Susan Charles

Susan counsels clients on all aspects of environmental law including regulatory compliance, risk assessment, enforcement defense, and environmental litigation. She routinely advises clients with respect to spill and release reporting, hazardous waste issues, permitting, and state cleanup programs.

Sue’s regulatory compliance practice focuses on formulating and maintaining environmental management practices with respect to permitting, waste management, and disposal strategies. She emphasizes litigation avoidance and the development of innovative solutions to complex legal disputes. Sue’s practice also evaluates the impact of existing and proposed environmental laws and regulations on transactions involving corporate and private equity clients and their effect on post-closing regulatory compliance. Her transactional work focuses primarily on identifying, delineating and quantifying environmental risk in corporate mergers and acquisitions, real estate development/redevelopment deals, and project development. Sue has substantial experience in all major areas of environmental due diligence and contract negotiation which allows her to help clients make an informed assessment and reasonable allocation of environmental risk. Her transactional practice spans the U.S. and she has worked directly with regulators from, among other states, Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.

• Chicago Business Journal, “Women of Influence” (2021)
• Crain’s Chicago Business’ Notable Women in Law (2020)
• Best Lawyers in America®: Environmental Law (2019-2026)
• Chambers USA: Environment: Mainly Transactional, Illinois (2024-2025)