Due Diligence, Audits & Transactional Support
ArentFox Schiff works with clients to analyze and minimize environmental risk.
This often includes due diligence reviews, internal and external audits, or support with large- and small-scale transactions. Drawing from comprehensive knowledge of environmental laws, the complex industrial processes that require regulation, and experience in both current and potential areas of regulation, our Environmental Group cost-effectively identifies issues and solutions when a transaction puts potential environmental compliance issues front and center.
We Know Environmental Regulations
ArentFox Schiff is well versed in laws and regulations governing all types of environmental media (including air, land, water, and vapor). Our attorneys can identify potential problems or areas of noncompliance and identify mechanisms to shift the risk to the appropriate party in the transaction. ArentFox Schiff’s routine specialized audits often illuminate other areas of systemic non-compliance that could lead to significant penalties if unaddressed.
We Understand Our Clients’ Businesses
ArentFox Schiff has worked with clients in a wide variety of industries for more than 30 years. Our group takes time to thoroughly understand the industrial processes that are at the foundation of our clients’ businesses. This experience allows ArentFox Schiff to provide advice that is tailor-made to meet individual client needs. ArentFox Schiff recently helped a client identify and address all the environmental issues in the client’s manufacturing process in order to successfully open a new facility.
We Are On Top Of Changing Regulations
ArentFox Schiff understands current environmental laws and is attuned to upcoming trends and regulations. Our attorneys can identify the obvious risks posed by on-site contamination, as well as those associated with regulatory changes, compliance issues, and management practices. For example, ArentFox Schiff regularly reviews purchase and sale agreements to identify how specific terms of a contract could be affected by potential future regulation.
ArentFox Schiff has helped clients acquire and dispose of companies ranging in value from $10 million to more than $1 billion. Our team has assisted in the assessment of environmental risks affecting financing transactions and performed both internal and external audits to review potential areas of non-compliance. Overall, ArentFox Schiff has substantial experience in transactional work, including:
- Efficiently and effectively performing large scale environmental due diligence
- Defining the scope of investigations and managing the collection and analysis of reports and other documentation to identify and quantify environmental risks and liabilities
- Interpreting data to assist the client in decision making
- Creatively structuring transactions to allocate and manage environmental risks and liabilities
- Effectively responding to and working with co-investors or lenders
- Managing routine and emergency course-of-business environmental liabilities
Awards & Honors
- Chambers USA
- Energy & Natural Resource, Illinois (2012-2021)
- Environment, Illinois (2012-2021)
- Energy: Electricity (Transactional), Nationwide (2021)
- The Legal 500 U.S. – Practice Groups Recommended (2021)
- Energy Transactions: Conventional Power (2020-2021)
- U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” – National Tier 1
- Litigation – Environmental (2012-2015 and 2019-2022)
- Energy Law (2013-2022)
- U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” – Metropolitan Tier 1
- Energy Law, Chicago (2013-2022)
- Environmental Law, Chicago (2012-2022)
- Energy Law, Washington, D.C. (2014-2021)
- Litigation – Environmental, Chicago (2012-2022)
Key Contacts
- Related Practices
- Related Industries