Gary Baise

Gary, a principal at OFW Law, who is also co-head of the litigation practice, specializes in Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) litigation as well as agricultural corporate governance issues. He has defended clients, including farm producers, in several of the leading wetlands enforcement cases under the CWA in federal courts. He has served as lead trial counsel for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO’s), port authorities, housing and commercial developers, municipalities, farm and construction equipment manufacturers, and chemical industries in defending them in federal and state courts in government enforcement activities and citizen suits. He serves as general counsel for U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), National Sorghum Producers (NSP), and also serves as outside counsel for the American Soybean Association (ASA).

He was the first Chief of Staff to the first US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator and subsequently became director of the EPA’s Office of Legislation. He served as executive assistant to the Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Associate Deputy Attorney General, and Acting Deputy Attorney General in the US Department of Justice.

Gary hails from Illinois and received his Juris Doctor from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. He served as Chairman of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board and Vice Chairman of the Virginia Water Control Board by appointment of the Governor of Virginia (2000-2004). He served as the only attorney on USDA’s Agricultural Air Quality Task Force during terms of his appointment. In addition, he writes a weekly column, Defending Agriculture, for FarmFutures.com.

Areas of Practice:

• Agriculture Law
• Environmental Law
• Corporate Governance

Bar Admission:

• Indiana, 1968
• District of Columbia, 1974
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1974

Education:

• Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1968
• Western Illinois University, Bachelor of Science, 1963

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Former Member
• American Bar Association
• Chicago Club
• District of Columbia Bar Association
• Fairfax County Republican Committee
• Farm Foundation (Trustee and Chairman)
• Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation
• Metropolitan Club
• Indiana State Bar Association
• Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. (2003-2004)
• Virginia State Water Control Board (Vice-Chairman) (2000-2004)
• Virginia State Air Pollution Control Board (2000-2004)
• Rated a Super Lawyer by Thompson Reuters Rating Service
• AV Rating by Martindale Hubbell