Megan is an environmental attorney with a national practice. She advises clients in a variety of sectors on a wide range of state and federal environmental issues involving CERCLA, RCRA, TSCA, NEPA, FIFRA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act and the state counterparts to these laws. Her practice involves both litigation and regulatory compliance matters.
She represents companies in complex environmental lawsuits throughout the various stages of litigation. Megan has taken depositions, coordinated extensive discovery efforts with large teams and played an integral role in trial preparations. Additionally, she facilitates environmental cleanup of contaminated sites nationwide, developing multi-step waste management and remediation strategies, negotiating consent decrees as part of PRP groups, and managing liability risks.
Megan also advises clients regarding regulatory compliance programs, guiding companies through permitting issues, release reporting and issues they encounter in their day-to-day operations. She regularly addresses environmental issues in real estate transactions, including reviewing due diligence documents. When environmental violations are identified during internal compliance audits and inspections by governmental agencies, Megan reviews the audits, coordinates abatement steps, negotiates fines, and handles resulting enforcement actions. She also conducts environmental siting and permitting compliance reviews for renewable energy projects, such as wind farms.
Megan's technical science background in chemistry positions her well to advise clients that engage in chemical operations and lawsuits involving complex expert issues. Prior to joining the firm, Megan served as research interns at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (2005), NASA Ames Research Center (2004), and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2002).
Professional Associations & Memberships
· Illinois State Bar Association
· The Missouri Bar
Clerkships
· The Hon. Rodney W. Sippel, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, 2007
Experience
· Represents two international companies as plaintiffs in a CERCLA contribution and cost recovery lawsuit involving PCB and lead contamination in Alabama
· Represents one of the nation's largest petroleum companies in personal injury, property damage and insurance coverage lawsuits involving a hydrocarbon plume under Hartford, Illinois
· Defends a major manufacturer of marine compression-ignition engines in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. for alleged Clean Air Act violations arising out of the installation of engines in Navy T-AKE class vessels
News & Publications
News
4.27.12, Husch Blackwell Closes $330 Million Joint Financing Arrangement for Duke Energy
Publications
5.7.10, OSHA Enhanced Enforcement Efforts Signal Significant Changes for Employers
5.1.09, Publicity, Pressure and Environmental Legislation: The Untold Story of Availability Campaigns, Cardozo Law Review
Events
6.15.11, Environmental Law 101: Key Federal Statutes and Their Impacts on Marine and Coastal Environments
Moss Landing, CA
Speaking Engagement