Linda Bochert

As a partner in the Land and Resources Practice Group at the law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich, Linda Bochert helps her clients establish and maintain effective working relationships with state and federal environmental regulatory agencies. She serves in various policy advisory roles to state agencies, including the Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Revenue. Her clients benefit from her unique understanding of the workings of regulatory agencies and her ability to develop mutually beneficial solutions to regulatory issues. Linda also co-chairs the firm's Sustainability Initiative.

Linda focuses her practice on environmental law and includes wastewater permitting, stormwater management, air permitting, wetlands regulation, navigable waters (Chapter 30 and Section 404) and Public Trust Doctrine issues, Green Tier certifications, and large facility, landfill, pipeline, transmission line, wind farm and power plant siting. She co-authors an annual survey of Wisconsin environmental law and is a principal co-author and co-editor of the Wisconsin Environmental Law Handbook, 4th edition, published in July 2007. Before joining Michael Best in 1991, Linda served in Wisconsin state government for 17 years with the Departments of Natural Resources and Justice in both legal and policy-making positions. She is a Founding Regent of the American College of Environmental Lawyers. Linda received the 2008 Honorary Recognition Award from the University of Wisconsin College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). She has been recognized by numerous publications for providing exceptional legal services, including: The Best Lawyers in America for Environmental Law (listed since 1993), Madison Magazine's survey of best environmental lawyers (voted each year by peers since 2001), In Business magazine's Annual Executive VIP Register (named in 2002, 2004-2008), Super Lawyers Magazine's Top 25 Female and Top 50 Wisconsin Lawyers since 2005 and Madison Magazine's "Leading Lawyer" as selected by TEMPO Madison, an executive women's organization, in 2006. Linda also enjoys downhill skiing, snow shoeing, golf, vegetable gardening and canning, jam and jelly making.

Linda is honored to contribute to AFFW by serving on the Executive Committee and providing personal and professional support to this organization that does such wonderful work for women and girls in the Dane County area. She encourages you to support AFFW by establishing an acorn or named fund or, as Linda has done, by naming AFFW in her will.