__My experience for over thirty years as an attorney has involved responding to, negotiating with and, where appropriate, litigating against administrative agencies on behalf of clients.  This work has caused me to deal with:

•    State agencies in several jurisdictions (e.g., Illinois EPA, Michigan DEQ and DNR, New York DEC, Texas TNRCC, and comparable agencies in CA, CT, IN, WI and other jurisdictions;
•    Different divisions with a given agency (e.g., those tasked with responsibility for wetlands and other natural resources, solid and hazardous waste, air permitting and compliance, underground storage tank regulation, and more);
•    Local district offices within an agency, located in different local jurisdictions within the state;
•    Several different regional offices of U.S. EPA; and
•    Other state and federal agencies (such as agriculture, food and drug, and more).

Working with agencies requires recognition of the agencies’ priorities, the pressures on agency personnel, the effect of the organizational structure of the agency in question, sensitivity to the fact that the client has other matters with the agency, and other aspects of administrative law and agency perspectives above and beyond the fundamental requirement of knowledge of the law.