Norman A. picture

Norman A. Dupont

Of Counsel

Westlake Village

t: (805) 495-4770

d: (310) 666-0722

e: ndupont@awattorneys.com

VCard

Bio

Norman (Norm) A. Dupont represents public and private entities with more than 40 years of trial and appellate work. Norm's principal focus is environmental and municipal law work, although he has represented corporations in antitrust, contract, real property disputes, and corporate acquisitions. Norm's recent trials include a nine-month bench trial in the Orange County Superior Court involving groundwater contamination claims, and two related jury trials in the Los Angeles Superior Court involving employment claims against the City of Compton.

Norm was co-counsel for a Community Service District in a six-week bench trial in San Bernardino Superior Court and one of the principal appellate lawyers in getting the trial court's initial decision reversed by the Fourth Appellate District, Division 3. Norm's work extends to environmental advice and consulting with a wide variety of public and private entities in California. He is active in the American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy & Resources, where he currently serves as its advisor on constitutional law matters. Norm is also an active member of the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) and its Ninth Circuit group.

 

  • City of Riverside v. Rubidoux Community Service District (2018-current): Norm served as co-counsel in the trial and appeal of this case. In October 2023 the Fourth District Court of Appeals (Division 3) reversed and remanded the trial court’s initial judgment in favor of the City of Riverside for further proceedings.

  • People v. City of Mission Viejo (2022-2023): Norm served as co-counsel in the appeal of this case. In October 2022, the Fourth District Court of Appeals (Division 3) issued an emergency stay of a trial court’s order declaring that three council members in the City of Mission Viejo were illegally continuing to hold office. That decision allowed the November 2022 municipal election to proceed without litigation-related claims about those three council members.

  • Hermosa Fitness LLP v. City of Hermosa Beach (2020-2021): Mr. Dupont served as co-counsel with Mr. Bobko of the firm on behalf of the plaintiff, which filed a writ of administrative mandate in state court together with a federal court section 1983 civil rights and takings claim against the City of Hermosa Beach after a city council resolution effectively closed Hermosa Fitness’ gym. The trial court issued the writ of mandate and the federal section 1983 case was mediated before a federal magistrate judge resulting in a significant settlement in May 2021.

  • Bradford v. City of Compton (2016-2022): Jury trial with a defense verdict in favor of the City of Compton on labor discrimination/retaliation claims. After remand from the Court of Appeal, a second trial resulted in verdict for plaintiff. In October 2021, the Court of Appeal reversed the jury verdict and remanded the case for further proceedings. In June 2022, the California Court of Appeal granted a summary reversal of an award of attorneys’ fees to plaintiff’s lawyers in the second trial.

  • Edwards Lifesciences LLC v. Regional Water Quality Control Board (2020): Writ of administrative mandate challenging order issued by Regional Board in 2018 concerning real property in Orange County. The Superior Court granted the writ, and the Regional Board subsequently rescinded its order in lieu of any appeal.

  • Orange County Water Dist. v. SABIC Innovative Plastics US, LLC (2011-ongoing): In 2013 an initial bench trial resulted in a defense verdict on state Superfund (HSAA) claims alleging groundwater against multiple corporate defendants. This decision was reversed in part by the Court of Appeal in Orange County Water Dist. v. SABIC Innovative Plastics, US, LLC, 14 Cal.App.5th 343 (2017) and remanded back to the trial court. Currently, a bench trial is proceeding before the Orange County Superior Court (Complex Civil Division).

  • Vazquez v. City of Pomona (2021-2022): Mr. Dupont served as co-counsel with Mr. Bobko for an individual defendant in the City’s police department in a combined employment and tort case. In June 2022, the trial court granted summary judgment to defendant.

  • In addition to his extensive trial work, Mr. Dupont has authored numerous high-profile amicus briefs supporting Orange County cities including: Barnes v. Superior Court (2021 WL 516055 (Cal.App. 4 Dist., Div. 3) (objecting to the release of all inmates from the Orange County Jail during COVID-19); Huntington Beach, et. al. v. Gavin Newsom (Case No. 30-2020-01139512-CU-MC-CJC) (supporting OC beach cities’ constitutional right to local control in the face of state beach closures); SoCal Recovery, LLC, et al. v. City of Costa Mesa (Case Nos. 20-55820, 20-55870) (9th Cir. 2023) (supporting local government zoning control).

  • State of California -all state courts

  • U.S. Supreme Court

  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

  • First Circuit Court of Appeals

  • Second Circuit Court of Appeals
  • US District Court, Northern District of California

  • US District Court, Central District of California

  • US District Court, Southern District of California

  • Environment, Energy, and Resources Law: The Year in Review 2023, Chapter F – Environmental, Social, Governance, and Sustainability, published by the Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Section of the American Bar Association, 2024.

  • Environment, Energy, and Resources Law: The Year in Review 2023, Chapter S – Science and Technology, published by the Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Section of the American Bar Association, 2024.

