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Sanford M. Stein is a partner who concentrates his practice in land use, zoning, environmental law and government relations law. Sandy is a recognized environmental and land use lawyer, having been elected as a "Leading Attorney" in those fields by the American Research Corporation. He was involved in some of the first decisions under the National Environmental Policy Act and, as an attorney for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was responsible for numerous enforcement and policy matters. His practice today encompasses a broad array of environmental and related land use, zoning and regulatory issues in Illinois and across the country.
Sandy has served governmental and private sector clients in an array of legislative, regulatory and judicial activities. He has served as an attorney for federal, state and local governments and represents numerous parties in obtaining governmental benefits or resolving conflicts with governmental units. He has researched, drafted, negotiated and successfully steered legislation to passage. He is a registered lobbyist, representing clients in the advertising, health care, pharmaceutical and real estate industries. He advises clients on legislative strategy in several state legislatures and the U.S. Congress.
Sandy's experience in environmental law reaches all of its aspects, including water, air and toxic substance regulations, legislation, rulemaking proceedings, compliance litigation, CERCLA and RCRA matters, hazardous waste management policies and procedures and Brownfields redevelopment. He is involved in counseling clients on the environmental aspects of mergers, acquisitions and property matters, as well as day-to-day operational matters.
Sandy has extensive litigation experience, including two landmark environmental decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, Students Challenging Regulatory Agency Procedures (S.C.R.A.P.) v. The United States and The Steel Company v. Citizens for a Better Environment. S.C.R.A.P. helped establish federal courts jurisdiction to hear complaints by parties affected by the environmental decisions of the U.S. government. The Steel Company, which he argued before the Supreme Court, limits jurisdiction to those cases where the Court's intervention is warranted.
For more than 30 years, Sandy has represented a variety of private and public sector clients in land use, land development and zoning matters in a multistate area. His land use and zoning practice is highlighted by his work for land developers in Brownfields redevelopment, annexation, urban development and land use litigation. He has been successful in complex mixed-use developments and commercial, industrial and residential projects. He is also skilled in municipal tax incentive programs including tax increment financing (TIF), sales tax sharing programs and special service area financing. He has represented clients in urban redevelopment projects utilizing municipal incentives in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other places.
Sandy is active in complex land use and siting issues involving regional pollution control facilities, power plants and alternative energy facilities.
Sandy is a former commissioner on the Lake County (IL) Regional Planning Commission, a founder and member of the executive board of the Illinois Chapter of the National Brownfields Association, serves on the board of the Uptown Community Development Corporation, and is a member of the City Club of Chicago, the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, Inc., and the American Bar Association. He also served on Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn's Energy Infrastructure Task Force. He is an adjunct professor of law at the John Marshall Law School, teaching a course on "The Environmental Aspects of Real Estate Transactions." | 