Environmental Law.

Permits, enforcement, cleanup — the rules that keep land, air, and water lawful. We turn environmental regulation from a project-ending risk into a line item you can plan around, alongside our real estate and construction colleagues.

260+Permits and clearances secured for industrial and development clients
96%Of enforcement matters resolved without a consent decree
65+Brownfield sites assessed and returned to productive use

Overview

Environmental issues found early are cheap; found late, they own the deal. We audit before you buy, permit before you build, and defend before an agency orders — so the schedule you budgeted is the schedule you keep.

CERCLA and RCRA liability, air and water permitting, wetlands, brownfield redevelopment, EPA and state enforcement defense. We act for manufacturers, developers, and lenders who cannot afford surprises buried in the soil.

Federal and Midwest enforcement keeps our Chicago team in front of the EPA year-round, and where projects span jurisdictions, our London headquarters and associated counsel in Singapore align cross-border ESG and disclosure obligations under one instruction.

A planned workplace interior — the developments our permitting work makes possible

Get in touch

The Environmental Law team

KP

Karen Prescott

Senior Partner · Lead, Environmental
DN

D. Nwosu

Partner · Regulatory & Permitting
MS

M. Sandoval

Counsel · Enforcement Defense
JQ

J. Quigley

Associate · Transactional Diligence
See all people

What the record says

The contamination problem that killed three other bids — they structured around it in a week.
Developer client survey, 2025
The agency walked in with a dozen allegations and left with a settlement a fraction of the demand.
Manufacturer survey, 2025

Recent work

Matters we're proud of

Enforcement

Clean Water Act allegations settled at a fifth of the initial penalty demand

Brownfields

Former rail yard redeveloped with a no-further-action letter in hand

Permitting

Air permit secured for a food-processing expansion on a tight county timeline

Transaction

Environmental diligence and insurance solution for a $140M portfolio sale

Latest articles and knowledge

Article

Phase I vs. Phase II: when a clean report still costs you

Legal briefing

PFAS rules are tightening: what manufacturers must document

Article

Environmental insurance — the deal-closer nobody budgets for

Compliance you can build on

A confidential first conversation with the environmental team.

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