  • Environment, Energy, and Resources Law: The Year in Review 2023, Chapter Y – Constitutional Law, published by the Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Section of the American Bar Association, 2024.

  • Ag-Gag Laws Meet the First Amendment: Two Recent Eighth Circuit Cases, published in Trends by the American Bar Association, May/June 2024 edition (co-authored with Alec T. Goos).

  • Regulating Sober Living Homes – A Bicoastal Perspective, Municipal Lawyer magazine published by International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA), May/June 2024 edition (co-authored with Terril C. Pyburn).

  • Regulatory Policy and Environmental Justice: Is EJ Much Ado about Nothing? presented at the 33rd Annual AEHS Conference (AEHS West).

  • “Water in Jackson, Mississippi: Urban Infrastructure and Health Risks“, Natural Resources & Environment Volume 38, Number 3, Winter 2024, American Bar Association.

  • Book review: Environmental, Social, Governance: The Professional’s Guide to the Law and Practice of ESG (Israel, Fleishhacker, Johnson, eds., ABA 2023)

  • “Book Review: Global Climate Change and U.S. Law (3d ed.)” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Trends Vol. 54, No. 5 (May/June 2023)

  • “A Global Perspective or Domestic Chicanery? EPA’s New Aircraft Rule” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy & Resources: Natural Resources & Environment, Vol. 37, No. 4 (Spring 2023) (co-authored with Sage P. Ertman of Ring Bender LLP).

  • “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that [rulemaking] swing: The lack of enforceable environmental justice at EPA” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Trends Vol. 54, No. 3 (January/February 2023)

  • “ABA: SEER, environmental justice, and diversity – Toward implementing the 2021 ABA Resolution” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Trends Vol. 54, No. 1 (September/October 2022)

  • Science & Technology Committee Chapter for ABA Section of Environment, Energy & Resources Year in Review (2021 ed.)

  • “EPA’s first regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft—Is it the emperor’s new clothes?” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Trends Vol. 53, No. 3 (January/February 2022) (co-author with David Hori of Ring Bender LLP)

  • “Justice Kennedy and environmental water cases: A pragmatic approach to water from a Western perspective” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Trends, Vol. 50, No. 1 (September/October 2018)

  • “The New Role of States and Provinces in International Environmental Treaties and Implementation” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy & Resources: Natural Resources & Environment, Vol. 32, No. 4 (Spring 2018)

  • “Severe Storms May Be the “New Normal”: But How Do Legal Systems React?” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Science and Technology Committee Newsletter, Vol. 12, No. 1 (November 2016)

  • “Supreme Court Decides Rails to Trails Case: A New Governmental Attorney Estoppel Doctrine or a Case of Revisionist History?” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Trends, Vol. 45, No. 6 (July/August 2014)

  • “Complex Environmental Cases Before the Supreme Court: Just How Do You Explain the ‘Spaghetti-Like’ Matrix?” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: 43rd Annual Spring Conference (2014)

  • “The Court’s 2013 Term and Environmental Law: A Whimper, Not a Bang” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Trends, Vol. 25, No. 1 (September/October 2013)

  • “Federal Preemption of State and Local Environmental Laws” (Chapter 7, Principles of Constitutional Law, American Bar Association) (2011)

  • “Connecticut v. AEP: The Second Circuit Confirms Standing of States, the City of New York, and Private Land Trusts” American Bar Association: Constitutional Law Committee Newsletter, Vol. 6, No. 1 (February 2010)

  • “The Supreme Court’s environmental case this term: Will it be a ‘takings’ away of beach restoration?” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Trends, Vol. 32, No. 2 (December 2009)

  • “Supreme Court Sticks to the Narrow Issues on Environmental Cases” (Los Angeles Daily Journal) (June 2009)

  • “Moving At A Glacial Pace” (Los Angeles Daily Journal) (June 2009)

  • “NEPA and Climate Change: Are We at the “Tipping Point?” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Natural Resources & Environment, Vol. 23, No. 4 (Spring 2009)

  • “Supreme Court Rules on Federal Preemption of State Unfair Practices Act: A Renewed Constitutional Presumption Against Preemption” American Bar Association: Constitutional Law Committee Newsletter (2009)

  • “The Ninth Circuit’s Burlington Northern Decision on Arranger Liability – Don’t Cry ‘CERCLA’ over Spilt Bourbon?” American Bar Association: Environmental Litigation & Toxic Torts (2008)

  • “High Court Leans Left on Environmental Issues” (Massachusetts v. EPA, 127 S. Ct. 1438) (2007)

  • “The Dormant Commerce Clause and United Haulers – A Constitutional Doctrine on Terminal life Support” (United Haulers Assoc., Inc. v. Oenida-Herkimer Solid Waste Management Authority, 550 U.S. 330, 127 S. Ct. 1786 (2007) United Haulers)

