Professional Experience
Nancy Peterson has managed all environmental matters across the country for several corporate clients, including environmental compliance, risk evaluation and crisis management. She has negotiated environmental terms in corporate transactions throughout the United States and in Europe, and has consulted with the Institute for European Environmental Policy in London. Ms. Peterson also has extensive experience in resolving complex, multi-party pollution claims under environmental and insurance laws through negotiation, mediation and litigation. Ms. Peterson’s experience includes:
- Representing a paper company at a Superfund Megasite encompassing the cleanup of a 39-mile river as well as federal, state and tribal claims of natural resource damage to Lake Michigan.
- Representing Fortune 500 companies in the investigation and remediation of properties in fourteen states, and defending related toxic tort and cost recovery claims. She has served as group counsel or chaired responsible party groups at five sites.
- Negotiating and mediating with insurance carriers regarding historical pollution claims as well as placement of future coverage to facilitate business transactions.
- Working with manufacturers to assess and manage environmental liabilities in acquisition and divestiture transactions.
- Consulting with the Institute for European Environmental Policy in London.
- Chairing Quarles & Brady’s Diversity Committee from its inception in 2001 through October 2008.
Under Ms. Peterson's leadership, the firm has been recognized nationally for its diversity and mentoring programs, including ratings in the
2007/2008 Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms as #17 Best for Diversity, #10 Best in Diversity with Respect to Women and #1 in Informal Training and Mentoring, as well as a 2007 ranking as the #1 Family-Friendly Law Firm by Yale Law Women. Quarles & Brady was also awarded the 2007 Pathfinder Award by Professional Dimensions for our “Women in Leadership” initiatives which support and advance professional women in the firm, and the 2005 Corporate Diversity Award by the Chicago Council for Urban Affairs.
Education and Honors
- University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D., 1983)
Phi Kappa Phi. Order of the Coif. Articles Editor, Wisconsin Law Review, 1982-1983. Law Clerk to the Hon. Luther M. Swygert, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 1983-1984.
- University of Wisconsin (B.A., 1977)
Bar Admissions
Wisconsin,
1983
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1984
U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit, 1984
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin, 1983
Professional Recognition
- Named a Woman of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal (2008).
- Listed in The International Who's Who of Environment Lawyers (2005-present).
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® (1999-present: Environmental Law).
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Peer Review Rated.
- Selected for inclusion in the 2005-2009 Wisconsin Super Lawyers® lists (Environmental).
Professional and Civic Activities
State Bar of Wisconsin (Member).
American Bar Association (Member).
Milwaukee Bar Associations (Member).
U.S. Law Firm Group Women Lawyers Committee (Member).