Timothy Hopkins

For 23 years as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Suffolk County Water Authority, I directed all legal operations for a public utility serving 1.2 million Long Island residents through the nation's largest public groundwater system. I managed complex, multi-party environmental contamination litigation against manufacturers of PFAS, 1,4-dioxane, MTBE, and chlorinated solvents, recovering more than $280 million in settlements and judgments for treatment costs and damages. My work includes developing an original framework for calculating contamination damages based on Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) under the Safe Drinking Water Act—an approach that can significantly increase recoveries for plaintiff water systems. I have published on this methodology in Environmental Law Reporter and continue to write on emerging contaminant litigation strategy. Beyond litigation, I helped draft and lobbied for passage of 13 New York State laws addressing water contamination, including CPLR § 214-h (tolling statute of limitations for emerging contaminants) and Public Health Law § 1167-a (barring defendant's use of state grants as evidence of collateral source of payment to offset plaintiff's damage awards). I hold a J.D. from Touro Law Center and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Union College.

I bring the perspective of an attorney who has directed litigation strategy and now serves as an expert witness. Having taken over 100 depositions and managed cases from initial contamination discovery through trial and settlement, I understand what attorneys need from their experts: clear opinions grounded in real-world utility operations, defensible methodologies, and testimony that resonates with judges and juries. My approach emphasizes practical, actionable analysis rooted in decades of direct experience with water treatment, regulatory compliance, and contamination cost recovery.

Extensive litigation experience in complex environmental contamination cases. As Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Suffolk County Water Authority (2000-2023), I participated in over 100 depositions and as fact witness and Rule 30(b)(6) corporate representative. Managed litigation strategy resulting in $280M+ in settlements and judgments. Designated as a fact and expert witness in Suffolk County Water Authority v. Dow Chemical Company (1,4-dioxane contamination), with testimony scheduled for 2026.

Juris Doctor, Touro University Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, 1992; Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering, Union College 1986

New York State Bar; U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York; U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York