Ned has over thirty-five years of experience representing clients in the service and manufacturing industries as well as individuals and government bodies in a wide range of environmental matters across the United States.

Since 2011, Ned has been Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review rating system. Since 2010, Ned has been included in Chambers USA: America’s leading Lawyers for Business. He is listed in Best Lawyers (since 2006). In addition, Ned has been selected for inclusion in the Wisconsin Super Lawyers lists. Ned was honored by the Wisconsin Law Journal as Leader in the Law 2015. Best Lawyers® named Ned the 2016 Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Milwaukee.

Ned has broad, nationally recognized experience in counseling clients concerning emerging contaminants including, specifically, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PFOA and PFOS.

Ned has extensive experience in environmental matters including Superfund, Brownfields, compliance, enforcement, and transactional work.

Representative Experience Superfund

Ned has represented clients at Superfund sites across multiple states including Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Delaware, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas, and California.

Transactional

Ned has coordinated complex transactions involving environmental due diligence, compliance audits, and liability allocation for manufacturing facilities and large-scale property transfers.

Enforcement / Compliance

Ned has represented clients in environmental enforcement actions, compliance matters, and voluntary disclosures under federal and state environmental laws.

Brownfields

Ned has advised municipalities and corporations on redevelopment of environmentally impacted properties and liability management.

Siting

Ned has led environmental permitting and regulatory approvals for energy infrastructure and development projects.

Additional Practice Areas

• Recovery of environmental response costs under Wisconsin statutes
• Defense of environmental enforcement actions (federal and state)
• Clean Air Act, water discharge, and wetlands regulation
• Surface water, floodplain, and climate-related environmental issues
• Industrial hemp, cannabis, and CBD regulatory matters
• Voluntary Party Liability Exemption (VPLE) program
• Environmental compliance audits and disclosure programs
• Water quality and nutrient trading regulation

Professional Memberships

• Milwaukee Bar Association
• State Bar of Wisconsin (Environmental Law Section)

Activities

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Advisory Groups
• State Bar of Wisconsin (Environmental Law Section)
• American Bar Association (ABA)
• Teens Grow Greens (Board Member, President)
• Milwaukee LGBT Community Center (Board Member)
• Vermont Law School Advisory Committees

Honors

• Consulting Expert to Biden-Harris U.S. EPA Agency Review Team (2020-2021)
• Wisconsin Law Journal “Leaders in the Law” Award (2015)
• Chambers USA Recognition (2010–present)
• Best Lawyers in America (2006–present)
• Wisconsin Super Lawyer
• AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating

Education

• Vermont Law School (Juris Doctor, cum laude; Master of Environmental Law, magna cum laude)
• University of Vermont (Bachelor of Arts, Latin and Political Science)

Heather is passionate about identifying and mitigating environmental risks, resolving disputes, and ensuring compliance so her clients can focus on their core business strategies. She skillfully assembles and directs teams of environmental professionals to cost-effectively – and expertly – deliver targeted solutions.

From 2018-2024, Heather functioned as inside environmental counsel for a global leader in the distilled alcoholic beverage industry. During the multi-year project, she developed and implemented the company’s first environmental compliance program; collaborated cross-functionally with manufacturing, government affairs, and capex teams to drive expansion projects forward; presented environmental activities and messaging to key stakeholders, including the company’s executive team, neighbors, and the media; conducted environmental acquisition due diligence and privileged and confidential environmental compliance audits; and negotiated the favorable settlement of civil enforcement actions.

Heather has a particular expertise in air (including aging warehouses, Title V permitting, and PSD avoidance strategies), stormwater, and wastewater issues facing the alcohol beverage industry.

Additionally, Heather’s practice focuses on the challenges presented by emerging contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), evolving climate reporting obligations in California (SBs 253 and 261) and Europe (CSRD and CSDDD), expanding Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regimes across North America and Europe, and complex consumer products toxics counseling.

Heather is also accomplished in defending and managing toxic tort/chemical exposure, land contamination, Superfund, and products liability cases for major energy companies.

In addition to practicing law, Heather taught products liability classes and was the co-chair of the legal writing department as a full-time faculty member of a North Carolina accredited law school and worked as an art gallery director and a marketing professional before attending law school.