Quick Contact

Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes, P.C.
P.O. Box 7147
Chesterfield, MO 63006

Direct: (913) 396-0677
Main: (913) 387-1600
Fax: (913) 928-6739

Email: gschmittgens@rousepc.com
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Bar & Court Admissions

Illinois Bar, 1983
Missouri, 1982
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois

Education

  • Saint Louis University School of Law, J.D. 1982
  • University of Missouri-Saint Louis, M.A. 2014, Phi Sigma Alpha Honor Society for Political Science
  • MacMurray College, B.S. 1979, With Honors

 

Experience

Gene works with clients in all aspects of environmental law, including reporting, compliance, enforcement, administrative litigation, insurance, permitting, transportation requirements, and transactional issues arising out of the sale of real estate and businesses. He has experience in various state and federal environmental laws, CERCLA, TSCA, the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, NEPA and RCRA. He has helped clients at both the state and federal levels.  Gene is frequent lecturer and author on a wide variety of environmental issues and is the current editor of the Missouri Chapter in the Lexis/Nexis publication Brownfields Law and Practice. Gene is a current member and past chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section Council, as well as the immediate past Chair of the Association’s Business Advice Section Council. He is the Chair of the Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis’ Environmental Law Committee and a past Chair of the Regional Chamber and Growth Association’s Environmental Law Committee. He also is the current Chair of the Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Environments, Energy and Resources.  He also has been active in a number of other environmental law committees of various bar associations and civic groups and also an Assistant Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University of Law where he teaches a course on Environmental Due Diligence.

Areas of Practice

Activities and Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • The Missouri Bar
  • Habitat for Humanity Legal Committee, 1998-Present
  • House Leader, Habitat for Humanity, 1998-1999
  • Executive Board (Treasurer), Friends of the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments, 1992-1998
  • Governor’s Task Force on Environmental Amnesty, State of Illinois, 1994
  • Director’s Task Force of Small Business Environmental Compliance, State of Illinois, 1993
  • MacMurray College Alumni Board, 1984-1987, 1989-1992 President, 1990-1992, Vice President, 1989-1990, Recording Secretary, 1984-1986

Honors and Recognition

  • Elect to three year term to Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (“SEER”) of the American Bar Association, 2021
  • Selected as among The Best Lawyers in America
  • Chosen to become a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
  • Received highest attorney ranking from Martindale-Hubbell – AV Preeminent
  • Phi Sigma Alpha, 2013
  • Volunteer Service Award, Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments, 1996
  • Award of Merit, Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis, Young Lawyers Section, 1992
  • Who’s Who Among Rising Young Americans, 1991, 1992
  • Outstanding Young Men of America, 1987
  • Winner, Saint Louis University ATLA Trial Advocacy Competition, 1983
  • Who’s Who Among American Law Students, 1982
  • Fletcher J. Blackburn Award for Outstanding Work in the Field of Government, MacMurry College, 1979
  • Who’s Who Among American College and University Students, 1979
  • Truman Scholar Nominee, MacMurry College, 1976
  • Outstanding Freshman, MacMurry College, 1976

Publications

  • Schmittgens, Brownfields, Thumbnail Sketch of Environmental Law, ISBA, (2009, 2017)
  • Schmittgens, Environmental Audits, Thumbnail Sketch of Environmental Law, ISBA, (2009, 2017)
  • Schmittgens, All Appropriate Inquiry, Thumbnail Sketch of Environmental Law, ISBA, (2006, 2017)
  • Schmittgens, Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions, Thumbnail Sketch of Environmental Law, ISBA, (2006, 2017)
  • Schmittgens, Hazardous Waste Handling, Thumbnail Sketch of Environmental Law, ISBA, (2006, 2017)
  • Schmittgens, Brownfields, Environmental Law Deskbook, MoBar, (2002) (to be updated 2006, 2017)
  • Schmittgens and Edwards, Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions, 14 S. Louis Bar Journ. Vol. 1 (Summer, 1998)
  • Schmittgens, Eugene P. (1998). Brownfields. Missouri Environmental Law, Second Edition, Vol II., (pp20-1 – 20-52). Jefferson City: The Missouri Bar
  • Schmittgens and Burns, The Polluter Doesn’t Pay: Furrer v. Brown and the End of Congressional Intent, 3 Wis. U. Envt’l Law Journ. 1 (1996)
  • Schmittgens and Nelson, Lessons From Kindergarten: Recovering Remediation Costs under the Citizens’ Suit Provision of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 3 Missouri Envt’l Law and Policy Rev. 52 (1996)
  • Schmittgens, Notification and Fee Requirements of Title V of the Clean Air Act: Any Effect on the Administration of the Permit Program, 21 St. Louis Lawyer 8 (April, 2991)

