Andrew L. Schulkin

Mr. Schulkin is an experienced litigator who focuses on environmental, toxic tort, class action, contract and insurance coverage disputes. He frequently represents both plaintiffs and defendants in environmental cost recovery actions and defends clients against personal injury lawsuits and claims involving alleged violations of waste disposal, water quality and air emissions regulations. He has successfully filed breach of contract and indemnity actions and assisted policyholders in obtaining coverage or favorable settlements from their insurers. His experience with bankruptcy proceedings helps him counsel companies that are seeking to recover damages from financially unstable defendants or are potentially facing bankruptcy themselves.

Mr. Schulkin is adept at understanding scientific and technical issues and has handled matters involving soil contamination, groundwater pollution and vapor intrusion. In addition to litigation, he regularly advises clients on environmental permitting, liability and clean-up issues. As part of this work, he has negotiated agreements with state and federal environmental agencies and represented parties in agency proceedings.

His significant accomplishments include:

• Acting as second chair at a one-week trial on a breach of a settlement agreement claim that resulted in a complete victory for the client in the trial court.
• Filing a successful breach of contract and environmental cost recovery action that resulted in a $1 million settlement being paid to the client.
• Serving as lead environmental counsel for the plaintiff in a CERCLA cost recovery action that settled before the close of discovery, maximizing the client’s recovery and minimizing legal expenses.
• Defending a RCRA and toxic tort class action lawsuit that resulted in a favorable settlement that was paid primarily with proceeds obtained from the client’s insurer.
• Obtaining dismissal of a putative class action involving groundwater contamination claims that had been filed in federal court.
• Representing the prevailing plaintiff in a multi-party, multi-year CERCLA contribution case.
• Persuading the Kansas Court of Appeals to affirm a district court judgment in favor of a lender trying to collect from a debtor who had defaulted on her loans.

Court Memberships

• Illinois
• Kansas
• Missouri
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Honors

• Notes Editor, Georgetown International Environmental Law Review

Professional Affiliations

• Chicago Bar Association
• American Bar Association, Environmental and Natural Resources Section
• KCMBA, Co-Chair, Environmental Law Committee, 2009-2010
• Brown Alumni Schools Committee, Alumni Interviewer
• Village Shalom Associate Board, 2004-2007

Publications

• Author, Safe Harbors - Crafting an International Solution to Cruise Ship Pollution, Georgetown International Environmental Law Review, 2002