Nijman Franzetti LLP

Chambers and Partners

Number of partners: 6

Number of lawyers: 10

Languages:English

Who We Are:

Nijman Franzetti, LLP offers clients Big Law experience in an all women-owned boutique setting. Founded in 2008, Nijman Franzetti is the leading environmental boutique law firm in the Midwest. The firm is led by six women lawyers, most practicing over 30 years with Big Law backgrounds and managing departments at some of the largest law firms in the nation.

Nijman Franzetti solves the environmental legal challenges facing today’s businesses by representing Fortune 100 companies, closely held businesses, and municipalities nationwide in matters spanning the full range of water, air, waste, and land-related issues. Its depth of real-world experience and bench strength match any large firm’s environmental legal team while simultaneously providing unparalleled value and personal service to its clients.

Each matter receives hands-on personal attention from our partners: Jennifer Nijman, Susan Franzetti, E. Lynn Grayson, Susan Brice, Jacqueline Vidmar, and Kristen Gale.

The firm has three of counsel: Genevieve Essig, Vincent Angermeier, and Anne Wahlig, all with significant environmental experience. Drew Nishioka joined in 2022 as a new associate with an extensive background in improving legal efficiency through technology.

What We Do:

Nijman Franzetti handles matters nationwide, covering all aspects of environmental law and litigation. Its practice areas include:

·Litigation & Enforcement Defense (federal, state, local and administrative tribunals)

·Due Diligence, Audits, Transactions & Environmental Insurance

·Contaminated Properties & Remediation

·Air Quality & Climate Change

·Water Quality & Wastewater Discharges

·Spills & Releases

·Advocacy, Rulemaking & Administrative Relief (including adjusted standards/variances/permit appeals)

More specifically, Nijman Franzetti lawyers represented more than one hundred companies in Superfund sites, defeated USEPA at trial and on appeal, litigated environmental liabilities associated with nine figure transactions, and provided counsel on one of the largest brownfield redevelopment projects in the United States. At the same time, Nijman Franzetti serves as national environmental counsel to Fortune 500 firms, collaborating with these clients on cleanups, real estate transactions, compliance counseling (including financial disclosures and ESG), administrative enforcement actions, and permitting.

Nijman Franzetti attorneys know how to effectively and persuasively communicate critical environmental issues and scientific data to both client and regulatory personnel. They understand the technical concepts and ask the right questions. They offer unique skills, such as collaborating with environmental experts and consultants to develop legal positions on complex matters that they then adeptly translate to judges, juries, regulators, and clients. They co-counsel with other firms on big cases that need their niche skill sets.

Experience

These six women and their team provide unmatched environmental law experience, with over 175 years combined legal experience. One by one they decided to join forces, creating an environmental law powerhouse considered to be one of the most savvy and formidable environmental law firms in the country.

Main Areas of Practice: Environmental Law; Environmental Litigation

Nijman Franzetti LLP’s recent work includes:

·Representing a chemical company seeking to recover millions in a cost recovery action under CERCLA with respect to contamination caused by historic operations that date back to the early 1900s.

·Prevailed in a case of first impression before the Illinois Pollution Control Board obtaining a decision finding the State violated the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and ordering it to pay a portion of client’s cleanup costs.

·Represented various companies in claims involving RCRA citizen suits and common law torts.

·Defended energy company at a two-part liability and damages hearing before the Illinois Pollution Control Board relating to alleged soil and groundwater contamination from coal

ash.

·Favorably settled a multi-party Superfund matter in federal court.

·Defending Notices of Violation under federal and state laws, including resolving many Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and RCRA claims.

·Representing companies with respect to complying with PFAS laws, cleaning up PFAS, and litigating PFAS claims.

·Counseling clients on ESG considerations in annual and sustainability reports.

·Serving as national environmental counsel to Fortune 100 companies, including compliance counseling related to wastewater, permitting, emerging contaminants, Prop. 65,

spills, and TSCA matters.

·Conducting environmental due diligence for real estate tax credit syndicator for more than 70 affordable housing projects.

·Representing client with respect to noise complaints associated with new operations across the country.

·Closing numerous deals, including the redevelopment of a landfill, a mining operation, and a 100-year-old manufacturing site.

Key Clients: AbbVie, Inc., ADM, Dover Corporation, Exelon Corporation, The Kraft Heinz Company, The Marmon Group, Stepan Chemical Company, Shell USA, Johns Manville, Midwest Generation, LLC, and Waste Management.

Contact: Susan Brice

Tel:312 493-0103

Email: [email protected]