Sara Peterson has been advising and representing clients on environmental regulatory compliance issues and environmental and regulatory aspects of transactions for over fifteen years. After working in a large Minneapolis law firm for ten years, Sara founded Parkway Law in 2011. Sara has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Minnesota Law & Politics magazine in 2008, 2009, and 2014, and as a “Super Lawyer” in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 for her environmental and regulatory law practice. 

Sara’s environmental and regulatory expertise covers a wide range of substantive issues. She commonly assists clients on matters related to:

  • cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated property 
  • chemical regulation  
  • sustainability issues  
  • hazardous and solid waste  
  • hazardous substance release reporting 
  • wastewater discharge 
  • stormwater permitting and compliance 
  • environmental review
  • environmental insurance, and 
  • occupational safety and health.

Sara represents and counsels clients on: 

  • environmental and regulatory aspects of corporate, real estate and commercial transactions 
  • environmental regulatory compliance, permitting and enforcement matters 
  • managing and resolving legacy environmental liabilities, and environmental and regulatory audits and risk management 
  • Counsel and represent private company client in negotiations with U.S. EPA, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and potentially responsible parties in conducting cleanup and allocating costs and responsibilities at federal and state Superfund site for purposes of commercial redevelopment.
  • Counsel public company client on environmental risks of acquiring manufacturing facility with known solvent contamination migrating off-site. Oversee environmental due diligence, negotiate environmental agreements and insurance policy to mitigate risks.
  • Represent and advise chemical company on compliance with Toxic Substances Control Act, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, and related regulations; advise on U.S. contracting aspects of and coordinate with European Union counsel on U.S.-headquartered company’s compliance with the European Union’s Regulation on Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (“REACH”).
  • Advise and represent manufacturer conducting environmental audit of its facility under state self-audit program.
  • Represent metal finishing client in responding to notices of violation issued by federal, state and local regulators for alleged hazardous waste management and wastewater discharge non-compliance, negotiate settlement agreement resolving same.
  • Chair, Board of Directors, Minnesota Brownfields, 2014-2015
  • Chair, Minnesota State Bar Association Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Section, 2011-2012
  • Chair, Board of Directors, CornerHouse Child Abuse Evaluation & Training Center, 2013
  • Admitted to the Minnesota State Bar, State Courts of Minnesota
  • Adjunct Professor, University of Minnesota Law School, 2008-2015, Stanley V. Kinyon Adjunct Teacher of the Year, 2013
  • Elected to Lambda Alpha International, a global land economic society, in 2015
  • J.D., 2000, Duke University School of Law, James A. Bell Scholar
  • B.S., 1995, University of Michigan, Angell Scholar