Dean A. Calland, Environmental Attorney in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Area of Emphasis

Dean Calland is a founding shareholder of Babst Calland. Recently retired, Mr. Calland focused his practice on hazardous and toxic substance regulation and enforcement under RCRA, CERCLA, TSCA, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act and related federal and state legislation and regulations. He also led the firm’s rapid growth in servicing the chemical industry. Together with partner Chip Babst, he developed the firm’s environmental practice into one of the largest environmental practices in the country. He is a nationally-recognized authority on RCRA and CERCLA regulatory and corrective action issues and site remediation—particularly brownfields—Mr. Calland played a key role in the legislative and regulatory negotiations that led to the passage of Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling Program (Act 2). He managed numerous brownfields projects nationwide and developed deep experience with river cleanup and contaminated sediment sites.

Over the course of his distinguished career, Mr. Calland also counseled clients on environmental issues in complex domestic and international transactions, particularly in the chemical industry, and argued significant cost recovery issues before the United States Circuit Courts of Appeals. As national environmental counsel to major international chemical and plastics corporations, Mr. Calland assisted clients in establishing networks of environmental counsel worldwide.

Widely published and a frequent lecturer on environmental law, Mr. Calland’s career left a lasting impact on the firm, the clients he served, the practice of environmental law, and the broader legal community.

Background

Mr. Calland obtained his B.A. from Yale University in 1976 and his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame in 1979. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the Notre Dame Journal of Legislation.

Memberships and Affiliations

Mr. Calland was admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia and was a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia and American Bar associations. He is a recent past Vice-Chair of the Committee on Environmental Transactions and Brownfields for the American Bar Association’s Environment, Energy and Resources Section. Mr. Calland is also a Fellow of the Allegheny County Bar Association Foundation and a member of the American College of Environmental Lawyers.

Mr. Calland was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Environmental Law in 1993-2025 and was named the Best Lawyers® 2010 Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa. He was ranked in the highest rated category for Pennsylvania environmental lawyers in Chambers and Partners’ Chambers USA Guide in 2003-2025. Mr. Calland was selected to the 2004-2021 and 2023-2025 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and the 2004-2007 Top 50: Pittsburgh Super Lawyers lists (Thomson Reuters). He was also ranked a “Top Rated Lawyer” by The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel magazines. In addition, Mr. Calland has been selected as a member of The International Who’s Who of Environmental Lawyers. He was rated “AV Preeminent” (scoring 5 out of 5 – the highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards) by the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating System.

Mr. Calland has always placed a strong focus on community service. He serves on the Board of Directors of Rivers of Steel, a regional nonprofit educational organization dedicated to heritage development of the region’s natural and shared resources with particular emphasis on historic manufacturing on the area’s rivers. He is part of the leadership group working on a $40 million campaign focused on development of the Carrie Furnace historical site outside of Pittsburgh. He was a Board member of River Quest, a nonprofit which educated children and teachers regarding the ecologic value of Pittsburgh’s three rivers, until its merger with Rivers of Steel. Mr. Calland also led the firm’s annual participation in River Sweep, a program co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to conduct river bank cleanups of the Ohio River and its tributaries.

Mr. Calland was the long-time President of the Board of Directors of Crossroads Foundation, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to helping at-risk inner city youth graduate from high school and go on to higher educational opportunities. He is now President Emeritus of the foundation and the President of the Crossroads Advisory Board, made up of educational not-for-profit leaders from across Pittsburgh.

Mr. Calland and his wife, Mary, are the recipients of the 2009 NCEA Elizabeth Ann Seton National Award for outstanding service to Catholic education. He also served for many years on the Executive Leadership Team for the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk Annual Event. He has served as Chancellor to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and counsel to the Main Line II HOA.