Bina Joshi

Partner

Bina has a broad range of experience helping clients with compliance counseling, litigation, and administrative proceedings in the environmental and energy space.

Bina Joshi

Bina focuses on providing her clients thorough, strategic and practical representation, while never losing sight of their business objectives. Bina regularly helps clients with compliance matters. She not only assists clients in tackling compliances issues as they arise, but also helps them anticipate, plan for, and adapt to changes in the law and engage in future compliance planning. She advises clients on compliance and permitting issues related to state and federal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, coal combustion residual (CCR) regulation, federal and state remediation laws, and OSHA. She also advises clients on compliance issues associated with the siting and development of projects, including associated permitting and approval requirements.

Bina also has significant experience representing clients in remediation matters under state and federal remediation programs. This includes representing her clients interests at complex, multi-party Superfund sites.

Bina regularly represents clients in administrative proceedings in the environmental and energy space, including before the Illinois Pollution Control Board and the Illinois Commerce Commission. She represents clients’ interests in administrative rulemakings and represents buyers, sellers, and lenders in deals involving the potential transfer of environmental liabilities. She has represented common carriers in applications and advocated for ratepayer interests in matters before the Illinois Commerce Commission. Bina also has significant litigation experience, including representing clients in complex litigation cases related to air, water, and land issues brought under state and federal law.

Client Work

  • Guided clients through responding to information requests under the Clean Air Act and CERCLA
  • Represented clients in permit appeals, trade secret appeals, adjusted standard proceedings, rulemaking proposals and variance petitions before the Illinois Pollution Control Board
  • Represented clients in applications for certificates of authority and other utility and rate-related matters before the Illinois Commerce Commission
  • Represented clients in complex Clean Air Act litigation and multi-party Superfund sediment site litigation.
  • Conducted environmental assessments and permitting analyses for wind and solar energy development projects
  • Worked on several remediation matters under federal and state cleanup programs
  • Represented clients in conducting due diligence and advising on the allocation of environmental liabilities related to the sale of assets

Previous Work

During law school, Bina gained legal experience as a participant with the Domestic Violence Clinic at the University of Illinois College of Law. She also served as an intern with the US Department of Homeland Security, Office of Chief Counsel.

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Publications

  • “Bernstein v. Bankert: CERCLA Claims by Settling Parties,” American Bar Association Environmental Litigation Newsletter, vol. 24, no. 2 (Winter 2013)
  • “Recent Developments in PM2.5, SO2 and CSAPR Rule Challenges,” Schiff Hardin Environmental Update (Feb. 21, 2013)
  • “Jeopardizing Investments by Private Foundations: A Current Overview,” (co-author) Journal of the Taxation of Investments (Winter 2009)

Presentations

  • “Emerging Contaminants – PFAS,” 2021 Virtual Waste Conference, Air & Waste Management Association Lake Michigan States Section, Webinar (Apr. 27, 2021)
  • “It’s Coming…Proposed PFAS and Emerging Contaminant Regulation in Illinois,” Schiff Hardin, Webinar (Sep. 15, 2020)
  • “Shifting Sands: A Sediment Case Study on CERCLA Divisibility,” Environmental, Mass Torts and Products Liability Litigation Committees’ Joint CLE Seminar, American Bar Association, Avon, Colo. (Feb. 1, 2014)
  • “EPA Activism,” Chicago Bar Association Environmental Law Section Meeting, Chicago, Ill. (Nov. 1, 2011)

Recognitions

  • Emerging Lawyer, Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s Leading Lawyers (2017-2020)

Perspectives