Lathrop & Gage has one of the nation’s most sophisticated environmental law practices, providing counsel to local, regional and national businesses, interest groups, associations and individuals on the complex web of federal and state environmental laws and regulations.  The primary philosophy of our environmental practice is to prevent, recognize and manage the environmental pitfalls which can jeopardize our clients’ business capabilities.  When prevention and negotiation are no longer an option, our environmental litigators try cases throughout the country in administrative hearings, state and federal courts, and at all appellate levels.  Through negotiation, litigation and lobbying our team of environmental attorneys has been responsible for, and continues to influence, state and federal environmental policy.

Our environmental litigators handle complex environmental and insurance recovery cases and have a national reputation for successful litigation involving Superfund, confined animal feeding operations, class actions, regulatory matters and insurance recovery and defense.  Several of our environmental litigators are former attorneys general whose skills include a broad range of civil as well as criminal litigation expertise. Our team includes a former director, a former deputy and a former general counsel of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Several attorneys have background technical degrees including professional engineering.

Our attorneys have been involved in all aspects of environmental regulation from drafting legislation to enforcement, litigation and regulatory challenge.  In addition, our attorneys have considerable experience defending chemical exposure, asbestos and other toxic tort cases in federal and state courts nationwide.  Lathrop & Gage has one of, if not the largest, environmental practices in the Midwest and our attorneys’ experience and expertise includes nearly all areas of environmental law.

The practice of environmental law is as broad and varied as the environment itself.  However, the Firm’s Environmental Department can be generally divided into eight specialized practice areas:

• Solid and Hazardous Waste
• Insurance Coverage
• Transactional Representation
• Federal and State Superfund
• Toxic Tort
• Air Regulation
• Water Regulation
• Chemical Regulation

For recent examples of our success, visit www.beentherewonthat.com.