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Daniel A. Fanning

Daniel A. Fanning

Senior Associate
Overview

After two years assisting and regulating various industries, Daniel applies his prior experience as a wastewater pretreatment coordinator to address clients’ environmental, real estate, and other regulatory issues.

With a background that spans environmental compliance, occupational health and safety, agricultural investments, and real estate transactions, Daniel helps clients navigate complex regulatory frameworks—whether that involves proactively building compliant programs, defending against enforcement actions, or providing advice for various transactional work.

Daniel regularly advises clients on a wide range of environmental matters, drawing on his deep familiarity with federal and state regulatory requirements. He assists businesses in understanding and meeting their obligations under environmental statutes and regulations, represents clients before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other regulatory bodies. He also has experience in permitting, reporting, and compliance inspections.

Daniel’s work has expanded to include occupational health and safety matters. He has assisted clients facing OSHA enforcement actions involving asbestos-containing materials (ACM)— helping clients not only address active enforcement proceedings but also review and develop the operational procedures and protocols necessary to manage ongoing construction, maintenance, and development activities in a compliant manner.

Daniel also counsels clients on matters arising under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA), including the preparation of required disclosures and advising on compliance strategy. When clients face enforcement matters under AFIDA, he draws on his regulatory background to provide practical, results-oriented representation.

Prior to joining the firm, Daniel served as a wastewater pretreatment coordinator at a treatment plant in Sauget, Illinois—an experience that grounded him in the realities of industrial compliance, pretreatment systems, and remediation projects. In that role, he oversaw the facility’s pretreatment program, reviewed pretreatment ordinances to assess their effectiveness, developed substantive comments in response to the EPA’s Dental Amalgam Rules, and participated in training on hazardous waste regulations. That experience continues to inform the practical, operations-aware perspective he brings to client representation today.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • Missouri Bar Pro Bono Wall of Fame, 2019-2020

Education

  • J.D., Southern Illinois University School of Law
    • cum laude
    • Dean’s List
    • Southern Illinois University Law Journal, Articles Editor
    • Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, Articles Editor
    • Teaching Assistant for Property Law
    • CALI Excellence Award: Legislative and Administrative Process, Contracts II, and Patent Practicum
  • B.S., Southern Illinois University
    • Civil Engineering, minor in Math

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • Illinois

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Missouri Bar Association
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, LGBTQ Committee Chair
  • Gateway Society of Hazardous Materials Managers
  • TechSTL, QueerTech Leadership Committee
2025 Pro Bono Contributor
Experience
  • Supported the greenfield development of utility-scale wind, solar and storage projects spanning Illinois, Minnesota, Washington, Colorado, and Iowa. Provided comprehensive real estate diligence and land agreement drafting and negotiations, which included providing legal analysis and recommendations to address unique landowner concerns and project requirements.
  • Updated and maintained the state-by-state client resource regarding restrictions on foreign interest in land. Oversaw team research and provided advice to client regarding specific application of state laws and the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act for client's operations across the United States. Assisted with federal and state disclosure filings for agricultural land owned or leased.
  • Provided environmental and permitting due diligence for the RWI acquisition of sporting company's operations in Georgia, Indiana, Pennsylvania, California, and Missouri.
  • Supported the greenfield development of a utility-scale solar project by assisting with securing land rights. Provided comprehensive real estate diligence and land agreement drafting and negotiations, which included providing legal analysis and recommendations to address unique landowner concerns and project requirements.
  • Coordinated and managed responses and negotiations with EPA regarding client's allocation in a CERCLA cleanup action.
  • Represented client in updating existing RCRA permit and negotiations with other parties regarding the allocation of liability under RCRA for historical contamination. Provided advice and coordinated consultants to assess the cost of remedial measures and continued compliance.
  • Coordinate and maintain the development of a state-by-state client resource regarding restrictions on foreign interest in land. Oversaw team research and provided advice to client regarding specific application of state laws and the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to project acquisitions.
  • Assisted with the hiring of consultants and assessments for various commercial buildings for asbestos contamination. Provided advice regarding the handling of historical asbestos, the development of an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Program, and other legal disclosure requirements for tenants.
  • Led the environmental and permitting due diligence for the equity purchase of multiple railroad companies. Project included the negotiations of the environmental provisions in the purchase agreement, coordinating multiple environmental consultants, and providing advice on the environmental and permitting risks in the acquisition.
  • Assisted with project development work for Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners for 18 months on Fighting Jays 476 MWdc solar project, originally developed by AP Solar Holdings, and assisted in CIP's tax equity financing of the project.
Outside the Office

Daniel stays active, whether cycling, hiking, running or participating on mission trips.

Daniel cycles and hikes in the St. Louis area and Madison County, Illinois, and is training to run a half-marathon. He also participates in Tough Mudders, a 10- to 12-mile obstacle course, and recently completed his fifth Tough Mudder competition.

Additionally, Daniel enjoys mission trips to Central America and South America. Most recently, he participated in a mission trip to Colombia sponsored by a Christian radio station and a mission trip to Honduras with Engineers Without Borders.

Community Leadership
  • Big Crank Cycling, Board of Directors