E. Lynn Grayson

E. Lynn Grayson is a partner in the environmental law firm of Nijman Franzetti LLP in Chicago. She is consistently recognized as a leading environmental lawyer by Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America, Who’s Who: Environment, Illinois Super Lawyers, and the Leading Lawyers Network. She is AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability. Ms. Grayson formerly was a partner and chair of the environmental practice group at the Chicago office of a national law firm. While in government, she served as the Chief Legal Counsel for the Illinois Emergency Services and Disaster Agency and the State Emergency Response Commission and as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois prosecuting environmental enforcement actions.

She serves as national environmental counsel supporting corporate law departments with the management of day-to-day environmental compliance challenges and cleanup obligations. She counsels corporate leadership on material environmental risks and liabilities, advises clients on critical enforcement, regulatory and litigation matters, and serves as lead environmental counsel in U.S. and international transactions. Ms. Grayson defends clients in natural resource damage claim matters, manages all aspects of site cleanups including CERCLA, RCRA, state-led and voluntary private party investigations and remediation, and represents clients in substantive environmental enforcement proceedings related to air pollution, chemical use and releases, and emergency response.

Ms. Grayson served as Co-Chair of the CBA/CBF Task Force on the Sustainable Practice of Law and Innovation. She is a frequent author and speaker on environmental law and policy matters and teaches natural resources law as an adjunct faculty. She received the National Law Journal’s “Energy and Environmental Trailblazer” Award and was recognized as Best Lawyers’ Environmental Lawyer of the Year in Chicago. Lawdragon named her one of The Lawdragon Green 500: The 2024 Leaders in Environmental Law.

For her work to promote diversity in the legal profession, she is the recipient of the Chicago Bar Association’s first Alta May Hulett Award, the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois’ Women with Vision Award, the Illinois State Bar Association’s Diversity Leadership Award, and the Best Lawyers’ Women of Influence Award.

Ms. Grayson is the past president of the Chicago Bar Association, one of the oldest and most prestigious urban bar associations in the U.S. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Geneva Lake Association (President), the Geneva Lake Museum (Secretary) and the Environmental Education Foundation. She also served on the Board of Trustees of her alma mater Franklin College and the Board of Directors of the Chicago Bar Foundation. Ms. Grayson received her J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and her B.A. from Franklin College. She is admitted to the Illinois bar and several federal courts including the Supreme Court of the United States.