Mainly Transactional 2005-2021
Chambers USA: New York: Environment 2014-2021
Best Lawyers in America: Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental 2003-2022
Best Lawyers in America: “New York City Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year” 2012
New York Super Lawyers: 2006-2021
"Top 50 Female Attorneys in New York City Metropolitan Area" New York Super Lawyers 2017, 2019 - 2020
Top 100 Attorneys in New York City Metropolitan Area New York Super Lawyers 2017
The Legal 500 United States: Environment: Transactional 2017-2021
Who’s Who Legal (The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers) 2005-2015, 2021
PLC Cross-border Environment Handbook 2006-2014
Parks & Trails New York, Recipient of George W. Perkins Award for outstanding environmental leadership 2011
Commissioner Orin Lehman's Annual Historic Preservation Award 1990
Martindale-Hubbell: AV-Rated (Preeminent)
Martindale-Hubbell: Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers
“Top 50 Women,” New York Metro Super Lawyers, 2019
Government Service
- New York State Environmental Board, citizen member from 1992-2012 (appointed by Hon. Mario M. Cuomo, Governor, June 1992, served under Governors Pataki, Spitzer, Paterson and Andrew Cuomo)
- Deputy General Counsel and Acting General Counsel, New York State Urban Development Corporation (now Empire State Development Corp.) 1984-1989