Kevin Desharnais

Practice Areas

Kevin Desharnais, an environmental litigator and counselor with over twenty-five years of experience, advises clients on environmental matters covering all environmental media, including such areas as air and water permitting and enforcement, hazardous waste management, Superfund liability, and remediation of contaminated sites. Kevin is the Chair of the Environmental, Energy & Sustainability Practice Group at Dickinson Wright, and has represented clients in numerous federal and state court proceedings and administrative tribunals, defended clients against citizen enforcement suits, and negotiated resolutions of permitting and enforcement disputes with administrative agencies across the country.

Kevin also has broad experience advising clients regarding environmental due diligence and the allocation of environmental liabilities in corporate and real estate transactions. He also has extensive experience advising clients with regard to environmental due diligence in the development of renewable energy projects, including compliance with NEPA and state equivalent statutes, endangered species and migratory bird impacts, and wetland issues.

Professional Memberships

Federal Bar Association, Chicago Chapter, Board Member 2011 to 2021 National Circuit Vice President for the Seventh Circuit, 2015 to 2021, Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Committee Chairman, 2012-2014; Board Member, 2011 to 2018.

Publications

Co-Author, “Florida Loses Wetland Permitting Authority.” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, April 2024; Author, “EV Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 5," Dickinson Wright Newsletter, April 2023; Co-Author, “EV Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 4," Dickinson Wright Newsletter, April 2023; Author, “EV Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 5," Dickinson Wright Client Alert, April 2023; Co-Author, “EV Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 4," Dickinson Wright Client Alert, April 2023; Author, “Illinois Pollution Control Board Poised to Adopt Regulations Establishing PFAS Groundwater Standards " Dickinson Wright Client Alert, Dec 2022; Author, "The PFAS Roadmap: Pathway To Environmental Justice," Dickinson Wright The Energy Blog, November 2021; Author, “Illinois EPA Proposes Groundwater Standards for 5 PFAS Compounds,” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, July 2021

Book Chapters

“Site Remediation Program,” Environmental Law in Corporate and Real Estate Transactions, 2023 Edition, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 1 March 2023; “Site Remediation Program,” Environmental Law in Corporate and Real Estate Transactions, 2019 Edition, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 22 May 2019; “Site Remediation Program,” Environmental Law in Real Estate Transactions, 2014 Edition,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 28 March 2014; “Site Remediation Program,” Environmental Law in Corporate and Real Estate Transactions, Update 2011,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 30 December 2011; “Site Remediation Program,” Environmental Law in Corporate and Real Estate Transactions, 2007 Edition” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2007; “Corrective Action of Land Contamination, Environmental Law in Illinois, Update, 2004,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2004; “Corrective Action of Land Contamination,” Environmental Law in Illinois, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2001

Education