Eugene E. Smary, a partner at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, has been elected a fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers.
Smary, who concentrates his practice in environmental and natural resources law, is the first Michigan attorney to be elected as a fellow to the college. ACOEL is a professional association formed with the goal of bringing together lawyers by their experience and high standards in the practice of environmental law.
Fellowship in ACOEL is by invitation only to distinguished, private-sector environmental attorneys who are recognized by their peers as pre-eminent in their field. Fifty environmental lawyers from throughout the country were inducted this year.
"We are gratified that Gene's peers have acknowledged his exceptional work in environmental law with this recognition," said Douglas E. Wagner, managing partner of Warner Norcross. "It is a tremendous honor to be elected to the American College of Environmental Lawyers and is a testament to Gene’s skills and expertise in his practice area."
Smary has more than 25 years of experience in environmental and natural resources law, representing individuals, corporations, municipalities and trade associations. He is the past chair of the American Bar Association’s 10,000-member Section of Environment, Energy and Resources and currently serves as its liaison to foreign and international bar associations.
He is also the past chair of the Environmental Law Sections of the State Bar of Michigan and the Grand Rapids Bar Association. He writes and lectures frequently in the United States and Canada on many environmental subjects, and has taught environmental law as an adjunct associate professor of law at the University of Notre Dame Law School.
Smary has also been recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America since 1991. He has also been recognized by The International Who’s Who of Environment Lawyers, The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, Super Lawyers and Euromoney's Guide to the World’s Leading Environment Lawyers. Additionally, he is a fellow of both the Michigan State Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation.
Smary holds a bachelor of arts in political science from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, and a master's degree and a doctor of jurisprudence cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, where he was note and comment editor for the Notre Dame Law Review. Prior to joining Warner Norcross in 1976, he served as a law clerk for the Hon. John A. Danaher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
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About Warner Norcross & Judd
Warner Norcross & Judd LLP is one of the leading law firms in Michigan. With more than 220 attorneys in Grand Rapids, Southfield, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Holland and Muskegon, Warner Norcross is a full-service provider of legal services. Nearly half of our partners are listed in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Warner Norcross was also named the best corporate law firm in West Michigan by Corporate Board Member magazine for the third year in a row. Warner Norcross has been recognized as a national leader in client service among law firms by BTI Consulting, as one of the nation’s leading employment law firms by Workforce Management, as one of the 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For in both West Michigan and Metro Detroit and as one of the Best Michigan Businesses by Corp! Magazine. The Firm represents local, statewide, regional, national and international clients in all areas of business and civil law.