Meaghan Colligan Hembree

Meaghan Colligan Hembree is an attorney and strategic legal advisor to companies navigating complex environmental regulations, operational risk and public-facing crises. Licensed in Washington, D.C., and New York, and a member of Holland & Knight's Public Policy & Regulation Group and Environmental Team, Ms. Hembree counsels high-impact industries – including manufacturing, energy, transportation, food and beverage, fire services, fashion and beauty – on regulatory compliance, enforcement defense and crisis response. Her practice is distinguished by her ability to lead clients through high-stakes investigations, environmental incidents and regulatory scrutiny with precision and discretion, and offer business-focused solutions that protect both reputation and enterprise value.

Ms. Hembree advises on the full life cycle of chemicals, products and waste – from permitting and importation to marketing, distribution, use and end-of-life management. She provides strategic counsel on product stewardship, sustainability initiatives, audit disclosures, contract negotiation and regulatory advocacy. Her work includes helping clients prepare legislation, respond to regulatory notices, develop and implement compliance programs and launch new products and brands in highly regulated markets.

In addition, Ms. Hembree regularly leads internal investigations and defends corporations in complex, multijurisdictional disputes, including parallel proceedings involving both regulatory enforcement and civil litigation. Her ability to coordinate technical experts, manage risk portfolios and develop litigation strategy has earned her recognition from clients and Law360 Rising Stars.

Ms. Hembree has extensive experience with emerging contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and has represented clients in water contamination cases, Superfund matters and toxic tort litigation. She has counseled companies through environmental accidents, industrial fires, hazardous material releases and multi-party lawsuits, often under intense public and regulatory scrutiny.

Whether advising on proactive compliance strategies or guiding clients through crisis response, Ms. Hembree is known for delivering sophisticated, practical solutions that align legal risk management with business objectives.

Ms. Hembree offers the following legal support:

Regulatory Counseling and Compliance Program Support

Ms. Hembree assists companies with navigating the full spectrum of product and chemical regulations, including developing and implementing environmental, health and safety (EHS) compliance programs, submitting voluntary self-disclosures under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Audit Policy and related state programs, and performing risk assessments and internal investigations. This also includes:

• Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) compliance and strategic support, covering essential areas such as chemical inventory and reporting, Premanufacture Notices (PMNs), Significant New Use Notifications (SNUNs), compliance with the EPA's risk evaluations and management rules, PFAS reporting, and import and export notification
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste compliance
• Clean Water Act (CWA), wastewater, Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC), and stormwater compliance
• State and local Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, packaging mandates recycled content requirements, PFAS bans, chemical reporting concerns and emerging sustainability regulations
• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) registration, pesticide labeling and enforcement
• Green marketing claims, including guidance under the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Green Guides and other international standards and voluntary certification programs
• Legal challenges and compliance issues related to hazardous material transportation and importation

Enforcement and Litigation

Ms. Hembree has extensive experience representing clients in enforcement actions, administrative proceedings and civil litigation related to spills and releases of contamination, product safety, chemical disclosures, labeling and waste management. She has successfully defended clients in matters involving the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), TSCA, RCRA, FIFRA, CWA, Clean Air Act (CAA) and common law. Ms. Hembree also has a proven track record of defending clients in the EPA, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), state-led actions and citizen suits. Her litigation practice also covers disputes related to environmental compliance, regulatory investigations, internal investigations, insurance claims, landlord/tenant issues, insurance coverage and product liability, where she utilizes her deep regulatory and transactional experience to safeguard her clients' interests.

Remediation, Redevelopment and Crisis Response Support

Ms. Hembree advises clients on complex site remediation and redevelopment projects, including brownfield and Superfund site cleanups. Her support includes managing environmental liabilities, cost allocation among Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) groups, fate and transport analysis, completion of brownfield programs, regulatory strategy development and related transactional support. She has significant experience working with EPA and state agencies, and provides guidance throughout the lifecycle of spill response, crisis management, remediation and redevelopment to help clients manage risk while advancing business goals.

Transactions and Due Diligence

Ms. Hembree's practice also focuses on helping clients identify, assess, and manage environmental and regulatory risks in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity investments and other transactions. She provides targeted due diligence services to address potential liabilities related to contamination risks, chemical registrations, product approvals, waste obligations and supply chain exposures.

Policy and Legislative Support

Ms. Hembree plays an instrumental role in monitoring and influencing the legal landscape through active engagement in rulemakings, policy development and legislative advocacy. She helps clients stay ahead of emerging legal requirements surrounding PFAS, EPR, plastics reduction, circular economy initiatives and green chemistry policies.