Hardy Drane practices in the areas of environmental, insurance, and administrative law, and he often serves as Delaware counsel in major civil litigation in the state and federal courts involving antitrust, patent, and other commercial disputes.

Mr. Drane’s environmental practice involves assisting clients with matters arising under all of the major federal and State of Delaware environmental laws and regulations.  This includes permit applications and related administrative and court proceedings, regulatory compliance, emergency response, brownfields development, Superfund and other litigation, natural resource damages, environmental aspects of corporate acquisitions and commercial transactions, environmental covenants, environmental insurance coverage, and environmental issues arising in bankruptcy proceedings.  He assists clients on matters within the jurisdiction of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Delaware River Basin Commission, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and other Delaware state, county, and local agencies that regulate environmental matters.  He often writes and speaks on environmental law topics.

Mr. Drane also represents companies in proceedings before the Delaware Insurance Commissioner, including cases arising under the Insurance Holding Company System Registration Act.  For example, he represented CareFirst, Inc., a major regional health insurance company, in its affiliation with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware.  He also represented General Motors Corporation in proceedings related to the spin-off by Royal & Sun Alliance Group plc of its U.S. subsidiaries.  In 2005, Mr. Drane served on the committee that drafted the Delaware Revised Captive Insurance Company Act, and in 2007 served on the drafting committee for major amendments to that Act regarding Special Purpose Financial Captive Insurance Companies.

Education

• Cleveland State University, J.D., magna cum laude, 1978
• Case Western Reserve University, M.S.S.A., 1975
• University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1971

Seminars & Speeches

• November 2007, "Environmental Issues in Property Development," sponsored by National Business Institute, Newark, DE and Dover, DE
• May 2007, Delaware Case Law Update, presentation to the Environmental Law Section of the Delaware State Bar Association
• May 2006, "Stay On Top of Environmental Considerations," Land Use Law Seminar, sponsored by National Business Institute, Newark, DE
• December 2005, "Wetlands Case Law Since SWANCC," presentation at a seminar on wetlands issues sponsored by Duffield Associates, Dover, Delaware
• November 2005, "Delaware Case Law Update," presentation to the Environmental Law Section of the Delaware State Bar Association
• June 2003, "The Sarbanes-Oxley Act And Environmental Disclosure," presentation to the Environmental Law Section of the Delaware State Bar Association




Professional Activities

• Member of the Merit Selection Panel for the second Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (2007)
• Delaware State Bar Association -- Environmental Law Section (former Chair)
• American Bar Association -- Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources; Litigation Section; Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section
• National Advisory Council of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University
• Former President, Community Legal Aid Society, Inc.
• Guardian Ad Litem, Family Court of Delaware
• Board Member and Corporate Secretary, Cathedral Choir School of Delaware Incorporated
• Board Member, Rodney Street Tennis and Tutoring Association