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William J. Anaya is a Partner at UB Greensfelder, LLP, in Chicago, where he concentrates in environmental law transactions and litigation. He is Past Chair of the Board of IICLE® and has received IICLE®’s Addis Hull Award for Excellence in Legal Education. Mr. Anaya is AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and a member of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Real Estate Law Section Councils. He received his B.A. from Purdue University and his J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
Alexander J. Bandza is an associate at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago, where he focuses on environmental and energy law. He is a member of the American Bar Association’s Section on Energy, Environment, and Resources, the Associates’ Committee, and the Chicago Chapter of the Young Professionals in Energy. Mr. Bandza received his B.A. in economics from Stanford University, where he graduated with interdisciplinary honors in environmental science, technology, and policy, and his J.D. from the University of California Berkeley School of Law, where he was a six-time American Jurisprudence Award and two-time Prosser Prize recipient.
Robert Marc Chemers is a Senior Shareholder and President at Pretzel & Stouffer, Chartered, in Chicago where he focuses on appeals and insurance coverage. He is a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel, a member of the Illinois State, DuPage County, and Chicago Bar Associations, and a member of the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel. Mr. Chemers received his B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Southern California and his J.D. cum laude from Indiana University School of Law.
Matthew E. Cohn is an Officer at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in real estate and the litigation of environmental and insurance coverage matters. Before becoming an attorney, he worked as a hydrogeologist for a global environmental engineering and consulting firm for several years. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section Council and the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources. Mr. Cohn received his B.S. in Geology with honors from Bucknell University, his M.S. in Geology from Indiana University, and his J.D. with honors from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Maureen M. Crough is Counsel to Sidley Austin LLP in New York, NY, where she focuses on environmental law. She was recognized in 2005 – 2022 by Chambers USA in New York Environment: Mainly Transactional Law, has been recognized each year since 2010 in The Best Lawyers in America in Environmental Law, and was a speaker at the annual PLI Environmental Program in 2017 – 2022. Ms. Crough received her A.B. magna cum laude from Princeton University and her J.D. cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform.
Kevin G. Desharnais is a Member of Dickinson Wright PLLC in Chicago, where he focuses on environmental law and is the Environmental, Energy & Sustainability Practice Group Chair. He is a former Board Member (2011 – 2018) and former Chair (2012 – 2014) of the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section of the Federal Bar Association, a former Member of the Association’s Chicago Chapter Board of Directors (2011 – 2021), and a former National Circuit Vice President for the Seventh Circuit (2015 – 2021). Mr. Desharnais received his B.S. in Natural Resources from Cornell University and his J.D. and Environmental Law Certificate from Pace University School of Law, where he was Articles Editor for the Pace Environmental Law Review.
Lawrence W. Falbe is a Principal at Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C., in Chicago, where he focuses on environmental law. He is Chairman of the Air & Waste Management Association, Lake Michigan States Section; Immediate Past President of the Illinois Association of Environmental Professionals; and Past Co-Chair of the Illinois Government Relations Committee of the International Council of Shopping Centers and a member of its National Environment Committee. Mr. Falbe received his B.A. cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Augustana College, his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law (where he was a member of the Law Review), and a Certificate of Executive Management from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business.
Kristin Laughridge Gale is a Partner in the environmental law firm of Nijman Franzetti LLP, in Chicago, where she focuses on litigation and enforcement-related issues, including private cost recovery, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), underground storage tanks, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. She counsels clients on compliance issues as well as real estate transactions. Prior to joining Nijman Franzetti LLP, Gale was an assistant attorney general in the Environmental Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. She was also an environmental consultant for a national environmental consulting firm, in which she performed due diligence inspections and conducted litigation support for various environmental actions. She is admitted to the Illinois Bar. Gale earned her B.S. from the University of California, Berkeley, and graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Leah M. Garner is an associate at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago, where she focuses on environmental law. Ms. Garner received her B.A. with honors in Environmental Studies from the University of Chicago and her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.
