Ed Cohen focuses his national litigation practice on addressing and resolving complex lawsuits, most of which involve environmental issues. He is particularly known for his work defending against federal and state environmental enforcement actions and citizen suits across the country. Offering multiple decades of experience, he also works with clients to prevent or mitigate potentially challenging environmental issues.
Ed served as lead counsel on one of the largest vapor intrusion class actions in the country, as well as one of the largest Brownfields developments in the Chicago area. He has handled a wide range of multi-party environmental lawsuits, including Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, CERCLA (Superfund) and RCRA cases, and disputes involving indoor air quality, groundwater issues, underground storage tanks and various toxic torts. Ed also regularly handles matters before various environmental agencies and commissions, including the Illinois Pollution Control Board.
A number of Ed’s largest environmental matters arose from and/or included insurance coverage, class action, and contract issues, for which he draws upon his broader general business litigation background.
Handling large, complex lawsuits strategically, effectively and efficiently are hallmarks of Ed’s years of litigation work. In addition, he recently has resumed his work as a mediator. Ed speaks regularly about environmental topics, including before the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois.
Professional
- Chemical Industry Council of Illinois
- Missouri Bar Environmental and Energy Law Committee
- Past Chair
- American Bar Association
- Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
- Tort and Insurance Practice and Litigation Sections
- Environmental Litigation Committee
- The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
- Prior Chair and Co-chair, ARCH Committee
- Former Chair, Young Lawyers’ Section
- United States Arbitration & Mediation
- Arbitration Panel
- American Arbitration Association
- Formerly on Panel of Neutrals
- Pinnacle Arbitration & Mediation Services
- Formerly on Panel of Neutrals
Community
- Washington University Alumni
- Board of Governors, 2011-2017
- Trailnet Past Member
- Board of Directors
- MERS/Missouri Goodwill Industries Past Member
- Board of Directors, Executive Committee
- Leadership St. Louis Class of 2005-06
- Washington University School of Law Alumni Association
- Past President
- ABA High School Peer Mediation
- Project Past Instructor
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) 150 Bike Ride
- “Lifetime” Rider/Fundraiser
- Chambers USA (2009-2024 by Chambers & Partners)
- The Best Lawyers in America (2012-2025, including 2024 and 2015 “Lawyer of the Year for Litigation – Environmental” for St. Louis and 2017 “Lawyer of the Year for Environmental Law” for St. Louis by BL Rankings)
- Listed in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers (by Thomson Reuters), 2005-2020
- Top 50 Lawyers in St. Louis, 2011-2012
- Listed in Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Environmental Law (by Lawdragon Inc. ©), 2023-2024
- Co-Author, “How the Atlantic Richfield Decision May Impact the EPA Model Consent Decree Template”
Thompson Coburn Insights, May 29, 2020 - Co-Author, “EPA Reveals First 10 Chemicals to be Reviewed Under a More Robust Toxic Substances Act”
Thompson Coburn Insights, December 2016 - Author, “REACH – Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals: An Overview of the EU’s New Directive”
Thompson Coburn LLP, 2007 - Co-Author, “New EU Regulations Cover Wide Range of Electrical Products”
Midwest In-House, July 2006 - Co-Author, “The Supreme Court Severely Limits Cost Recovery Options for Environmental Cleanups”
Midwest In-House, January 2005 - “Litigation Involving Mold Problems is on the Rise”
Thompson Coburn LLP Envirobrief, 2002 - “Mold: Common Questions and Answers”
American Bar Association Section of Real Property Probate & Trust Law, “E Dirt” Electronic Newsletter, December 2002 - Co-Author, “Challenging Agency Enforcement Actions: New Developments and Some Not-So-Common Approaches”
The St. Louis Bar Journal, Summer 1998
- “Citizens Get Active – Vapor Intrusion, Environmental Justice, and Emerging Litigation”
Co-Presented with Eric E. Boyd, The Chemical Industry Council of Illinois Hot Topics Program; Chicago, IL; June 2019 - “Citizen Suits – What Does This Mean to Your Company?”
The Chemical Industry Council of Illinois and the Gateway Society of Hazardous Materials Managers; October 2017 - “How to Prevent Your Project From Being Stopped by a Citizen’s Group Lawsuit: The Story Behind the Story of the RTC Southwest Connector Litigation”
APWA Nevada Chapter, 2017 Fall Conference; September 2017 - “Vapor Intrusion: Federal Illinois and Missouri Issues”
The Chemical Industry Council of Illinois and Gateway Society of Hazardous Materials Managers, St. Louis, MO, September 10, 2015 - “Environmental Litigation and Compliance: Things to Remember to Avoid Environmental Disputes”;
Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago, Chicago, IL, February 20, 2014 - “Brownfields: How to Get Off on the Right Foot”
Illinois Tax Increment Association Fall Conference, Chicago, IL, October 18, 2012 - “Environmental Litigation and Compliance”
Miscellaneous Locations, Tokyo, Japan, October 2012 - “REACH”– Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals: Annual Update on the EU’s “New” Directive”
The Chemical Industry Council of Illinois, Chicago, IL, February 20, 2014 - “Nuisance Suits in the Environmental Context: Are They Just A ‘Nuisance’ or Something More Substantial?”
2011 Missouri Environmental Conference at the Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, July 28, 2011 - “Enforcement and Citizen Suits”
The Chemical Industry Council of Illinois, January 27, 2011 - “Managing Legal and Communication Issues in Environmental Emergencies”
2009 Missouri Environmental Conference at The Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Osage Beach, MO, July 31, 2009 - “Expert Witness Admissibility”
2009 National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators Regional Seminar, April 14, 2009 - “Hot Legal Topics”
2008 Missouri Environmental Conference at The Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Osage Beach, MO, July 31, 2008 - “REACH– Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and restriction of Chemicals: An Overview of the EU’s New Directive”
The Chemical Industry Council of Illinois, Chicago, IL, April 9, 2008 - “Environmental Law Update”
2006 Missouri Environmental Conference at The Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Osage Beach, MO, July 27, 2006 - “Environmental Caselaw Update”
Missouri Bar Association, Jefferson City, MO, November 18, 2005 - “Mold Litigation: Who is being sued, Why and What can you do about it?”
St. Louis, MO, January 9, 2004; March 19, 2004
I am a lifelong cyclist. My bike is almost always in my car. I especially enjoy participating in long fundraising rides, and am a “Lifetime” Rider/Fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis 150 Bike Ride.