Fabio Dworschak

About Fabio
Fabio Dworschak is a member of the firm’s energy and shipping team. His practice focuses on environmental and commercial disputes and appeals. Fabio represents private and public clients in a wide variety of disputes arising from the Clean Water Act (CWA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Washington’s Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), breach of contract, and business and environmental torts.
Fabio also advises on environmental and natural resources matters, including regulatory issues related to the CWA, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and tribal law. Fabio has broad experience with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other emerging contaminants. He helps clients to investigate possible environmental contamination on current and legacy sites and advises on possible liabilities related to enforcement and litigation.
Fabio began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Rolando Olvera in the Southern District of Texas. While in law school, he served as an extern in the Washington State Supreme Court for Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud and in King County Superior Court for Judge Carol A. Schapira (Ret.).
Before law school, Fabio served as an Army medic during deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, earning the Combat Medic Badge in Iraq for medical services rendered while under hostile fire. Fabio continues to serve others by devoting significant time to providing pro bono assistance to his community, veterans, and individuals who have suffered injustice at the hand of government actors.
Representative Experience
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Environmental Litigation Plus
Represented national energy company in asserting statutory and common law claims related to PFAS contamination arising from aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) against the manufacturers of AFFF and PFAS.
Represented international energy company in defending against claims arising from CERCLA, RCRA, and other federal and state law claims based on historic operations of the company’s former subsidiary in California.
Represented international energy company in defending against federal and state law claims, including MTCA, based on historic gas station operations in Washington.
Represented international company in defending against a state attorney general’s action based on criminal and civil violations of reporting requirements in a water discharge permit.
Represented seafood company in defending against a state enforcement action for an unauthorized discharge and violations of effluent limitations in its discharge permit.
Represented national grocery store in breach of lease and related claims stemming from environmental contamination at the leased property.
Represented local property developer in reverse condemnation issue arising from the state’s efforts to lower heavily trafficked multi-state bridge and negatively impacted the navigability of the Columbia River.
Represented several clients in defense of Clean Water Act citizen suits.
Represented clean fill and landfill owners in environmental and commercial disputes with private parties and state agencies.
Represented states and territories in asserting common law and statutory claims against chemical manufacturers for environmental contamination stemming from their facilities.
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Commercial Litigation Plus
Represented international manufacturer of building materials and concrete in asserting breach of contract and indemnity claims against the seller of several properties based on misrepresentations in the purchase agreement.
Represented hotel in asserting breach of contract and related claims against former owner of the hotel and construction company that built the hotel, as well as insurance claims against the hotel’s insurer for improper denial of claim and bad faith.
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Appeals Plus
Represented national telecommunication provider in an appeal challenging agency procurement process under Washington law.
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Pro Bono Plus
Represented a client wrongfully arrested for peacefully protesting in a suit based on the United States and Louisiana constitutions, federal and state law, and common law against the city, police department, sheriff’s office, district attorney, and several individual actors in federal court in Louisiana.
Activities
- Miller Nash’s Veteran’s Affinity Group
- Lead, 2023-present
- Washington State Bar Association, Member
- Judicial Recommendations Committee Member, 2023-2025
- King County Bar Association
- Environmental & Land Use Section Co-Chair, 2022-2023
- Environmental & Land Use Section Vice Chair, 2023-2024
- Texas State Bar Association, Member
- Houston Bar Association, Member
- Houston Young Lawyers Association
- Director, 2021-2022
- Veterans Committee Cochair, 2021-2022
- Leadership Academy, 2019-2020
- Houston Veterans Legal Initiative
- Houston Volunteer Lawyers Pro Bono Pledge
Recognition
- Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® (Seattle, WA)
- Environmental Law, 2024-present
- Commercial Litigation, 2023-present
- Selected for inclusion as a Super Lawyer—Rising Star
- Washington, 2023
- Texas, 2022
- Recognized with the “Star of Achievement for Veterans Initiative” by the State Bar of Texas for the Houston Young Lawyers Association 2021-2022 Veterans Program, 2022
Insights from Fabio
- “EPA Issues Drinking Water Standard for Six PFAS,” Miller Nash, From the Ground Up, coauthor (April 2023)
- “EPA Approves the Use of ASTM E1527-21 for the All Appropriate Inquires Requirement,” Miller Nash, From the Ground Up (Mar. 2023)
- “PFAS Year-End Review: EPA Lays Groundwork for Tighter Regulatory Scrutiny,” Miller Nash, coauthor (Feb, 2023)
- “EPA Issues Historic Proposed Rule to Designate PFOS and PFOA as Hazardous Substances Under CERCLA,” Miller Nash, From the Ground Up, coauthor (Aug. 2022)
- "EPA Issues New HAL for Four Commonly Used PFAS," Miller Nash, From the Ground Up, coauthor (June 2022)
- "PFAS Roundup: A Brief Summary of the Standards Set by Western States for PFAS in the Environment," Miller Nash, From the Ground Up, coauthor (June 2022)
- “Environmental Due Diligence,” Oregon State Bar, Real Estate and Land Use Conference (Aug. 2023)

Outside the Office
Fabio enjoys spending time with his growing family, reading, hiking around the Pacific Northwest, exploring new places, skiing, and enjoying life’s simple pleasures like a good cup of coffee.