E. Lynn Grayson is a Partner at Nijman Franzetti LLP in Chicago, where she focuses on environmental and natural resources law. She is the Immediate Past President of the Chicago Bar Association. In 2023, she was named one of the 500 Leading U.S. Environmental Lawyers by LawDragon. In 2021, she was named Best Lawyers’ Environmental Lawyer of the Year-Chicago. Ms. Grayson received her J.D. from the Indiana University School of Law.
Mark F. Hebbeln is a Partner at Foley & Lardner LLP in Chicago, where he focuses on bankruptcy law. He is a member of the American and Chicago Bar Associations and the American Bankruptcy Institute. Mr. Hebbeln received his B.A. from Wake Forest University and his J.D. from Emory University School of Law.
Susan Poll Klaessy is a Partner at Foley & Lardner LLP in Chicago, where she focuses on bankruptcy and business reorganizations. She is a member of the Turnaround Management Association and the International Women’s Insolvency Restructuring Confederation. She was named a Super Lawyer: Business Bankruptcy in 2020 – 2023. Ms. Poll Klaessy received her B.A. from the University of Iowa and her J.D. cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Matthew G. Lawson is an associate at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago, where he focuses on environmental law. Mr. Lawson received his B.A. from the University of Washington and his J.D. from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Claire A. Manning is a Partner with Brown, Hay + Stephens, LLP, in Springfield, where she focuses on environmental law. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Administrative Law, Women and Law, Environmental Law, and Agricultural Law Section Councils. In 2007, she was inducted into the Illinois Academy of Laureates, an honor bestowed on a select group of attorneys who have demonstrated excellence in the profession and in the practice of law. She was named a Leading Lawyer in 2008 – 2019. Ms. Manning received her B.S. from Bradley University and her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law.
Jennifer T. Nijman is a Founding Partner of Nijman Franzetti LLP, a woman-owned environmental law firm in Chicago. She was formerly a Partner at Winston & Strawn LLP, where she served as Chair of the firm’s Environmental Law Practice Group. She has broad experience in litigation defense and enforcement-related issues, including common-law liability and toxic tort, private cost recovery, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Recovery Act of 1970, underground storage tanks, and all aspects of the Superfund process. Nijman has successfully represented clients in regulatory disputes and negotiations with both state and federal agencies and has implemented supplemental environmental projects/pollution prevention plans to reduce or eliminate fines and penalties. She is a Past President of the Chicago Bar Association and is a past Board President and certified mediator for the Center for Conflict Resolution. She currently serves as an appointed Commissioner on the Illinois Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. She speaks and writes frequently on environmental law issues and is regularly named an Illinois Super Lawyer and a Best Lawyer and receives high praise from Chambers USA. Nijman earned her B.A. from the University of Illinois and her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was a member of the Legal Forum.
Heather M. Palmer is a Partner at Sidley Austin LLP in Houston, Texas, where she focuses on energy-related environmental issues. She is a Sustaining Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, a Past Chair of the Houston Bar Association’s Environment Law Section, and a member of the United Way of Greater Houston’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society, Women’s Initiative, and Law Initiative steering committee. Ms. Palmer received her B.A. cum laude from Rhodes College and her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.
Joseph R. Podlewski, Jr., is in private practice with Podlewski & Hanson P.C., in Western Springs. Podlewski represents clients on a wide variety of environmental matters (including contested matters in state and federal court) and has appeared before numerous environmental agencies. He also provides advice and counsel to clients on environmental issues arising in commercial real estate transactions. He is a member of the Chicago and Illinois State Bar Associations. He is Past Chair of both ISBA’s Environmental Law Section Council and the CBA’s Environmental Law Committee and was appointed to the Governor’s Small Business Environmental Task Force in 1994. He was selected as both an Illinois Super Lawyer and Leading Lawyer and was featured in 2013 in Chicago’s Legal Leaders as among the “Top Rated Lawyers in Chicago” in the practice areas of environmental law and land use. He earned his B.A. from Northern Illinois University and his J.D. with honors from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he was a Lead Articles Editor of the Chicago-Kent Law Review.
Steven M. Siros is a Partner at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago, where he focuses on environmental law. Mr. Siros received his B.A. from Illinois State University and his J.D. from the Northern Illinois University College of Law.
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