Edward (Ned) B. Witte

Biography

Edward (Ned) B. Witte, Equity Partner and Commercial Law Group Co-Chair, is consistently considered by his peers as one of the top environmental lawyers in Wisconsin. Mr. Witte has represented private and public clients in a full range of environmental matters in more than forty states and several countries, including in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, as well as in Canada.

Since graduating from Vermont Law School in 1989, where he received a J.D., cum laude, and a Masters of Studies of Environmental Law, magna cum laude, Mr. Witte has guided clients on cost-effectively complying with environmental laws, remediating contaminated properties, meeting the requirements of water, wetland, and stormwater regulations, and working through complex land use challenges. Mr. Witte has deep and varied experience in environmental due diligence and liability allocation in real estate and corporate transactions, financial reporting of environmental liabilities under Sarbanes Oxley and related SEC standards, defense of government and private party lead enforcement actions and, conversely, enforcement of environmental contractual rights against third parties, the development and redevelopment of environmentally sensitive and contaminated properties, including Brownfields, and siting and permitting of manufacturing facilities and renewable and traditional energy projects.

Mr. Witte builds trust with his clients and his clients’ technical environmental experts – through this approach of teamwork and communication, the clients’ interests are best served and the clients’ objectives are accomplished on time and on budget.

Mr. Witte is Vice Chair for the American Bar Association (“ABA”) Section of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources’ Energy Infrastructure and Siting Committee and Vice Chair for Technology for the ABA In House Counsel Committee. He is a past co-chair of the Environmental Law Section of the Milwaukee Bar Association, past Village Trustee and member of the Board of Zoning Appeals for the Village of Bayside, Wisconsin, and a past member of the Board of Directors for the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Bayside, Wisconsin. Mr. Witte currently co-chairs the Vermont Law School Dean’s Development Council and is a member of the Vermont Law School Environmental Advisory Committee. He is a member of Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan’s Executive Committee.

Mr. Witte has authored or co-authored dozens of articles on environmental topics, including:

• U.S.EPA’s Audit Policy: The Benefits of Coming Clean, ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources In-House Counsel Committee Newsletter, May 2012
• Energy Infrastructure and Siting, 2011 Annual Report, ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Year in Review
• Nonpoint Source Pollution, The Clean Water Act Handbook, Third Edition, American Bar Association, 2011
• Management and Protection of Environmental Contingent Liability Information Under FAS 141R-1, Environmental Disclosure Committee Newsletter, American Bar Association, December 2009
• Wetlands Rules Were For the Birds, The Real Estate Finance Journal, Summer 2001
• Environmental Lender Liability: Searching for Safe Harbors in the Wake of Kelley v. EPA, Wisconsin Environmental Law Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Spring 1994)

Mr. Witte was also interviewed for and quoted in “The Cost of Clean,” by Matt Miller, regarding new standards for environmental due diligence in corporate transactions, in The Deal magazine, Vol. 7, No. 5 (April 18, 2010).  In addition to writing, Mr. Witte frequently speaks on environmental
regulation topics at professional seminars and classes throughout the country.

Recognition of Mr. Witte’s practice capabilities and ethical standards include the following:

• AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating (2011)
• AV Peer Review Rating (2001 – 2010)
• Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business – recognized as a top lawyer in the State of Wisconsin for the area of Natural Resources and Environmental Law (2010-2011)
• Included on Wisconsin Super Lawyers® list (2009-2011)
• “The Best Lawyers in America” for Environmental Law (2006-2011)

Prior to joining Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan, Mr. Witte was a partner with Foley & Lardner LLP’s environmental law practice in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is licensed to practice in Wisconsin.

Education & Bar Admissions

Education

• Vermont Law School, Masters of Studies, Environmental Law, magna cum laude
• Vermont Law School, J.D., cum laude

Bar Admissions

• Wisconsin

In the News

• 11/14/2011 – Five Milwaukee Attorneys Named 2011 Wisconsin Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
• 6/20/2011 – Ned Witte has been recognized as a top lawyer
• 2/2/2011 – Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP transitions to a five person Executive Committee
• 11/12/2010 – Edward (Ned) B. Witte and Joseph M. Fasi II selected as Wisconsin Super Lawyers 2010.
• 6/30/2010 – Chambers USA recognizes Environmental Law Team Leader Ned Witte
• 4/2/2010 – Edward (Ned) B. Witte interviewed for an article entitled “The Cost of Clean” in the online magazine, The Deal
• 12/7/2009 – Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP Attorney Awards
• 10/25/2007 – Edward (Ned) B. Witte was selected to the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America