Environmental

Focus

The Environmental Service Law Group litigates for and counsels a variety of clients, from residential and industrial real estate developers, manufacturers, financial institutions and venture capitalists, as well as citizen groups and individuals.  Our hallmarks are broad experience and ability.  We review and analyze environmental reports and counsel clients to minimize their environmental liability and comply with the law.  We litigate complex federal court multi-party cases and class actions, and have proven our effectiveness with significant victories in state and federal trial courts, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Overview

Environmental issues lurk in almost every real estate transaction or corporate acquisition.  The Environmental Service Group is experienced in reviewing environmental reports, quickly finding relevant environmental issues and providing clients with practical solutions.  We use environmental laws in the courts in creative ways to benefit our clients.  A primary aspect of our client services is our Environmental Legal Review, which can prevent unnecessary testing and avoid cleanup costs and expensive future litigation.

Our environmental litigation experience includes prosecuting citizen suits for real estate clients, recovering costs expended to clean property, filing class actions and defending environmental enforcement matters.  We have litigated cases under all the major environmental laws, including CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. 

Services

  • Environmental litigation
  • Environmental issues in real estate deals and other transactions
  • Environmental legal reviews of phase I reports
  • Environmental compliance

Representative Matters

  • Regular review of real estate deals to minimize future environmental problems 
  • Obtained significant monetary contribution for remediation costs of sites owned by our clients
  • Assisted in prosecuting citizen suits in federal court to clean the Chicago River for a residential developer of homes on the river