Erin M. McDevitt-Frantz

Erin brings over a decade of experience managing litigation matters from start to finish. Utilizing her deep background in environmental law, Erin counsels her clients regarding compliance, defends clients’ interests during enforcement action, negotiates settlement and other documents that establish parameters impacting long-term regulatory oversight, and assists with cost recovery efforts after environmental clean-ups have occurred. Erin is experienced representing clients in connection with enforcement actions under RCRA, CERCLA, and other waste disposal and management laws and rules. She is prepared to defend against lawsuits, yet is skilled in effectively communicating and negotiating to avoid unnecessary litigation expenses.

Erin has particular experience in water law issues having served the public sector as counsel for the Philadelphia Water Department. Erin assists clients with all aspects of consent decrees, long term control plans, permits and high-value negotiated settlements. She has litigated Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification issues from several perspectives and in several venues, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Erin is interested in green infrastructure and integrated planning as a means to provide an individualized, community-driven approach with additional benefits beyond basic compliance.

Erin’s background in insurance coverage facilitated her cost recovery practice. She litigated coverage claims on behalf of clients seeking to recover expenses associated with environmental clean-up. Erin keeps up to date on insurance coverage with a particular focus on the emerging law interpreting pollution exclusions.

Reported Cases

Carolina Casualty Insurance Co. v. Travelers Property Casualty Co., Slipcopy 2015 WL794909 Civ. No. 09-4871 (D.N.J. Feb. 25, 2015).

Erin is admitted to practice in the State of Ohio, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey as well as the United States District Court of New Jersey, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Erin has a BA in Environmental Studies from Lake Forest College and earned her JD from Villanova University School of Law.

• Avon Lake Environmental Affairs Advisory Board, 2015-2019
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Women in Law and Environment Sections
• Lorain County Bar Association
• Ohio State Bar Association

• Recognized in “The Best Lawyers in America” for Litigation-Environmental 2024
• Selected to the Ohio Rising Stars list from 2018 – 2024

• “Ohio Water Law 102: Basic Legal Issues,” 2021 Stormwater Conference, May 20, 2021
• “At the Intersection of Environmental Law and Construction Law,” co-presenter with Michael J. Frantz, Jr., 35th Annual OSBA Environment, Energy and Resources Law Seminar, October 5, 2020
• “Funding Stormwater Management Projects,” 2020 Ohio Stormwater Conference, August 27, 2020
• “Funding Stormwater Solutions: Legal and Practical Considerations,” Stormwater Solutions Conference, November 15, 2018
• “City of Green v. Ohio EPA: A Case Study on Legal and Scientific Collaboration,” Stormwater Solutions Conference, November 15, 2018
• “Legal Roundtable,” 2018 Ohio Stormwater Conference, May 10, 2018
• “Water Law: Hot Topics,” 2016 Ohio Stormwater Conference, May 5, 2016

• “Diversity in the Presidential Cabinet,” with Wendlene Lavey, CMBA Bar Journal, June 2021.
• “Environmental Challenges to Pipeline Projects: Making Sense of the Outcomes,” CMBA Bar Journal, October 2020.
• “New or Renew- What Do We Do? Examining environmental concerns surrounding potential construction projects,” co-author with Michael J. Frantz, Jr., Properties Magazine, June 2020, Volume 74, No. 6.
• “What Do You Need? A Diverse Solution to the Diversity Problem,” CMBA Bar Journal, April 2020.
• “Is It A Fixer Upper?,” co-author with Michael J. Frantz, Jr., CMBA Bar Journal, October 2019.
• “Building Upon the Brownfield Program: The Brownfield Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act of 2018,” co-author with Lauryn G. Kitchen, CMBA Bar Journal, October 2018.
• “Case Summary: Valbruna Slater Steel Corporation and Fort Wayne Steel Corporation v. Joslyn Manufacturing Company, et al.” Superfund and Natural Resource Damages Litigation Committee, American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, August 2016.
• “Case Summary: The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company v. Beazer East, Inc.,” co-author with Greg DeGulis. Hot News and EPA Region Updates, American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, September 2015.