Dennis Birke concentrates primarily on environmental law, including Superfund-related litigation, regulatory compliance, and environmental aspects of corporate, real estate, and lending transactions. An experienced litigator in state and federal courts, he has represented clients in matters involving business, insurance, energy, telecommunications, and utility law. Mr. Birke is chairperson of the law firm's Environmental Practice Group. Because of his work, Mr. Birke has been designated a Wisconsin Super Lawyer by Law & Politics magazine, and named to the national publication The Best Lawyers in America.
Mr. Birke distinguished himself early, when, as a law student at Washington University, he was named editor-in-chief of Journal of Urban and Contemporary Law. He later served as law clerk for the Honorable Warren D. Welliver of the Supreme Court of Missouri from 1983 to 1985.
In addition to his active roles in several professional associations, Mr. Birke is a board of directors member and legal counsel for the Olbrich Botanical Society. He is also an active member of the First Unitarian Society of Madison where he has served as president.
Mr. Birke has recently represented clients with these types of matters:
- Multimillion dollar cost recovery lawsuits involving Superfund, landfill, and other contaminated sites.
- Represented telecommunications firms in ongoing regulatory proceedings before the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and in federal and state courts.
- Successfully represented an independent power producer in proceedings to secure governmental permits and approvals necessary for the construction of an electric generating facility.
- Represented owners and operators of leaking underground storage tank sites regarding remediation and closure standards and claims and administrative appeals involving the Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award (PECFA).
- A complex commercial arbitration involving a multimillion dollar contract for software implementation at a property and casualty insurance company.
- Served as environmental counsel to a lender in complex loan transactions involving environmentally impacted properties.