Catherine M. Newman
About Catherine
Catherine represents a variety of businesses, including original equipment manufacturers and food industry leaders, in product liability claims and other high-stakes commercial litigation matters. Catherine’s commercial litigation acumen combined with her background in environmental conservation also allows her to provide unique perspectives and solutions to clients in her ever-growing environmental regulatory compliance practice, where she guides clients through the evolving complexities of modern-day environmental law and policy to achieve their corporate or governmental goals.
Before joining BTNL as an Associate in 2020, Catherine earned her Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation from Mississippi State University, summa cum laude, and her law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law, cum laude.
Catherine is admitted to practice in Alabama and Tennessee. She is also an active member of the Birmingham Bar Association, Coastal Conservation Association, Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and Alabama Wildlife Federation. Away from the office, Catherine enjoys gardening, antiquing, and spending time with her husband, Spencer, and their English Cocker Spaniel, Remi.
Representative Experience
Catherine plays an integral role in the BTNL team and supported the following representative matters:
Commercial Litigation Matters
- Successfully obtained a dismissal of our client, an industrial laundry equipment manufacturing company, from a high-exposure personal injury case.
- Negotiated and obtained a positive result outside of court for our client, a major food packager, facing threatened Federal litigation for alleged allergen cross-contamination.
- Achieved positive result for our client, a food processing plant, in a nuisance/trespass/negligence action brought by neighboring residents and property owners.
- Regularly represent European and domestic insurance companies in declaratory judgment, breach of contract, and bad faith lawsuits, and routinely provide coverage opinions to insurance carriers to aid in the investigation and analysis of claims.
Environmental and Cultural Matters
- Environmental Litigation: successfully achieved a dismissal of claims against our client, a plant manager, following inadvertent release of wastewater from the plant into a nearby river.
- Clean Water Act (CWA) and Alabama Water Pollution Control Act (AWPCA): routinely advise clients faced with enforcement actions by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and litigation by environmental groups regarding operation of wastewater treatment plants. Currently representing a mining company in an ongoing federal enforcement action for the unpermitted fill of Waters of the United States.
- Endangered Species Act: continually advise clients on the potential effects of endangered and threatened species listings and associated concerns in relation to clients’ business growth and operational endeavors. Analyzed and submitted comments for industry associations on regulatory proposals (e.g., amendments to USFWS regulations and listing of species as endangered or threatened).
- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Resource Conservations and Recovery Act (RCRA): routinely advise individuals, companies, and financial institutions on legal strategy and resolution of risks associated with the acquisition of potentially contaminated property.
- Alternative Energy Strategy: assisted a local manufacturing leader in developing renewable energy strategies and developments to best fit short- and long-term energy goals.
- Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA): achieved positive results for inadvertent violations of EPCRA by clients in the metal plating and forest products industries.
- Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA): assists our client, a Federally funded institution, in conducting appropriate NAGPRA compliance efforts alongside Federally recognized Tribal representatives.