Environmental Attorney Kristen Laughridge Gale Elevated to Equity Partner and Top Environmental Attorney/Navy Commander Craig Thedwall Joins Elite Women-Owned Environmental Boutique Law Firm

Environmental Attorney Kristen Laughridge Gale Elevated to Equity Partner

Respected environmental boutique law firm Nijman Franzetti LLP, has announced that experienced partner of the firm, Kristen Gale, has been elevated to equity partner. This brings to six the number of partners at the firm, all of whom are women.

Ms. Gale counsels clients on compliance issues as well as real estate transactions. 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.

Prior to joining Nijman Franzetti, Kristen 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. She 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.

Gale received a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Illinois, and she holds a B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology from University of California at Berkeley. She is admitted to the Illinois bar, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, is a Member of the Trial Bar, as well as of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. Gale is also a former Chair, Vice-Chair, and Legislative Liaison of the Chicago Bar Association’s Environmental Law Committee.

Jennifer Nijman, a co-founder of the firm, said of Gale’s new role: “On behalf of all of our partners, we are so pleased that Kristen will continue in an equity role. She has earned this opportunity and we are grateful that she is taking advantage of it. She is an integral member of the firm who our clients have come to rely upon for both her environmental litigation and counseling experience.”

Veteran Environmental Litigator & Navy Commander Craig Thedwall Joins Nijman Franzetti

Craig Thedwall has a wealth of experience as an environmental attorney, having previously supported the defense of citizen’s suits, class action torts, and environmental permitting issues for the U.S. Navy as a Commander in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Mr. Thedwall has advised military forces engaged in counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East, and most recently advised the largest land-based Navy command comprising over 57,000 personnel across the world.

Mr. Thedwall has experience with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In the Navy, he served aboard destroyers at sea, defended criminal cases and administrative matters, oversaw court-martial prosecutions across the Midwest, and advised senior military leaders on environmental compliance matters with immediate impacts to national security.

He received his J.D., from the Georgetown University Law Center, holds a B.S., with Distinction, from the U.S. Naval Academy, as well as an LL.M. from Vermont Law and Graduate School in Environmental Law, also with Distinction. He is admitted to the Illinois bar and the Maryland bar. He is a 6-time recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal and was awarded the Naval Litigation Office’s Richard W. Eddy Environmental Achievement Award in 2020.

Jennifer Nijman stated that: “Mr. Thedwall, as a new member of the firm, will add additional nationwide experience, especially with regard to federal regulatory work. When Susan and I established the firm in 2008, we never sought to grow for the sake of numbers, but rather through respected and experienced environmental lawyers. Craig is a perfect example of this. Our clients are already benefitting from, and appreciating, his knowledge and experience.”

In summing up these two announcements, Nijman said: “It is humbling to walk into the office and see the incredible team of lawyers and legal professionals Susan and I have been able to assemble in less than 20 years. We are grateful for the trust of our clients and the respect of our peers. Lawyers such as Kristen and Craig will ensure an even brighter future.”

About Nijman Franzetti LLP

Nijman Franzetti LLP provides legal representation in the areas of environmental litigation, defense and enforcement, regulatory compliance, permitting, remediation, contracts and transactional due diligence, and management of day-to-day environmental concerns. Ms. Nijman and Ms. Franzetti formed Nijman Franzetti LLP in early 2008 in order to better serve their clients.  Then and now, the firm offers unmatched experience and bench strength, attractive billing rates (and alternative rate structures), and client service. 

While the practice areas of Nijman Franzetti LLP cover all aspects of environmental law, the firm is best known for environmental litigation and enforcement defense; permitting and compliance work; national environmental counsel support; site remediation and Superfund matters; and administrative proceedings. 

All six women partners are highly regarded by their Illinois and national peers for their experience, and they maintain an exceptional reputation in environmental law and related litigation. Each appears at or near the top of Illinois and national lists of the most respected environmental lawyers published by Chambers & Partners, Best Lawyers, Leading Lawyers, and Super Lawyers. Recent peer surveys by Leading Lawyers named Nijman, Franzetti, and Grayson among the Top 10 Environmental Lawyers in Illinois. 

The firm is also certified by The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). WBENC is a leading national non-profit organization dedicated to helping women-owned and small businesses thrive. WBENC believes business development promotes innovation, opens doors, and creates partnerships that fuel the economy.

For additional information or to arrange an interview, please contact Lynn Grayson at 312.251.5250 or lg@nijmanfranzetti.com. For additional information about Nijman Franzetti LLP, please visit www.nijmanfranzetti.com.