Departments

Phone: 602.650.2321
Fax: 602.916.1500

Michael C. Ford

Shareholder

Michael C. Ford has over 15 years of experience in advising industrial and commercial entities on regulatory compliance, enforcement defense, and transactional risk mitigation issues arising under federal, state and local environmental and workplace safety laws. He has worked with clients ranging from religous orders to global corporations in navigating the complex web of environmental issues impacting real estate deals and industrial operations.

Mr. Ford has worked extensively on issues impacting hardrock mines, including ground water and surface water permitting and compliance, chemical reporting, release response and closure operations. His experience in brownfields development includes project feasibility analysis and due diligence, contract negotiation, voluntary cleanup programs, tax credit qualification, remediation oversight and consultant management, environmental insurance, and obtaining regulatory closure approval. He is also also has considerable experience in mobile source emissions compliance and enforcement defense under the Clean Air Act.

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Arizona Mining Association
  • Environmental Professionals of Arizona
    • Board of Directors, President
    • 2011, 2012 Annual Gatekeeper Regulatory Roundup, Conference Chairperson
  • Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers, Director
  • Arizona Manufacturers Council
  • Maricopa County Bar Association
    • Environmental Law Section, Past Chair
  • Brown Alumni Schools Committee

Distinctions

  • Arizona Business Magazine, Arizona's Top Lawyers 2012
  • Ranking Arizona, Best of Arizona Attorneys 2012
  • Valley Forward Association Environmental Excellence Award Gibson Mine Project 2007

Publications & Presentations

2011
The Most Frequently Asked Questions in Environmental Law - Maricopa County Bar Association, 2nd edition
May 11, 2011
Maricopa County Bar Association
Speaker; "The Environmental Appeals Process:  What You Should Know"
March-May 2011
Environmental Bankers Association, Arizona Chamber of Commerce
Speaker, Strafford Webinar
February 2011
Conference Chair and Speaker, Environmental Law 101
2003-present
Journal of Environmental Management Arizona
Fall 2009
May 2008
Arizona Hydrological Society Surface Water Session, Arizona Department of Water Resources
Apr 2008
April 20, 2007
The Wall Street Journal
Michael C. Ford is quoted extensively in this article regarding his client, Franciscan Friars of California Inc.
2007
Arizona Association of Industries
Phoenix, Arizona
2007
Gatekeeper Regulatory Roundup
Phoenix, Arizona
2005-2007
Gatekeeper Regulatory Roundup
Phoenix, Arizona; multiple presentations
Aug 2005
Arizona Association of Industries
14th Annual AAI Environmental Summit, Tucson, Arizona
2004-2005
Lorman Education Services
Conference on Brownfields Redevelopment and City of Phoenix Brownfields University, Phoenix, Arizona (multiple presentations)
Jun 2004
State Bar of Arizona Conference
Tucson, Arizona
2003-2006
Instructor; multiple presentations; topics include Clean Water Act, CERCLA, FIFRA, Phoenix, Arizona
May 2002
Apr 2002
Apr 2002
State Bar of Arizona Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section Newsletter
Aug 2001
Arizona Association of Industries Environmental Summit
Prescott, Arizona
1999-2003
CLE International Environmental Seminars
Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque (multiple presentations)
Jun 1999
Spring 1999
Maricopa County Bar Association
Co-Editor
Summer 1998