Experience

State Environmental Agency Action Successfully Settled
Defense of agency enforcement action
Schiff Hardin's defense of the enforcement action resulted in a civil penalty of less than $5,000 and no admission of liability on behalf of our client.

RCRA and CWA Enforcement Action Defense
Defense of State Environmental Enforcement Actions
Schiff Hardin represented a generator of waste drums in North Carolina during enforcement actions initiated by the state.

Multi-Facility Audit and Self Disclosure Under EPA Audit Policy
Compliance Auditing and Reporting
In 2007, Schiff Hardin advised a client in connection with its discovery of several years of apparent non-compliance with EPCRA reporting and other reporting and permitting requirements at one of its data centers.

Emaar Properties
Mergers and Acquisitions
Schiff Hardin successfully represented Emaar Properties, a Dubai-based developer, in closing its first U.S. acquisition — WL Homes LLC (doing business as John Laing Homes), one of America's largest privately-held house builders — for $1.05 billion.

Dorel Industries Inc. and Cannondale Bicycle Corporation
Mergers and Acquisitions
Schiff Hardin acted as lead counsel in a major transaction for a public company that made business news headlines all over North America.

Brownfields Redevelopment
Real estate acquisition, remediation, redevelopment and insurance
Schiff Hardin was hired by a real estate developer as special environmental counsel for a Brownfields redevelopment project that transformed an illegal dump on the southwest side of Chicago into an industrial park.

Power Company Sale
Mergers and acquisitions
Schiff Hardin attorneys represented NiSource Inc. in the sale of Whiting Clean Energy, Inc. to BP Alternative Energy North America, Inc.

Power Company Acquisition
Mergers and acquisitions
Schiff Hardin attorneys represented Northern Indiana Public Service Company in the purchase of Sugar Creek Power Company, LLC from a subsidiary of LS Power Fund.

Toxic Tort Claims Successfully Settled
Toxic Tort Litigation; Ash Management
Schiff Hardin represents a coal-fired electric utility in a Superfund matter involving groundwater contamination allegedly arising from the historic placement of coal ash in and near a northwest Indiana town.

Remediation of Manufactured Gas Plants
Real Estate Acquisition and Redevelopment; Voluntary Remediation Projects
Schiff Hardin worked with the client, a gas distribution company, and its environmental consultants to address potential environmental liabilities associated with a former Manufactured Gas Plant site.

Navigating the Clean Air Act
New Source Review (Air)
Schiff Hardin defended two Illinois electric companies in a government enforcement action, navigating a complex web of discovery and motions over several years, including obtaining a favorable ruling on the applicability of the statute of limitations.

Clean Energy
Power plant site selection and regulatory counsel
Schiff Hardin assisted a public-private partnership with a carbon sequestration project, evaluating competing sites for a first-of-a-kind coal-fueled, near-zero emissions power plant.

Groundwater Superfund Site
CERCLA Remediation
Schiff Hardin represents a coal-fired electric utility in connection with the investigation of alleged releases of coal ash constituents to groundwater.

Remedial Action at Petroleum Terminal
Defense of EPA enforcement action
Following an EPA order for remedial action against our client, Schiff Hardin secured an affirmative coverage determination with the client's insurer, and subsequently persuaded the agency to drop its demands against our client.

Landfill Remediation
Common Counsel
Schiff Hardin played a major, multifaceted role in the remediation of two landfill sites originally owned and operated by the City of Toledo, Ohio.