Eleni Kouimelis

Partner, Co-Chair of Environmental Law, Winston & Strawn LLP, Chicago, IL

Eleni Kouimelis is a partner and co-chair of Winston & Strawn LLP’s environmental law department, which received a national first-tier ranking in environmental law and environmental litigation by U.S. News & World Report “Best Law Firms” in 2012.

Ms. Kouimelis focuses her practice on environmental issues that arise in a variety of contexts, including transactions, compliance counseling, and enforcement. She provides environmental counseling in corporate and real estate transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, financings, and securities offerings. Ms. Kouimelis provides compliance counseling to diverse industrial and manufacturing clients in all the environmental media, including designing and implementing audit programs, strategic planning, and permitting approvals. In addition, Ms. Kouimelis advises clients in the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated properties under both voluntary and government-mandated cleanups in numerous jurisdictions. She represents clients in environmental enforcement actions brought by federal, state, and local authorities in jurisdictions throughout the United States.

Ms. Kouimelis is listed in the 2011 and 2012 Chambers USA in environmental law and published in Chicago Magazine’s SuperLawyer section from 2010-2012 as a Top Illinois Attorney in Environmental Law. She has been listed in Best Lawyers in America from 2009-2013 and among the Top 50 women attorneys in Leading Lawyers Network’s Real Estate, Construction, and Environmental Edition.

Prior to joining Winston & Strawn in 1989, Ms. Kouimelis served as assistant regional counsel with USEPA Region 5, where she brought actions to enforce the air, water, and toxic statutes in judicial and administrative forums, and provided legal counseling and policy assistance to program clients in these areas.