Mr. Perellis is a partner in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. He has practiced environmental law for 30 years. His practice focus includes counseling in interpretation and application of state and federal environmental statutes and regulations; representation in a broad range of environmental litigation including state and federal enforcement and toxic tort lawsuits; administration of complex CERCLA sites; participation in state and federal rulemaking and permitting proceedings; performance of on-site environmental assessments; and counseling regarding land use, environmental aspects of real estate transactions and corporate mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.
Recent matters concluded by Mr. Perellis include defending several clients in toxic tort litigation involving various contaminants such as benzene, asbestos, lead, mold, and carbon monoxide; litigating the scope of the "windfall lien" established under Section 107(r) of CERCLA; litigating the scope of the "sufficient cause" defense to liability for penalties under CERCLA; litigating the extent to which a parent corporation has direct liability under CERCLA as an "operator" of its subsidiary's facility; negotiating prospective purchaser protections with USEPA in addition to that afforded by statute to a bona fide prospective purchaser; addressing issues of joint and several liability and arranger liability following the Supreme Court's ruling in BNSF; negotiating compliance schedules for meeting air emission regulations and to initiate supplemental environmental projects in lieu of paying noncompliance penalties; working with technical consultants and regulators to reduce and control projected remedy costs; negotiating CERCLA consent decrees, Section 106 orders and de minimis settlements; responding to information requests under CERCLA and the Clean Air Act; negotiating a settlement with USEPA for a client’s release of anhydrous ammonia; negotiating with various state agencies to resolve alleged violations of environmental laws; resolving a citizen suit challenge under the Clean Water Act; implementing and structuring a vapor intrusion assessment at a site contaminated by a prior diesel spill; counseling clients on the FTC's guidance relating to green marketing claims; structuring and allocating environmental risk as part of the sale of a manufacturer's business; and, using and negotiating insurance-backed, fixed price contracts to fund remediation and/or transfer environmental liability; structuring loan documentation to provide strengthened environmental protections in light of the economic downturn. Based on a survey of industrial companies, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Business Lawyers has identified Mr. Perellis as one of the top environmental lawyers in Chicago.
