Mr. Tompkins heads the firm’s environmental practice and has been involved in a range of environmental issues since 1969, when he was acquitted after being accused of dumping hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic waste into a local reservoir used to supply water to children's hospitals around the country. He is currently Chairman of the Board of the Environmental Law Association, and a longtime supporter of the people sued by the John Travolta character in the movie A Civil Action/. Mr. Tompkins's most recent trial victory was against the United States regarding a Superfund claim brought against the Firm's client for the cleanup of a depleted uranium treatment and disposal facility located inside the oncology unit of a major American hospital. He has also acted as counsel for the chloroflurocarbon industry association in a number of its litigation proceedings.
Hobbies/Interests
Eating endangered species; snowmobiling in national parks; drilling in the forest.
Family
Widowed. Two children, deceased. One fish, three heads.
Best Experience at the Firm
"I brokered a deal to get a huge supply of ape meat delivered to the Firm for one of our annual banquets. It was delicious."
Worst Experience at the Firm
"I brought my shotgun into the office one day, since I was leaving directly from the firm to go on a hunting excursion with the Vice President and some other friends, and somehow I got into an argument with a paralegal and the gun went off. I'm still not sure how it happened, but I ended up having to skip the trip, which came on the only vacation half-day I'd been able to schedule in over a decade."
Advice to Law Students
"Hunt for work at the firm. Be a predator. You'll impress the partners and it will pay off in the end."