  • “Who’s Really Blowing Smoke – Scalia Needs a New Dictionary” The Recorder (2007)

  • “Rapanos and the Ebbing of the Constitutional ‘high water’ Mark for the Commerce Clause Limitation on Federal Wetlands Regulation” (Rapanos v. U.S., 126 S. Ct. 2208, 2220-21) (2006)

  • “‘Plain Meaning’ Construction of Environmental Statutes” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Natural Resources & Environment, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Fall 2006)

  • “9th Circuit Sticks to the Clean Water Pragmatism of ‘Rapanos’” (Rapanos v. U.S., 126 S. Ct. 2208, 2220-21) (2006)

  • “Ruling Hints Roberts Court Isn’t Hide-Bound Conservative” Los Angeles Daily Journal (2006)

  • “New Orleans After Katrina: A Superfund Site?” American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Natural Resources & Environment (Spring 2006)

  • Law Clerk to the Honorable Oscar H. Davis, U.S. Court of Claims (1978-1979)

  • Publications Officer to the ABA Section of Environment, Energy & Resources (2021-2023)

  • Best Lawyer-Lawyer of the Year-Environmental Law (2023)
  • Constitutional Law Advisor to the ABA Section of Environment, Energy & Resources (2023-2025)

  • Editorial Board, ABA Trends, a Bi-monthly publication (current)

  • Superlawyer-Environmental Law (2015-2024)

  • WWL-Environmental Lawyer (2024-2025)

  • Best Lawyer, Environmental Law, The Best Lawyers in America (2024)

  • Best Lawyer, Litigation-Environmental, The Best Lawyers in America (2024)

  • Co-Chair for the Special Committee on Sections, Divisions, and Forums for the ABA SEER (2024-2025)

  • Norm is a member of the board of directors of Women Against Gun Violence, a Los Angeles-based non-profit advocating for reasonable use and control of firearms.

  • Norm is a member of the board of his local homeowner’s association.

  • Moderator: ABA Section of Environment, Energy & Resources Spring 2024. Conference–Panel on Supreme Court pending cases.

  • Moderator: ABA Section of Environment, Energy & Resources August 2024. Podcast-Panel on Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo.

  • Speaker: IMLA Annual Conference on Supreme Court decision in City of Grants Pass
    v. Johnson September 2024

  • “Regulatory Policy and Environmental Justice – Is EJ Much Ado About Nothing?”, 33rd Annual AEHS Conference (AEHS West)  (March 19, 2024).

  • Panel participant for discussion of regulatory programs and policies at the 33rd Annual AEHS Conference (AEHS West)  (March 19, 2024).

  • Bobko/Dupont Presentation to Orange County City Attorneys’ Association on Development Fees and Oil Spill Recovery (Feb 15, 2024).

  • Presentation to Section of Environment, Energy & Resources Law – Membership Diversity & Enhancement Program (March 2023): “SEER Publications – An Overview” (with Matthew J. Sanders)

  • Presentation to Oregon School of Public Health – Environmental Law (March 2023): “OHSU-PSU: Environmental Law of Public Health Class”

  • Guest Lecturer at California Western Law School – Environmental Law Class (February 2023): “Environmental Law CERCLA Superfund HSAA: Old wine in new bottles?”

  • Presentation to California Independent Cities Association – Winter Seminar Session No. 3 (February 2023): “PFAS and Municipal Liability: Where there is PFAS smoke there is litigation fire.”

  • Presentation to the Orange County City Attorneys (July 2022): “PFAS Compounds in Water – California Update” (presented with John Shaffer of EEC Environmental).

  • Association for Environmental Health & Sciences Foundation: 31st Annual International Conference on Soil, Water, Energy, and Air (March 2022): Regulatory Programs & Policies II – “Science and ‘Transparency’”

  • Presentation to the Orange County City Attorneys (February 2022): “A Brave New (Environmental) World” (presented with Patrick “Kit” Bobko).

  • Guest Lecturer at USC Gould School of Law, LAW 225: Toxic Torts Seminar (January 2022) – Guest lecturer on current water contamination cases.

  • Association for Environmental Health & Sciences Foundation: 30th Annual International Conference on Soil, Water, Energy, and Air (March 2021): Regulatory Cost-Benefit Policy – “A Study in Turmoil or Pushing A Rock Uphill (Again).”

  • The Knowledge Group (June 2018): “2018 and The Brave New World”:  Federalism for Some; SACM v. SWAMPUM and taking the dusty Gopher”

  • Association for Environmental Health & Sciences Foundation: 28th Annual International Conference on Soil, Water, Energy, and Air (March 2018): “Groundwater Contamination Wars in California – Legal & Technical Issues.”

  • The Knowledge Group (April 2018): “A Comprehensive Guide on the Fundamental Framework of CERCLA: What You Need to Know in 2018 and Beyond.”

  • B.A. with Distinction, Stanford University 1975.
    J.D., magna cum laude

  • Georgetown University Law Center 1978.