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Mr. Hettinger concentrates his civil and criminal litigation practice in the area of environmental law. An experienced trial lawyer, he handles environmental litigation, including Superfund cases in which he represents generators in actions brought by the USEPA or by private parties to recover cleanup costs. His experience includes matters involving the IEPA, for example, clients accused of violating their NPDES permits, and manufacturers whose facilities are allegedly contaminated with hazardous substances.
He also handles environmental aspects of commercial and industrial real estate transactions, including the review and supervision of environmental audits. He counsels clients concerning their compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and advises buyers and sellers of real estate on problems relating to underground storage tanks, asbestos, potential land and groundwater contamination, radon gas, PCBs, and similar matters. He has revised an environmental compliance manual for a major Illinois industry organization.
Mr. Hettinger is also experienced in a broad range of civil litigation matters including commercial and tort cases. He also has a background in zoning litigation including the successful trial and appeal of cases involving the granting of a special use permit and variations.
Experience
Formerly Chief of the Environmental Control Division for the Illinois Attorney General, Mr. Hettinger supervised all civil environmental litigation brought by the State of Illinois against violators of state and federal environmental statutes and regulations. Attorneys under his supervision handled air, water and land cases pending in state and federal courts and before the Illinois Pollution Control Board. In his position as Chief of the Division, one of his primary responsibilities was to review and evaluate cases referred to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office for prosecution by the IEPA, and to work with the IEPA in those cases where prosecution was approved. He also participated in the actual litigation of various cases involving contamination of land and groundwater.
Mr. Hettinger was also Chief of the Public Utilities Division of the Attorney General’s Office, where he supervised telecommunication, electric and gas rate cases before the Illinois Commerce Commission and on appeal to state courts. In private practice, He has represented generators in federal Superfund cases and has participated in litigation involving state Superfund claims against the former owner of a facility allegedly contaminated with hazardous substances. He also defended the operator of a plating facility accused of felony violations for unlawful use and disposal of hazardous wastes.
Mr. Hettinger began his legal career as an assistant public defender, and then joined the Cook County State’s Attorney Office. He became a senior trial lawyer assigned to the Felony Trial Division where he tried numerous jury and bench trials, and was promoted to Chief of the Richard J. Daley Center Trial Courts with responsibility for supervision of 11 courts hearing criminal cases. Later he became Chief of the Criminal Appeals Division where he was responsible for all criminal appeals in the Illinois Supreme Court and the First District Appellate Court. He co-authored the appeals chapter of the Illinois Continuing Legal Education manual relating to the prosecution of criminal cases, and he recently authored an article on criminal law relating to the State’s Attorney’s use of state criminal statutes for workplace injuries or deaths.
Professional Associations
Recently served as member of the Executive Committee of the Chicago Bar Association's Judicial Evaluation Committee
Civic and Cultural Involvements
Active in his community as a manager of Arlington Heights Little League teams and as a baseball coach for the Arlington Heights Youth Basketball Association and Our Lady of the Wayside School.
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