Illinois (IL) Environmental Law CLE Course Catalog

Given the massive amount of dollars being poured into ESG funds and the SEC’s renewed focus on both the funds and the companies in the funds, there is no time like the present for companies to engage in an assessment of their climate risks and how these risks and the status of the companies’ ESG goals are being relayed to investors.

Insurers and financial regulators are coping with the legal impact of climate change and the increasing risk it presents for companies' financials. The ever-increasing regularity and gravity of extreme weather-related events have resulted in greater regulatory focus on climate-related risks for the insurance industry. Learn more about the complex legal challenges that the insurance industry faces from the evolving public policy environment and enhanced regulatory focus on climate change. Challenges include the potential for expanded liability for environmental risks through legislation and court decisions, an increased threat of third-party litigation and growing regulatory risk.

As the climate crisis escalates, questions of accountability within the legal profession have prompted an examination of lawyers’ professional responsibilities in this context. Clients choose their lawyers, and lawyers’ representations under Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.2 are not to constitute an endorsement of the client’s political, economic, social or moral views or activities. Nevertheless, lawyers may find themselves characterized as enablers of climate change because of who they represent or the subject matter of their representation.

Join this discussion on opportunities to improve environmental justice in the nuclear field and the legal considerations for practitioners to do so.

Nuclear energy is one of the technologies at the forefront of discussions on combating climate change and meeting carbon emission reduction goals. The panel will explore recent legal, regulatory and policy developments in the commercial nuclear power industry.

A discussion of legal, policy, environmental, and legislative landscape influencing the global recycling movement.

This program will cover the statutory background of bona fide prospective purchasers, relevant case law regarding the same, and practical experience.

Leading environmental enforcement lawyers tackle the legal issues and considerations of assisting clients through the civil inspection and criminal enforcement process.

This session’s panelists, all of whom have experience in the renewable energy and power sectors, will discuss valuation and other relevant issues in the context of expanding alternative and renewable energy sources, and the pressures this expansion will have on the merchant power sector.