During his years in private practice, Steve Darmody has been a partner with Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP, a partner with Foley & Lardner LLP, and a partner with Hollingsworth LLP. In each firm he has focused his practice on civil and criminal trials and appeals involving all aspects of environmental law, maritime law, commercial transactions, and land use litigation.
The majority of Mr. Darmody’s recent work has involved litigation related to the release of a pollutant into the environment in circumstances involving allegations of injury to people, property, or natural resources - land based and maritime. Other recent litigation has involved defending environmental crimes, the cross-border transportation of contraband; the release of hazardous materials during transportation; and challenging unlawful land use decisions.
Before entering private practice, Mr. Darmody served as a criminal prosecutor, a judge, an environmental regulator, and the regional counsel of a federal agency charged with enforcing environmental and customs laws. At various stages in his career, he has been both an enforcement officer and lead counsel in a wide variety of cases involving maritime, environmental, criminal, and customs matters. Mr. Darmody has represented clients in matters brought under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; the Toxic Substances Control Act; the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; the Clean Air Act; the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act; the Coastal Zone Management Act; the Clean Water Act; the Oil Pollution Act,; the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships; the Safe Drinking Water Act; the Marine Mammal Protection Act; the Endangered Species Act; the National Environmental Policy Act; Florida’s Growth Management Act; and numerous other state statutes.
While serving as a senior officer managing legal affairs for the U.S. Coast Guard, Mr. Darmody developed the background needed to represent business interests in a wide range of matters involving the environment, customs, and all agencies of the government, especially at the federal level. He routinely manages the defense of enforcement cases, both civil and criminal, brought by these agencies against a wide variety of clients. The American Bar Association named Mr. Darmody the Outstanding Young Coast Guard Lawyer of the Year in 1991, and the Judge Advocates Association named him the Outstanding Career Coast Guard Lawyer of the Year in 1996. He is also listed in Who’s Who in American Law and Who’s Who in America.
EDUCATION and ADMISSIONS
Mr. Darmody earned an LL.M. in environmental law (with highest honors, 1993) and a J.D. (with honors, 1988) from The George Washington University Law School. He also earned an M.B.A. in finance and investments (1984) from The George Washington University and a B.S. (1979) from the United States Coast Guard Academy. Mr. Darmody is licensed to practice law in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. He is also certified as a mediator by the Supreme Court of South Carolina and admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States; the U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia, as well as the Northern, Southern, and Middle Districts of Florida; the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the District of Columbia Circuit, the Third Circuit, the Fourth Circuit, the Ninth Circuit, the Eleventh Circuit, and the Armed Forces. Additionally, courts throughout the United States have admitted him to practice pro hac vice.