Rick Angell is a director and vice president of the firm and previously chaired Parsons Behle & Latimer’s Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources practice group. His practice focuses on solving complex environmental challenges facing the extractive, refining and manufacturing sectors with a unique combination of legal perspective and technical insight.

Capabilities

Biography

Rick Angell is a member of Parsons Behle & Latimer’s Environmental, Energy & Natural Resources (EENR) practice group. Rick assists clients with a broad range of environmental compliance, transactional and litigation issues. He is the past chairperson of the EENR practice group and currently a firm vice president and secretary on the firm's Board of Directors. 

A significant portion of Rick’s practice relates to hazardous materials and wastes and how they are handled for purposes of risk management, accident prevention and regulatory compliance as well as emergency response and long-term remediation in the event there is a release into the workplace or environment. Rick represents clients in administrative and judicial environmental enforcement proceedings, permit applications and appeals, remediation and cost recovery under CERCLA and other statutes as well as toxic tort litigation.

Rick conducts environmental due diligence for acquisitions and financing transactions in the United States and internationally. His transactional and compliance expertise includes development of sustainable business practices and addressing climate change issues. He also comments on behalf of clients on environmental and occupational health rules and permitting issues.

Another substantial component of Rick’s regulatory compliance and permitting practice includes voluntary cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated property. Rick has worked on numerous projects around the United States with a focus on natural resource, refining, manufacturing and energy-related matters.

Experience

CERCLA Brownfields Development for Retail Construction on Superfund Site

Served as legal counsel for a CERCLA Brownfields development project. Assisted with the construction of a hardware and home improvement store on land within the Anaconda Smelter Superfund Site in Montana.

Environmental Defense for Oil Company in Groundwater Contamination Case

Served as legal counsel for an oil company responding to allegations from a railway company regarding groundwater impacts. The case involves a Montana oil site allegedly contributing to contamination at an adjacent cleanup site dating back to the 1980s.

Groundwater Remediation and Regulatory Compliance for Legacy Industrial Site

Served as legal counsel for a paper company at a former wood treatment facility, advising on groundwater remediation efforts and regulatory compliance. Assisted with the implementation of a modified judicial consent decree, establishment of groundwater controls and renegotiation of agreements to incentivize compliance with institutional controls. Also provided guidance on site redevelopment and response to natural resource damage assessment notices.

Accomplishments

Academic

George Washington University Law School (J.D., 1996)

Cornell University (B.A., 1993)

Dual degrees in government and biology.

Professional

Best Lawyers in America: Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental; Salt Lake City "Lawyer of the Year," Litigation - Environmental, 2022

Best Lawyers in America: "Best Lawyer," Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental 2023

Chambers USA: Environment, Natural Resources & Regulated Industries, 2016 - 2024

Recognized in Utah Business Magazine’s 2023 Legal Elite

Associations

Professional

Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation

Insights

Articles

Credentials

Licensed

Utah
Nevada
Arizona
Montana
Wyoming

Education

George Washington University Law School