Biography
Pamela E. Barker leads Lewis Rice’s Environmental Compliance Practice Group. With more than 25 years of experience practicing environmental law, Pamela is a nationally recognized leader in her field. She is the former chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources and currently serves in the ABA’s House of Delegates. Pamela is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL) where she is on the Member Selection Committee.
Pamela’s practice focuses on assisting clients with the environmental aspects of real estate and corporate transactions as well as regulatory compliance. She has significant experience in real estate development, including managing environmental due diligence, land acquisition, construction contracts, and leasing agreements. Her skills and knowledge in negotiating environmental terms for mergers and acquisitions have been invaluable to clients engaged in complex transactions. She has also managed the legal aspects of numerous brownfield redevelopment projects, worked with federal and state agencies on compliance and enforcement issues, and represented clients in environmental litigation.
Practice Areas
Education
- University of Wisconsin at Madison (J.D., magna cum laude)
- Dean's list, Dean's Outstanding Academic Award
- American Jurisprudence Award, Contracts
- Member, Wisconsin Law Review
- Order of the Coif
- Beloit College (B.A., cum laude)
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Mortar Board
Honors & Awards
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Missouri Lawyers Media Top 100 POWER List (2023, 2024)
- Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Environmental Law (2023)
- Missouri Lawyers Media The POWER List: Environmental and Energy Law (2022-2023)
Legal Background
- Chief environmental and regulatory counsel, assistant general counsel and assistant secretary, Appvion, Inc. (2014-2015)
- Executive director of environmental health and product safety, assistant general counsel and assistant secretary, Appvion, Inc. (2007-2013)
- Shareholder and co-chair of Environmental Energy Practice Group, Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. (1981-2007)
Professional Affiliations
- Fellow, Wisconsin Bar Foundation (2021-present)
- Fellow, ACREL (2017-present)
- House of Delegates, ABA (2017-present)
- Past chair, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
- Member, ABA Task Force on Sustainability Financial Disclosures (2016)
- Member, Board of Directors, Wisconsin Paper Council (2012-2015)
- Member, Board of Directors, Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council (2008-2015)
- Appointed court commissioner for the Honorable Dennis P. Moroney, Milwaukee County Circuit Court (2002-2016)
- Member, Board of Visitors, University of Wisconsin Law School
Admissions
- Missouri Bar
- Wisconsin Bar
