Wade M. Stephens is a member of the Environmental Law Practice group and focuses on complex environmental litigation matters, regulatory enforcement actions, and regulatory compliance. Mr. Stephens concentrates his practice in pursuing and defending complex environmental litigation matters with focus on The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) contribution and cost recovery claims, corporate successor liability, natural resource damages, and contamination of various environmental media. Mr. Stephens further counsels on matters related to The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Clean Water Act (CWA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and other related state environmental laws.

In addition to litigation activities, Mr. Stephens also has experience navigating companies through government-mandated environmental investigations, evaluating the pre-litigation scope of potential environmental liabilities, conducting environmental due diligence for real estate transactions, and advising on regulatory compliance and environmental permitting matters.

In April of 2026, Mr. Stephens participated in a six-week bench trial in Hobart Corporation et al. v. The Dayton Power and Light Company et al., No. 3:13-cv-00115, before the Honorable Walter H. Rice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The case involved CERCLA contribution claims arising from the South Dayton Dump and Landfill Superfund Site following more than a decade of litigation. The matter required the presentation of extensive historical, scientific, and technical evidence, collaboration with experts across multiple disciplines, examination of fact and expert witnesses, and expedited post-trial briefing, including more than 240 pages of proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and responsive briefing completed over several weeks post-trial.

A key member of the trial team,  Mr. Stephens’ trial work focused heavily on trial strategy, the presentation of and cross examination of expert witnesses, and pursuing his clients’ claims against a current owner of a superfund site. Specifically to the latter, Mr. Stephens spent substantial time arguing against the application of CERCLA’s petroleum exclusion, pursuing claims against that entity under CERCLA §§ 107(a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(3), and navigating the complexities of both a CERCLA 107(b)(3) innocent landowner defense and the useful product exception to CERCLA 107(a)(3) liability.

Mr. Stephens is the Co-Author of the TSCA Compliance Guide. As part of this role, Mr. Stephens monitors all EPA actions regarding TSCA, analyzes new and proposed regulatory actions, and disseminates information to subscribers through published quarterly updates. More information about the TSCA Compliance Guide can be found here.

Extended profile

While in law school, Mr. Stephens was an in-house summer associate for a regional telecommunications company and a clerk for Pennsylvania administrative law judges. Actively involved in student life, Mr. Stephens was an Associate Editor on the Journal of Law and Commerce, Co-President of the International Law Society, and represented Pitt Law in the 2019 National Energy & Sustainability Moot Court Competition. Mr. Stephens was also a member of Pitt Law’s Environmental Law Clinic, working with his clinic client on matters involving federal land use regulations.

Prior to law school, Mr. Stephens spent several years working in the international education consulting industry. He most recently served as the Director of Admission for mid-sized firm out of Boston, Massachusetts, working directly with both individual and organizational clients.

Awards/Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Allegheny County Bar Association
• CALI Excellence for the Future Award in International Business Transactions
• 2017 Nordenberg Fellow

Publications

• TSCA Risk Evaluation Rule in Flux (Again)
• TSCA Section 21 Petitions: A New Tool for Industry’s Regulatory Strategy
• Pipeline Leak Pushes PA Legislature to Action
• TSCA CBI Claims Begin Expiring in 2026
• TSCA Compliance Guide
• EPA’s Latest PFAS Rule Targets PFOA & PFOS
• What Cos. Must Know About Pa.’s Proposed Data Center Regs
• Bringing Pa. Up to Speed: The Proposed Pennsylvania Environment Cleanup and Responsibility Act