Partner, Washington DC
1900 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006-1108

TEL: 202.496.7586
FAX: 202.496.7756
EMAIL: coconnor@mckennalong.com

PROFILE

Charles A. O'Connor, III, has more than 35 years experience as an environmental counsel, focusing on chemical and pesticide regulation by federal, state and international agencies. In January 2008, Chuck stepped down as Chair of the firm's Environmental & Regulatory Department of 30 lawyers after more than two decades' service in this capacity. His practice covers the gamut of regulations affecting the manufacture, marketing and use of agricultural, antimicrobial and non-agricultural pesticides, industrial and specialty chemicals and formulated chemical products. His clients include manufacturers and marketers of industrial, institutional and consumer products containing chemicals subject to the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Chuck has represented registrants in most of the major pesticide cancellation proceedings before the Environmental Protection Agency, including those against DDT, heptachlor-chlordane, lindane and dicofol. He represents over a dozen industry testing joint ventures and coalitions, including the Spray Drift Task Force, the Pyrethrin Joint Venture, and the Residential Exposure Joint Venture. For over 30 years, Chuck has served as Counsel to the Consumer Specialty Products Association, the principal trade association for the household products industry.

An authority on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Chuck advises on chemical nomenclature, testing, notification, recordkeeping and reporting. He also counsels U.S. chemical firms doing business outside the U.S. on international counterparts to TSCA and FIFRA.  He also provides counsel under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and the Consumer Product Safety Act, including issues of compliance and substantial product hazard reporting.

Chuck is a principal author of the firm's TSCA Handbook and Pesticide Regulation Handbook and co-author of the Consumer Product Safety Handbook. Chuck lectures extensively in the U.S. and abroad and has written many articles on U.S. and foreign regulation of chemicals and pesticides.

Chuck has been named as one of America's Leading Business Lawyers in the 2004 and 2005 editions of Chambers USA and as a highly recommended counsel in Practical Law Company’s Cross-Border Environmental Handbook (2006/2007/2008). He is also listed in the 2006 and 2007 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Environmental Law.