Kristen Laughridge Gale

Kristen Laughridge Gale is a partner in the environmental law firm of Nijman•Franzetti LLP, in Chicago. She has broad experience in litigation and enforcement-related issues, including private cost recovery, the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, underground storage tanks, CERCLA, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Ms. Gale has successfully represented clients in regulatory disputes and negotiations with both state and federal agencies, including defending enforcement actions. She also counsels clients on compliance in their day-to-day operations to prevent potential issues before they may occur, as well as counseling clients on real estate transactions to avoid potential future property issues. Ms. Gale has represented clients’ interests in rulemakings and has tried multiple cases in front of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, including securing adjusted standards and variances from regulations.

Prior to joining Nijman•Franzetti, Ms. Gale was an Assistant Attorney General in the Environmental Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, where she represented the State of Illinois in environmental enforcement matters. Ms. Gale began her career as a consultant for a national environmental consulting firm, where she performed environmental due diligence inspections and conducted litigation support for various environmental actions.

Ms. Gale received her B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology from the University of California at Berkeley, and graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law. She is admitted to the Illinois Bar and is a member of the Trial Bar of the Northern District of Illinois.