Charles M. Denton is a partner in the Grand Rapids office of Barnes & Thornburg LLP and is chair of the firm’s Environmental Law Department. He focuses his practice on environmental agency enforcement defense, toxic torts and class action litigation, “Brownfields” redevelopment, compliance counseling, insurance coverage, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
Mr. Denton represents a broad range of industrial, municipal, institutional and individual clients in judicial and administrative environmental proceedings at federal, state, and local levels, as well as policyholders for environmental coverage claims and litigation. Mr. Denton also assists clients with environmental considerations in commercial transactions, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, as well as ISO 14000 environmental management systems. This includes lender liability issues and environmental audits to assess potential facility contamination and regulatory compliance for the acquisition and financing of real estate.
Mr. Denton is the author and co-author of several publications highlighting environmental law topics, and gives frequent presentations for the American Bar Association, Michigan Bar Association, and the ICLE, among others. He also serves on the boards of Michigan Association of Environmental Professionals (MAEP) and NSF-International Strategic Registrations, as well as chairing the Legal/Liability Committee of AWMA International.
Mr. Denton is listed in Who’s Who in American Law (1992-present) and The Best Lawyers in America® (1995-present). He is co-chair of the ABA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, and serves on the CPR Environmental Panel of Distinguished Neutrals. Mr. Denton is a former Detroit Bar Association Chairperson of the Year (1995-1996) and Chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan Environmental Law Section (2010-2011).
Mr. Denton is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th, 7th, and 11th Circuits, as well as the D.C. Circuit; and the U.S. District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Michigan, Northern District of Indiana, and Eastern District of Wisconsin. He is admitted to practice in all Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin state courts. He is a member of the Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin state bar associations. Mr. Denton received his A.B. summa cum laude in 1978 from Ohio University, and his J.D. in 1981 from the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.