Robert Petti - Environmental Litigation – PFAS, CERCLA, Contaminated Properties, Environmental Due Diligence - Cook County, Illinois, Northern District Illinois - Maron Marvel

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in environmental practice, Rob has a broad range of environmental law experience encompassing litigation, regulatory enforcement, business transactions, and client counseling. His current environmental litigation practice includes CERCLA enforcement and cost allocation, RCRA, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act, and a variety of other statutory and common law claims in both state and federal courts. Rob’s litigation practice also encompasses a broad range of complex litigation experience involving toxic tort, environmental and construction professional liability, construction defect, consumer protection, and others.

Rob’s environmental transactions and client counseling practice focuses on a variety of environmental matters, including environmental due diligence, advising on environmental risk and liability allocation provisions, and resolution of related disputes.

What sets Rob apart is his experience as a former Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for the Environmental Enforcement Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and educational background in hydrogeology and environmental resource management. With this, Rob has substantial experience addressing complex scientific and engineering issues in the litigation context, and has worked across the firm’s national footprint with scientific experts in a number of different fields to address release and exposure apportionment analysis investigations and to develop related expert testimony as part of multi-party litigation and resolution strategies.

Rob is the current Chairperson of the Chicago Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section and a past vice-chair of the same professional group. He is also the prior chair of the firm’s Environmental Law practice group.

Education

DePaul University College of Law (J.D.)

Western Michigan University (B.S.)

Additional Practice Experience
  • Agriculture Law
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Construction Defect and Design Litigation
  • Mass Toxic Tort
Published Articles/Speaking Engagements
  • Speaker, “PFAS Litigation and Site Investigation in 2024” Perrin Conferences Virtual PFAS Litigation and Regulatory Developments Conference, February 15, 20243.
  • Co-author, “Sixth Circuit Decision Reinforces that Standing & Traceability Key in PFAS Class Actions,” The Environmental and Toxic Tort Advisor, January 17, 2024.
  • Speaker, “Environmental Justice Considerations Affecting Environmental Requirements and Costs,” National FETTI Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, September 27-29, 2023.
  • Co-Moderator, “Emerging Contaminants and Reopeners,” Perrin Environmental Risk & PFAS Litigation Conference, June 15, 2023.
  • Speaker, “Where is PFAS Litigation Going in 2023 and Who is Impacted?” Perrin Conferences Virtual PFAS Litigation and Regulatory Developments Conference, February 19, 2023.
  • Author, “U.S. EPA Issues Final Rule Updating Standards for All Appropriate Inquiries,” The Environmental and Toxic Tort Advisor, January 09, 2023.
  • Author, “Navigation PFAS ‘Reopener’ Liabilities,” The Environmental and Toxic Tort Advisor, July 19, 2022.
  • Speaker, “Stay on Environmental Justice,” Perrin Environmental Risk & PFAS Litigation Conference, June 14, 2022.
  • Co-author, “Recent Food Packaging Lawsuits Against Fast Food Giants are Supersizing PFAS Litigation,The Environmental and Toxic Tort Advisor, April 22, 2022.
  • Author, “The Evolution of ESG in 2022,” The Environmental and Toxic Tort Advisor, April 8, 2022.
  • Author, “Federal TRI Reporting and the Illinois PFAS Reduction Act Demonstrate the Promised Expansion of PFAS Regulation is Real and Ongoing,” The Environmental and Toxic Tort Advisor, February 24, 2022.
  • Author, “PFAS: 2022 Trending Towards a Major Turning Point in Regulation and Litigation,” HarrisMartin’s Benzene & Emerging Toxic Torts Litigation Report, January 2022
  • Speaker, “Current Litigation and MDL Status Update,” Perrin Impact of PFAS on Environmental Litigation Conference, January 13, 2022.
  • Author, “PFAS: 2022 Trending Towards a Major Turning Point in Regulation and Litigation,” Toxic And Hazardous Substances Litigation Committee Newsletter, December 2021.
  • Author, “Will Forever Chemicals, PFAS, Lead to Never-Ending Lawsuits?,” Claims Journal, November 17, 2021.
  • Author, “Will Forever Chemicals, PFAS, Lead to Never-Ending Lawsuits?,”  Insurance Journal, November 16, 2021
  • Speaker, “How the Biden Administration will Affect Environmental Underwriting and Claims,” Perrin Environmental Risk & Litigation Conference, 2021.
  • Speaker, “Environmental Reopeners – Strategies to Managing Risk and Impacts,” Perrin Environmental Risk & Litigation Conference, 2019.
  • Co-chair, Colorado Bar Association CLE on Brownfields Redevelopment, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Trump Administration Impacts on Environmental Laws,” Perrin Environmental Risk & Litigation Conference, 2018.
  • Law Co-Chair/Moderator – Air & Waste Management Association, Air Quality Management Conference, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Lead, Vapor Intrusion & Groundwater Contamination,” Perrin Environmental Risk & Litigation Conference, 2017.
  • Speaker, Claims Litigation Management Webinar: Vapor Intrusion Regulatory Updates.
  • Author, “Beneath the Surface: Developments in Vapor Intrusion Regulation and Why They Matter,” CLM Magazine, March 2017.
Organizations/Committee Memberships
  • Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Environmental Committee (2023-2024)
  • Associate Member, Environmental Law Institute
  • Environmental Section of the Colorado Bar Association, Advisory Council
Admissions

Illinois
Colorado
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit