William T. Gorton III named Chair of Stites & Harbison's Environmental Group

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC, has named William (Bill) T. Gorton III as Chair of the firm’s Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Service Group. Gorton succeeds W. Patrick Stallard, who has served as the service group chair since the group was established in 1984. Stallard will continue his environmental legal practice concentrating in the air, water, and waste programs, both counseling and litigation.

Bill Gorton, a member (partner) of the firm based in Lexington, Ky., is national counsel to numerous clients on natural resource, environmental regulatory and land and water resources matters. He has been counsel in the development of more than 10 power plants. He has been lead counsel to numerous surety companies regarding close to $2 billion in financial guarantees on mining operations, hazardous waste facilities and solid waste disposal facilities throughout the United States. Gorton also provides counsel on large natural resource, business and corporate transactions. He routinely advises clients on compliance issues and assessing and mitigating risks associated with facility operations and site conditions.

Outside of Stites & Harbison, Gorton is Chair of The Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeways Commission, which was developed by the Kentucky Legislature to advise the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet regarding cycling issues and advocate for the cycling public. He has also advised the Kentucky Rails to Trails Council, Inc. on a pro bono basis, formed as part of the nationwide movement to develop abandoned rail beds into trails for recreation use. Gorton is Assistant Professor/Adjunct at the University of Kentucky in the Natural Resource and Environmental Science Program teaching Environmental Law and Regulation. He is also a Trustee to the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation.