Rita Barker

Rita Bolt Barker

MEMBER

Rita Bolt Barker is an experienced practitioner in environmental compliance and related litigation.

Rita has broad environmental experience helping clients navigate the wide range of laws that protect our natural resources.  She is a trusted, reliable partner for businesses, governmental entities, and individuals who need a steady guide through the ins and outs of environmental compliance and litigation.

Rita delivers results for clients who need assistance in investigating and responding to permitting challenges, as well as in responding to requests for information and enforcement actions before administrative agencies, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

She advises clients on assessing environmental risks and incentives associated with corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, and real estate deals.  In the real estate context, Rita has experience securing and enforcing conservation easements and redeveloping brownfield properties through South Carolina’s Voluntary Cleanup Contract program.

Rita has advised clients on matters arising under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the SC Pollution Control  Act.

Rita is a Fellow in the American College of Environmental Lawyers, is recognized by Chambers USA, and serves as chair of the American Bar Association Section of the Environment, Energy, and Resources Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Committee.

Rita has taught Administrative Law at Clemson University and Environmental Law at Furman University.

864-242-8235
2004, J.D. Harvard Law School, Harvard Women’s Law Journal, Executive Editor; President, Board of Student Advisers; Legal Writing and Research Teaching Assistant
2001, B.A. Clemson University, Political Science & Speech and Communication Studies, summa cum laude; Student Body President, Norris Medal Winner
  • Representing a governmental entity in a complex dispute arising from expansion of a water infrastructure project
  • Representing a major metropolitan city in water allocation litigation
  • Advising real estate developers to enroll property in the SC brownfields program
  • Advising buyers of potential environmental liabilities associated with purchases of manufacturing assets
  • Assisting businesses to pursue green incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects
  • Representing property owners in litigation to recover diminution of property value caused by contamination
  • Representing clients across all business sectors in DHEC and EPA enforcement actions
  • Advising potentially responsible parties on CERCLA hazardous waste sites
2007–Present Wyche, P.A.
2005–2007 Associate, King & Spalding, LLP, Atlanta, Georgia
2004–2005 Law Clerk, Hon. Beverly B. Martin, United States District Court, Atlanta, Georgia
  • South Carolina Bar, 2008
  • Georgia Bar, 2004
  • LiveWell Greenville, Board Chair
  • Greenville Bar Association, Wellness Chair
  • Haynsworth Perry Inn of Court
  • Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Issues Committee
  • Green Ribbon Advisory Committee, City of Greenville
  • Leadership Greenville, Class 37
  • Greenville Forward, Board of Directors, Former Chair
  • Brownfield Task Force, City of Greenville
  • Greenville Bikeshare Steering Committee
  • Upstate Forever Volunteer
  • Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Issues Committee
  • South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Tech Committee
  • Georgia Bar Association, Environmental Section
  • South Carolina Bar Association, Environmental Section
  • American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Environmental Transactions & Brownfields Committee and Environmental Litigation & Toxic Torts Committee
  • Clemson University Libraries Ambassador
  • Friends of the Reedy River
  • Furman University, Former Adjunct Professor
  • Clemson University, Former Adjunct Professor
  • The CERCLA Rollercoaster: Emerging Contaminants and Different Perspectives on “Clean” and “Done” are Unsettling Superfund Sites, American Bar Association, Superfund Master Class, May 2022
  • Superfund Redevelopment “In Situ”: How to Support Local Communities During a Brownfields Cleanup, American Bar Association, 50th Spring Conference on Environmental Law & Best Paper Co-Winner, October 2021
  • Redeveloping Contaminated Sites: South Carolina’s Voluntary Cleanup Program, American Bar Association, 50th Spring Conference on Environmental Law, October 2021
  • The EPA’s 50th Anniversary, South Carolina Bar Convention, January 21, 2021
  • The Public Trust Doctrine After Kiawah Development Partners, South Carolina Bar Convention, January 21, 2021
  • American Bar Association, 48th Spring Conference on Environmental Law, Conference Chair, March 2019
  • Federal Environmental Law in the Trump Administration, South Carolina Bar Convention, January 18, 2018
  • The Art of the Winning Deposition, American Bar Association, 25th Fall Conference on Environmental Law, October 2017
  • Environmental Law in South Carolina (4th Ed. 2016), Contributing Author
  • Environmental Matters Blog
  • Legal Update: US Supreme Court & South Carolina, Carolinas Air Pollution Control Association, Spring Conference, April 2015
  • Proposed Changes to the Mining Act, Mining Association of South Carolina, Spring Conference, April 2015
  • M&A Buyer Protection Beyond Indemnifications and Escrows, Strafford Webinar, September 2013
  • Summary of Considerations for Allocating Environmental Liabilities in Transactions, Co-Author, October 2012
  • Sample Buyer’s Environmental Due Diligence Checklist, Co-Author, October 2012
  • Wyche Roundtable on “Managing Environmental Risks in Business Transactions,” Presenter, September 2012
  • Doing Business in South Carolina Guide, co-author of Section VII: Environmental Law, updated August 2010
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions, as heard on the “South Carolina Business Review” with Mike Switzer broadcast September 2009
  • Redeveloping Contaminated Sites: Turning Brownfields Into Green, as heard on “South Carolina Business Review” with Mike Switzer broadcast July 2008
  • Insurance Recovery in Connection with Property Damage and Interruption of Business, Web Client Seminar, August 2006
2022 Elected to American College of Environmental Lawyers
2019 Recognized on Pro Bono Honor Roll by Supreme Court of South Carolina
2018 Best Lawyers Greenville Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year”
2014 – Present Listed in Chambers USA
2012 – Present Listed in South Carolina Super Lawyers
2013 Received the “Distinguished Environmental Advocacy Award” from the American Bar Association
2012 – Present Recognized as “Legal Elite” by the Greenville Business Magazine
2012 – Present Listed in Best Lawyers in America
2011 Named one of Greenville’s “Best and Brightest 35 and Under” by Greenville Business Magazine
2011 Graduate of Leadership Greenville, Class 37
2010 Connections: Women Leaders of the Upstate, Class of 2010
2004 Harvard Law School Dean’s Award for Community Leadership
2004, J.D. Harvard Law School, Harvard Women’s Law Journal, Executive Editor; President, Board of Student Advisers; Legal Writing and Research Teaching Assistant
2001, B.A. Clemson University, Political Science & Speech and Communication Studies, summa cum laude; Student Body President, Norris Medal Winner
  • Representing a governmental entity in a complex dispute arising from expansion of a water infrastructure project
  • Representing a major metropolitan city in water allocation litigation
  • Advising real estate developers to enroll property in the SC brownfields program
  • Advising buyers of potential environmental liabilities associated with purchases of manufacturing assets
  • Assisting businesses to pursue green incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects
  • Representing property owners in litigation to recover diminution of property value caused by contamination
  • Representing clients across all business sectors in DHEC and EPA enforcement actions
  • Advising potentially responsible parties on CERCLA hazardous waste sites
2007–Present Wyche, P.A.
2005–2007 Associate, King & Spalding, LLP, Atlanta, Georgia
2004–2005 Law Clerk, Hon. Beverly B. Martin, United States District Court, Atlanta, Georgia
  • South Carolina Bar, 2008
  • Georgia Bar, 2004
  • LiveWell Greenville, Board Chair
  • Greenville Bar Association, Wellness Chair
  • Haynsworth Perry Inn of Court
  • Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Issues Committee
  • Green Ribbon Advisory Committee, City of Greenville
  • Leadership Greenville, Class 37
  • Greenville Forward, Board of Directors, Former Chair
  • Brownfield Task Force, City of Greenville
  • Greenville Bikeshare Steering Committee
  • Upstate Forever Volunteer
  • Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Issues Committee
  • South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Tech Committee
  • Georgia Bar Association, Environmental Section
  • South Carolina Bar Association, Environmental Section
  • American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Environmental Transactions & Brownfields Committee and Environmental Litigation & Toxic Torts Committee
  • Clemson University Libraries Ambassador
  • Friends of the Reedy River
  • Furman University, Former Adjunct Professor
  • Clemson University, Former Adjunct Professor
  • The CERCLA Rollercoaster: Emerging Contaminants and Different Perspectives on “Clean” and “Done” are Unsettling Superfund Sites, American Bar Association, Superfund Master Class, May 2022
  • Superfund Redevelopment “In Situ”: How to Support Local Communities During a Brownfields Cleanup, American Bar Association, 50th Spring Conference on Environmental Law & Best Paper Co-Winner, October 2021
  • Redeveloping Contaminated Sites: South Carolina’s Voluntary Cleanup Program, American Bar Association, 50th Spring Conference on Environmental Law, October 2021
  • The EPA’s 50th Anniversary, South Carolina Bar Convention, January 21, 2021
  • The Public Trust Doctrine After Kiawah Development Partners, South Carolina Bar Convention, January 21, 2021
  • American Bar Association, 48th Spring Conference on Environmental Law, Conference Chair, March 2019
  • Federal Environmental Law in the Trump Administration, South Carolina Bar Convention, January 18, 2018
  • The Art of the Winning Deposition, American Bar Association, 25th Fall Conference on Environmental Law, October 2017
  • Environmental Law in South Carolina (4th Ed. 2016), Contributing Author
  • Environmental Matters Blog
  • Legal Update: US Supreme Court & South Carolina, Carolinas Air Pollution Control Association, Spring Conference, April 2015
  • Proposed Changes to the Mining Act, Mining Association of South Carolina, Spring Conference, April 2015
  • M&A Buyer Protection Beyond Indemnifications and Escrows, Strafford Webinar, September 2013
  • Summary of Considerations for Allocating Environmental Liabilities in Transactions, Co-Author, October 2012
  • Sample Buyer’s Environmental Due Diligence Checklist, Co-Author, October 2012
  • Wyche Roundtable on “Managing Environmental Risks in Business Transactions,” Presenter, September 2012
  • Doing Business in South Carolina Guide, co-author of Section VII: Environmental Law, updated August 2010
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions, as heard on the “South Carolina Business Review” with Mike Switzer broadcast September 2009
  • Redeveloping Contaminated Sites: Turning Brownfields Into Green, as heard on “South Carolina Business Review” with Mike Switzer broadcast July 2008
  • Insurance Recovery in Connection with Property Damage and Interruption of Business, Web Client Seminar, August 2006
2022 Elected to American College of Environmental Lawyers
2019 Recognized on Pro Bono Honor Roll by Supreme Court of South Carolina
2018 Best Lawyers Greenville Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year”
2014 – Present Listed in Chambers USA
2012 – Present Listed in South Carolina Super Lawyers
2013 Received the “Distinguished Environmental Advocacy Award” from the American Bar Association
2012 – Present Recognized as “Legal Elite” by the Greenville Business Magazine
2012 – Present Listed in Best Lawyers in America
2011 Named one of Greenville’s “Best and Brightest 35 and Under” by Greenville Business Magazine
2011 Graduate of Leadership Greenville, Class 37
2010 Connections: Women Leaders of the Upstate, Class of 2010
2004 Harvard Law School Dean’s Award for Community Leadership

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