Presentations

  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, MoBar/MoChamber, 2016
  • Illinois Environmental Law Conference, Illinois State Bar Association, 2016
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, MoBar/MoChamber, 2015
  • Illinois Environmental Law Conference , Illinois State Bar Association, 2015
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, MoBar/MoChamber, 2014 (Conference Chair)
  • Illinois Environmental Law Conference, Illinois State Bar Association, 2014
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, MoBar/MoChamber, 2013 (Conference Chair)
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, MoBar/MoChamber, 2012
  • Illinois Environmental Law Conference , Illinois State Bar Association, 2012
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, MoBar/MoChamber, 2011
  • Illinois Environmental Law Conference, Illinois State Bar Association, 2011
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, MoBar/MoChamber, 2010
  • Environmental Issues in Mergers and Acquisitions, Illinois State Bar Association, 2010
  • Environmental Due Diligence Illinois State Bar Association, 2010
  • Real Estate Development From Beginning to End, Lorman 2008
  • The Development Approval Process, Lorman 2008
  • Stormwater, Stormwater Legal Issues, Lorman 2007
  • Annual Real Estate Institute, Infrastructure for Real Estate Development, Missouri Bar, 2007
  • Environmental Issues in Commercial Transactions, Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions, Lorman, 2006
  • Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions, All Appropriate Inquiry, Illinois State Bar Association, 2006
  • Annual Real Estate Institute, Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions, Missouri Bar, 2006
  • Environmental Conference at eh Lake, All Appropriate Inquiry, MoBar/MoChamber, 2006 Stormwater, Enforcement, Lorman, 2006
  • Environmental Issues in Commercial Transactions, Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions, Lorman, 2006
  • Environmental Issues In Real Estate Transactions, All Appropriate Inquiry, Illinois State Bar Association, 2006
  • Annual Real Estate Institute, Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions, Missouri Bar, 2006
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, All Appropriate Inquiry, MoBar/MoChamber, 2006
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, All Appropriate Inquiry, MoBar/MoChamber, 2005
  • Illinois Environmental Law Conference, Brownfields, Illinois State Bar Association, 2001
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, Waste 101, MoBar/MoChamber, 2000
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, One Person Environmental Shop, MoBar/MoChamber, 1999
  • Environmental Conference at the Lake, Waste 101, MoBar/MoChamber, 1999
  • National Business Institutes, Missouri Water Law, St. Louis, Missouri, 1997
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions, St. Louis, Missouri 1997
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Brownfields, St. Louis, Missouri 1996
  • Missouri Bar Association, Citizens’ Suits, Jefferson City, Missouri, 1995
  • Training Resources Affecting Mining XXI, Developing an Environmental Compliance Plan for Your Mine, College Station, Pennsylvania
  • Southern Illinois Environmental Managers Association, Overview of the Environmental Regulation of Illinois Business, Herrin, Illinois, 1993
  • Training Resources Affectin Mining XX, Environmental Regulation in Mining, Lexington, Kentucky, 1993
  • Missouri Bar Association, Clean Air Act Issues, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri (Program Co-Chair), 1993
  • AAIM Management Association, Managing Regulatory Encounters, 1993
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Environmental Science for the Technical Amateur, St. Louis, Missouri, (Program Chair), 1993
  • Southwestern Illinois Industrial Association, Environmental Risk Management, Alton, Illinois, 1992
  • American Bar Association, Affiliate Outreach Program, Planning a Successful Continuing Legal Education Program, Cleveland, Ohio, 1992
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Introduction to Environmental Law, Clean Air Act, St. Louis, Missouri, (Program Chair), 1992
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Annual Environmental Law Update; Illinois Clean Air Act Issues, St. Louis, Missouri, 1991
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Handling Inspection by Regulatory Agencies, St. Louis, Missouri, 1991