Biography

Mr. Perellis is a partner in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. He has practiced environmental law for over 20 years. His practice focus includes counseling in interpretation and application of state and federal environmental statutes and regulations; representation in a broad range of environmental litigation including state and federal enforcement and toxic tort lawsuits; administration of complex CERCLA sites; participation in state and federal rulemaking and permitting proceedings; performance of on-site environmental assessments; and counseling regarding land use, environmental aspects of real estate transactions and corporate mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.

Recent matters concluded by Mr. Perellis include a citizen suit challenge for noncompliance with NPPES permit; a NEPA challenge to a highway widening project; CERCLA litigation to challenge ROD remedy and EPA recovery of costs; a criminal investigation of alleged improper asbestos remediation; negotiating compliance schedules for meeting air emission regulations and to initiate supplemental environmental projects in lieu of paying noncompliance penalties; working with technical consultants and regulators to reduce and control projected remedy costs; negotiating CERCLA consent decrees, Section 106 orders and de minimis settlements; defending a client against property damage claims by adjacent residents; and obtaining insurance proceeds to fund his clients’ shares of their environmental liabilities. Based on a survey of industrial companies, Chambers USA has identified Mr. Perellis as one of the top environmental lawyers in Chicago.

Education

J.D., George Washington University National Law Center, with high honors (1981)

Order of the Coif; Member, George Washington University Law Review

B.A., University of Michigan, with Distinction (1977)

Admissions

• Illinois

Courts

• Illinois Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Ninth Circuits
• U.S. District Court for the Northern (including Trial Bar) and Central Districts of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin