JACK RAFFETTO focuses his practice on environmental litigation. Jack has assisted clients in connection with Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) matters, including complex allocation issues, and in complex civil litigation related to contaminated sites. Jack also represents clients in Clean Water Act litigation and advises clients in connection with environmental aspects of transactions. In addition to his environmental work, Jack focuses on defending financial institutions against consumer class action lawsuits and government enforcement actions in federal and state courts. Jack was selected for the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) 2020 Emerging Leaders Initiative to support the development of environmental law and policy in conjunction with the ELI Leadership Council and the ELI Board.
Prior to joining Sidley, Jack was an associate in the Environmental and Consumer Financial Services practices of another major international law firm. Some of Jack’s representative matters prior to joining Sidley include:
- Representing a large industrial company at one of its most important Superfund sites by assisting in developing its allocation case concerning a potentially large remedy
- Representing a large industrial company at one of its most important Superfund sites by providing analysis and advocacy concerning the scope of “arranger liability” under CERCLA and issues concerning successor liability of entities purchasing assets from companies with environmental liabilities
- Representing a large industrial company in responding to and negotiating with EPA regarding requested clean-up at a delisted Superfund site
- Defending a large industrial company in response to an indemnification claim related to a Superfund site
- Representing a joint-venture property developer in a lawsuit involving sub-surface erosion related to a historic canal system
- Defending companies in response to nationwide class actions alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
- Defending companies in response to nationwide class actions alleging federal RICO and violations of state law in the context of mortgage servicing
- Defending a large financial institution in response to a nationwide class action alleging violation of the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
- Defending a large financial institution in response to a statewide class action alleging breach of contract in sales of Real-Estate Owned (REO) property
- Representing a large financial institution in responding to a government investigation under Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA)
- Representing a large financial institution in responding to several government investigations under Fair Housing Act (FHA)