Darren G. Meadows

Partner

— Hull Barrett, PC

Darren G. Meadows

Partner

Augusta,

GA

Office

Biography

Darren practices in the areas of real estate, corporate, transactional and local government law, with extensive experience in environmental and real estate title matters. He represents buyers, sellers, and lenders in real estate transactions and related issues, including zoning and construction applications and permits. He also advises and represents individual and corporate clients and their interests before state and federal regulatory agencies, as well as in negotiations and disputes with private parties. His extensive real estate experience includes the coordination and review of title research for the acquisition of regional water reservoirs encompassing several thousand acres and personally conducting title research in over half of Georgia’s 159 Counties. In addition to issuing title insurance for real estate transactions, Darren often acts as local counsel for title insurance companies for investigating and settling claims. Darren employs both business and environmental knowledge in coordinating and overseeing permit applications, due diligence efforts for real estate and corporate transactions, and managing both long and short-term environmental remediation projects. He has experience in soil erosion and storm water, wetlands, underground storage tanks (USTs) and above ground storage tanks (ASTs), hazardous waste, biomedical waste, solid waste, asbestos, waste water, water use permits (drinking water and irrigation), and air protection issues.

Darren has facilitated the remediation and resale of numerous previously contaminated “Brownfield” properties, guiding the parties and their lenders through the processes available to protect them from liability.

Experience

  • Drafts contracts, corporate and real estate documentation, and serves as closing attorney for complex corporate sale and reorganization transactions involving the transfer of real and personal property.
  • Serves as closing attorney and title insurance agent for transactions ranging from deeds of gift to multi-million dollars.
  • Conduct title examinations and prepare acquisition statements for numerous clients including companies and railroads.
  • Negotiate and draft commercial leases for both landlords and tenants.
  • Assist clients with regulatory compliance in multiple regulated industries, including industrial, development, manufacturing and utilities.
  • Assist lenders with pre-loan and pre-foreclosure environmental due diligence.
  • Represented construction contractors and developers in obtaining proper zoning approvals and storm water permits.
  • Represent landowners in obtaining wetland permits and stream buffer permits, and in defense of allegations of improperly impacting wetlands and stream buffers.
  • Coordinated investigation and remediation of numerous previously contaminated “Brownfield” properties, including gas stations, petroleum distributors, manufacturers and current and former industrial facilities, guiding the parties and their lenders through the processes available to protect them from liability.
  • Act as Special Counsel for Columbia County and McDuffie County, Georgia for environmental compliance and enforcement matters, including waste water, storm water and erosion and sedimentation control.
  • Represent mining and waste industry clients in obtaining permits for development to operate a surface mine and inert landfill.
  • Represented buyer in acquisition of former heavy industrial facility in Vidalia, Georgia, coordinated Brownfield remediation and approval of Georgia EPD, then represented client in sale of same property to ultimate end user for hospital.
  • Acting as local counsel for negotiation and sale of foreign-owned industrial facility, with complex restrictions on use and resale of assets to competitors of seller.
  • Represent landowners in claims against both private neighbors and State agencies alleging storm water drainage impacts resulting from land clearing and construction projects.
  • Negotiated settlement with former landlord of client to settle claims of property contamination, allowing client to resolve all liability and obtain full release.
  • Successfully resolved more than a dozen title insurance claims without need for contested litigation.
  • Personally conducted title research in over half of Georgia’s 159 counties.

Practice Areas

  • Commercial Acquisitions, Development and Leasing
  • Commercial Loan Workouts and Foreclosures
  • Corporate Finance
  • Eminent Domain and Condemnation
  • Environmental Law
  • Land Use and Zoning
  • Lease and Real Estate Disputes
  • Local Government
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Residential Development

Education

  • University of Georgia, Terry College of Business, 1990, B.A.
  • Georgia State University College of Law, 1994, J.D. (Honors: Environmental Law Society President)

Bar Admissions

  • State Bar of Georgia

Professional Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Augusta Bar Association
  • Chicago Title Insurance Company, Agent
  • First American Title Insurance Company, Agent
  • Georgia Brownfields Association Member
  • Georgia EPD Brownfields Advisory Panel
  • State Bar of Georgia Environmental Section Member (Prior At Large Board Member)
  • State Bar of Georgia Real Estate Section Member
  • Glanzmann’s Foundation Board Member
  • Thomson First Methodist Church Leadership Team, Chair of the Witness Committee

Awards & Recognition

  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
  • Martindale-Hubbell® Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards 2022
  • Environmental Law – Best Lawyers in America®, 2012-2026
  • Litigation- Environmental – Best Lawyers in America®, 2012-2026

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