Pete Nyquist chairs Greenberg Glusker’s Environmental Practice Group.

He was named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers for Environmental Law in Los Angeles (2020), and is listed in Chambers USA (Environment, 2007-present) and Best Lawyers (Environmental Law and Environmental Litigation, 2012-­present) as among the leading environmental lawyers in California. Clients have noted, “the more complex the issue, the more his guidance is invaluable to us…” and “[h]e stands out as calm, even-keeled and a very technically savvy lawyer.” (Chambers USA).

Currently, Pete serves as lead litigation counsel for Union Pacific in the Omega Chemical Superfund Site litigation, lead counsel for Spacelabs Healthcare, Inc. and Broan-NuTone in two CERCLA cost recovery cases pending in the Central District of California, and co-litigation counsel for plaintiff Occidental Chemical Corporation in the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site litigation in Newark, New Jersey.  His practice covers and array of complex environmental litigation in federal and state court under CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Water Act, the Hazardous Substances Account Act, and related statutory and common law claims.

In addition, Pete represents clients in a broad array of matters involving investigative, remedial or corrective action requirements at contaminated sites, including brownfield development projects, voluntary cleanups, and regulatory agency enforcement proceedings. He recently advised Southern California Edison in connection with the renewal of NPDES Permit No. CA0109282 (Order R9-2023-0011) for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, with unanimous agency board approval, and represents SDG&E in a multi-party matter addressing sediment contamination in the San Diego Bay from decades of shipyard and other alleged industrial activities.

Pete also serves as environmental counsel to various developer clients in Southern California. This includes several of the most significant brownfield projects in the region, like the 777 Front Street project in Burbank—a $250mm+ mixed-use project at the former Zero Corporation site within the San Fernando Valley Superfund Sites—the Point in El Segundo, and Palisades Village in Pacific Palisades. He regularly interfaces with USEPA, Cal-EPA, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the statewide regional water quality control boards, and has helped navigate numerous cleanup sites to “no further action” or site closure determinations. Pete has also represented clients in administrative proceedings, appeals and writ actions challenging improper agency actions.

Pete is a former Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar’s Environmental Law Section, and remains a member of its Executive Committee. He also remains involved with the Executive Committee of the California Lawyers Association Environmental Law Section, and Co-Chaired the Yosemite Conference, nationally recognized as the largest and most prestigious gathering of California’s leaders in environmental law. Pete actively participates in and supports various community and charitable organizations, including having coached youth sports for over 10 years and served on the Board for his daughters’ school. He remains an avid skier and is somehow clinging to a single-digit golf handicap.