William A. Hurst has a wide range of experience, including as lead trial counsel handling complex environmental, energy, and media law matters before state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Bill achieves his client’s objectives through a practical, cost-effective, team-based approach that maximizes use of his clients' knowledge and resources.
Bill represents clients in cost-recovery and clean-up litigation arising under all of the major federal environmental laws and their state analogues, and has assisted clients in securing the productive re-use of distressed properties, including through the New York State Brownfields Cleanup Program. Bill has taken several jury and bench trials to favorable verdicts, including boundary line disputes and regulatory takings claims under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, and has defended numerous administrative enforcement proceedings before, and/or negotiated the terms of broad consent orders with, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and other state and federal natural resource agencies.
As part of the Firm’s national media practice, Bill represents print, broadcast, and new media clients in a broad spectrum of legal matters, including public access litigation, the response and opposition to reporter’s and blogger’s subpoenas, and the defense of defamation, invasion of privacy, and other content-related claims. He also represents media and non-media clients regarding copyright issues, particularly in the online context, and in Lanham Act cyber-squatting and false advertising cases.
Bill also appears before the New York State Public Service Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and New York Independent System Operator on energy regulatory matters involving domestic and multinational corporations that own and operate electric generating facilities and participate in financial markets that trade on energy products.
Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Bill was a partner in a 250-member regional law firm.
