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  1. Professionals

Eleni Kouimelis

Partner

Chair, Environmental Law Practice

Chicago

+1 312-558-5133

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  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights & News

Eleni is chair of the firm’s nationally ranked Environmental Law Practice. Prior to joining Winston & Strawn in 1989, Eleni served as assistant regional counsel with USEPA Region 5, where she brought actions to enforce the air, water, and toxic statutes in judicial and administrative forums, and provided legal counseling and policy assistance to program clients in these areas.

Eleni focuses her practice on environmental issues that arise in a variety of contexts, including transactions, compliance counseling, and litigation. She provides compliance counseling to diverse industrial and manufacturing clients in all the environmental media, including designing and implementing audit and sustainability programs, strategic planning, and permitting. In addition, Eleni advises clients in the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated properties under both voluntary and government-mandated cleanups. Eleni also advises clients in corporate and real estate transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, financings, and securities offerings. She represents clients in environmental enforcement actions brought by federal, state, and local authorities in jurisdictions throughout the United States, and in private party litigation involving contaminated property.

Recent Experience

Cuadrilla Capital Acquires Gluware, Inc.
Winston Represented Revelstoke Capital Partners in Acquisition of NKMD MGMT, LLC
Court Square Capital Partners in its Definitive Agreement to Sell Advanced Diabetes Supply Group for US$1.1B
GenNx360 Capital Partners in the Sale of Miller Environmental Group
GenNx360 Capital Partners in its Acquisition of Shenandoah Industrial Solutions
Representing Chuy’s Holdings in its US$605M Sale to Darden Restaurants
Represented The Honey Pot Company Holdings, LLC, a leading better-for-you feminine care brand, in the sale of a controlling stake in the business to Compass Diversified (NYSE: CODI)
Frontenac Acquisition of Integrated Openings Solutions
Winston Represented MCE Holdings in Its Acquisition of Applied Industrial Controls and Engineered Systems Group
ISG Enterprises Acquisition of Apple
View All Related Matters

  • Recognized in The Legal 500 US for Environment: Litigation (2023–2024)
  • Listed in Chambers USA in Illinois Environmental Law from (2011–2024)
  • Named The Best Lawyers in America® “Lawyer of the Year” in Chicago for Environmental Law (2024)
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®for Environmental Law and Litigation – Environmental  (2009–2025)
  • Recognized in Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Energy Lawyers”  (2025)
  • Recognized in “The Lawdragon Green 500: The Leading Environmental Lawyers” (2024–2025)
  • Recognized in Lawdragon’s “500 Leading U.S. Environmental & Energy Lawyers”  (2021–2023)
  • Named to list of Notable Women in Law by Crain’s Chicago Business (2022)
  • Elected as a Fellow to The American College of Environmental Lawyers (2022)
  • Recognized in Euromoney’s 2021 Women in Business Law Expert Guide
  • Recognized in the 2021 Women in the Law edition of Best Lawyers®
  • Listed in Super Lawyers – Top 50 Women Lawyers in Illinois 2016 and 2020
  • Named an Illinois Super Lawyer every year since 2010
  • Honored by the Hellenic Bar Association in 2019 as “Lawyer of the Year” in recognition of outstanding leadership, commitment to excellence and service to the Greek-American community
  • Recognized by the United Hellenic Voters of America to be honored as “The Most Distinguished Greek-American of 2017” in Leadership
  • Presented with 2015 “Award of Appreciation” by the Hellenic American Organizations of Illinois for outstanding legal contributions to the Hellenic-American community
  • Featured in the 2014 issue of the Real Estate, Construction, and Environmental edition of Leading Lawyers Magazine in an article titled, “Environmental Lawyer Sees Her Practice as Driven Journey”
  • Recognized by Leading Lawyers Magazine in the 2012 Women’s Edition, as well as ranked among the Top 50 women attorneys
  • Recognized by Corporate Counsel and The American Lawyer magazines as a 2013 Top Rated Lawyer for Energy, Environmental, and Natural Resources

Eleni is a founding member and president of Hellenic Legal Assistance Services, a not-for-profit legal aid clinic. Eleni is a board member of the Hellenic Foundation and a board member of the Hellenic Bar Association Foundation. Eleni also serves on the Founded on the Rock Committee for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago.

Eleni is a pleasure to work with. She understands the law and the business aspects of the disputes.

Chambers USA

Capabilities

Environmental
Environmental Litigation & Enforcement
Insurance Litigation
Energy
Retail & Luxury

Recent Experience

Cuadrilla Capital Acquires Gluware, Inc.
Winston Represented Revelstoke Capital Partners in Acquisition of NKMD MGMT, LLC
Court Square Capital Partners in its Definitive Agreement to Sell Advanced Diabetes Supply Group for US$1.1B
GenNx360 Capital Partners in the Sale of Miller Environmental Group
GenNx360 Capital Partners in its Acquisition of Shenandoah Industrial Solutions
Representing Chuy’s Holdings in its US$605M Sale to Darden Restaurants
Represented The Honey Pot Company Holdings, LLC, a leading better-for-you feminine care brand, in the sale of a controlling stake in the business to Compass Diversified (NYSE: CODI)
Frontenac Acquisition of Integrated Openings Solutions
Winston Represented MCE Holdings in Its Acquisition of Applied Industrial Controls and Engineered Systems Group
ISG Enterprises Acquisition of Apple
View All Related Matters

Credentials

Education

Eleni received a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1985, where she was a member of the Loyola Law Review. She received a B.A. from the University of Illinois in 1982. 

    Admissions
    • Illinois
    Languages
    • Greek

    Related Insights & News

    • Eleni frequently speaks and writes articles on a variety of environmental subject areas.
    • Contributor, "ASTM E1527-21 Standard for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments," Lexis Practical Guidance, Aug. 2024
    • Eleni wrote the Environmental Disclosure Requirements chapter for Environmental Law in Illinois Corporate and Real Estate Transactions, published in 2007 (Co-author) and updated in 2016, as well as the Environmental chapter of Equipment Leasing–Leveraged Leasing published by the Practicing Law Institute in 1999 and 2004 (Co-author), most recently updated in 2014.
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    Capabilities

    Environmental
    Environmental Litigation & Enforcement
    Insurance Litigation
    Energy
    Retail & Luxury
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