Leo P. Dombrowski

Leo Dombrowski is a partner in the law firm of Wildman Harrold. He defends and counsels clients in a wide variety of toxic tort and environmental matters, including environmental aspects of corporate and real estate transactions. He has represented national and international companies in numerous enforcement and other proceedings in federal and state courts and before many regulatory agencies, including the U.S. EPA, Illinois EPA, Illinois Pollution Control Board, and other state environmental agencies. He has also successfully defended clients against several high-profile, precedent-setting citizens’ suits under a wide range of environmental statutes and has represented selected citizen suit plaintiffs.

Representative Experience:

Successfully represented a municipality in the appeal of the denial of a request for local siting approval of a municipal solid waste landfill
Successfully defended a high-profile, high-stakes citizen suit from the trial level to the U.S. Supreme Court, which set an important precedent favorable to defendants. The lawsuit, brought by an environmental organization against a steel pickling company, alleged that the company had failed to file certain environmental reports with the government. In its precedent-setting decision, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously reversed the 7th Circuit, holding that the citizen plaintiff did not have constitutional standing to bring the case. The case established that a citizen suit defendant had to be given the opportunity to cure its alleged violations during the statute’s notice period, which effectively put an end to a certain type of citizen suit. Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better Env’t, 523 U.S. 83 1998
Won a jury verdict on behalf of a chemical company in an action brought by a former pipefitter alleging he had contracted mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos. Following an eight-day trial, the jury found in favor of the defendants, rejecting the plaintiff’s claim for over $6 million in damages. Yeager v. Marathon Oil, et al., (Crawford County, Illinois 2004)
Handled numerous and significant environmental issues relating to a foreign real estate investment trust’s purchase of approximately 80 industrial properties worth nearly a billion dollars; prepared all environmental provisions of the transaction documents and worked with an environmental consultant to assess properties for environmental concerns, the result of which was that all properties were successfully acquired
Successfully defended shooting ranges in environmental citizen suits and counseled various range owners/operators regarding environmental and range management issues. One matter resulted in the first National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit ever issued to a gun range, allowing the shooting of steel shot into waters of the United States.
Assists a trade organization in maintaining a database of documents related to environmental issues involving shooting ranges, responding to questions and concerns from range personnel, and commenting on EPA regulations and guidance documents related to shooting ranges
Regularly counsels various industrial and commercial clients in environmental regulatory compliance issues, including permit applications, appeals, and compliance; also counsels clients regarding the purchase and sale of contaminated properties, including remediating contamination, obtaining “No Further Remediation” letters, removal of underground storage tanks, and obtaining cost reimbursement.
Obtained a substantial increase in VA benefits for a Vietnam War veteran as well as back benefits with interest in an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Won appeal to Board of Veterans Appeals overturning Regional Office's denial of "clear and unmistakable error" motion; decision resulted in payment of 18 years of retroactive benefits for WWII veteran

Reported Decisions:

Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better Env’t, 523 U.S. 83 (1998), on remand, 230 F.3d 923 (7th Cir. 2000)
Pelzer v. Lockformer Co., 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14520 (N.D. Ill. 2005)
Ardoin v. Stine Lumber Co., 220 F.R.D. 459 (W.D. La. 2004)
Schrieber v. Lockformer Co., 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10126 (N.D. Ill. 2003)
Stone v. Naperville Park Dist., 38 F. Supp.2d 651 (N.D. Ill. 1999)
American Nat’l Bank & Trust Co. v. Harcros Chems., 997 F. Supp. 994 (N.D. Ill. 1998)

Publications And Presentations:

Presenter, “Stormwater: Comprehensive Rulemaking and Its Impact,” Chemical Industry Council of Illinois “Hot Topics” Seminar, April 2010.
Presenter, “EPA Revisions to the Definition of Solid Waste,” Chemical Industry Council of Illinois “Hot Topics” Seminar, September 2009.
Speaker and Author, “Toxic Mold: (Still) a Growing Concern,” Institute of Real Estate Management, Chicago Chapter, June 2003.
Author, “Should the Federal Clean Air Act Preempt State and Local Bans on MTBE,” The Urban Lawyer, ABA, 33 Urb. Law 1089, Fall 2001.
Speaker and Author, “Environmental Laws as They Apply to Shooting Ranges,” National Shooting Range Symposium, Phoenix, AZ, June 5, 2000.
Speaker, “Do Citizens Have Standing?” Environmental Law Institute, Washington, D.C., November 18, 1999.
Speaker, “U.S. Supreme Court Practice,” CBA Young Lawyers’ Section of Appellate Practice, Chicago, Illinois, March 1998.
Author, “Supreme Court Must Overturn Decision Expanding Citizen Suits,” Washington Legal Foundation, March 1997.
Speaker, “Keeping Up With Underground Storage Tank Requirements,” Annual Conference, Air & Waste Management Association, Oak Brook, Illinois, February 1996.

Professional Associations:

American Bar Association

Illinois State Bar Association

Chicago Bar Association

Bar Admissions:

Illinois, 1990

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Federal Circuits

U.S. District Court for the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of Illinois

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

Personal Information:

Before going to law school, Leo lived and worked in Munich and Düsseldorf, Germany as a translator and teacher of English as a second language. Having studied and become fluent in German, Leo passed a rigorous examination and was named a state certified translator. He worked with numerous multinational corporate clients translating marketing materials for international distribution. His travels took him to over 20 countries, including behind the Iron Curtain and to Asia. He now resides in the more provincial burg of Skokie, Illinois with his wife, Susan, and their two children.

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