Education

• Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 1986
• University of Michigan, B.A., 1982

Bar Admissions

• Illinois

Court Admissions

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• Federal Trial Bar, Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

• Alliance Française de Chicago
• North American Lake Management Society
• Society of Women Environmental Professionals
• LEED® Green Associate, U.S. Green Building Council – Chicago Chapter
• Co-Chair, ABA's Endangered Species Committee

• Trial counsel for a major Midwest stone quarry in a federal Clean Water Act case seeking over $100 million in damages.
• Trial counsel for aggregate’s company at Illinois Pollution Control Board in connection with alleged landfill violations of licensee.
• Trial counsel for owner of investment properties in connection with private cost recovery action under federal CERCLA.
• Environmental counsel to major client with respect to potential real estate acquisition including concerns about endangered species, wetlands, historical contamination and archaeological sites.
• Environmental counsel to client purchasing assets from bankrupt estate of national clothing distributor.
• Environmental counsel to major aggregate production company with respect to potential sale.
• Litigation/environmental counsel to purchasers in connection with numerous multi-million dollar acquisitions of trailer company, agricultural machinery company and aggregates resources.
• Trial counsel for furniture manufacturer in dispute concerning sales representation, marketing and antitrust issues.
• Trial counsel for trailer manufacturer in multi-million dollar dispute with supplier and customer over issues of warranty, contract and misrepresentation.
• Trial counsel for regulated electric utility in arbitration seeking damages in excess of $40 million for alleged breach of electric power marketing contract.

• Gould & Ratner Represented JJD Management in the Acquisition of Metaltec, October 20, 2022
• Gould & Ratner Represented CC Industries in the Acquisition of Central Indiana Ethanol, December 22, 2021
• Karin O’Connell Appointed Co-Chair for ABA’s Endangered Species Committee, August 3, 2020
• Karin O’Connell Appointed Vice Chair of Membership for ABA’s Endangered Species Committee, July 30, 2019

• Karin O'Connell Presented at ABA Endangered Species Committee Forum, December 10, 2020
• Karin O'Connell Discussed the Endangered Species Act in ABA SEER Essentials Webinar, August 27, 2019

• Illinois Supreme Court Finds Insurance Coverage for Alleged Violations of BIPA , May 24, 2021
• Policyholders See New Developments in COVID-19 Case Law , November 10, 2020
• More Hope for Insureds Experiencing COVID-19 Losses , September 30, 2020
• Coverage for COVID-19: How Are Insurance Policyholders Faring So Far With Claims and Litigation? , September 24, 2020
• Suburb's Citizens Out of Luck Against Contractor's Insurer for Contaminated Water , September 21, 2020
• Illinois to Test For PFAs in Drinking Water , September 15, 2020
• Private Permitting of “Take” of Endangered Species Under Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act: The Habitat Conservation Plan , American Bar Association: Section of Environment, Energy and Resources , May 7, 2020
• U.S. Supreme Court Expands Permit Requirements for Groundwater Discharge , April 28, 2020
• Here Today, Gone Tomorrow? Rules Changing How Endangered Species Act is Applied , August 13, 2019
• Greening Existing Buildings , GR Environmental Update , January 2011
• The Illinois Radon Awareness Act , GR Review , December 2007

• Freeman United Coal Min. Co. v. Director, Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs, U.S. Dept. of Labor, 94 F.3d 384 (7th cir. 1996)
• Freeman United Coal Min. Co. v. Hunter, 82 F.3d 764 (7th Cir. 1996)
• Freeman United Coal Min. Co. v Hilliard, 65 F.3d 667(7th Cir. 1995)
• Freeman United Coal Min. Co. v. Cooper, 965 F.2d 443 (7th Cir. 1992)
• Hawkins v. Director, Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs, 907 F.2d 697 (7th Cir. 1990)
• Freeman United Coal Min. Co. v. Benefits Review Bd., U.S. Dept. of Labor, 909 F.2d 193 (7th Cir. 1990)
• Elipas Enterprises, Inc. v. Silverstein, 243 Ill.App.3d 230, 612 N.E.2d 9 (1st Dist. 1993)
• Luminall Paints, Inc. v. LaSalle Nat. Bank, 220 Ill.App.3d 796, 581 N.E.2d 191 (1st Dist. 1991)
• Premium Plastics v. LaSalle Nat. Bank, 904 F.Supp. 809, 26 Evtl. L. Rep. 20,681 N.D.Ill (1995)

The Development Approval Process in Illinois – Regulatory Concerns Related To Development, August 2006