Kim E. Ferraro, Founder & Executive Director

LEAF was established by attorney, Kim E. Ferraro to empower Indiana citizens with legal resources needed to fight polluting industry and complicit regulatory agencies.

Before earning her JD from Valparaiso University School of Law, Ms. Ferraro was a litigation paralegal for  20 years and was inspired by attorneys  who were able to achieve social justice by forcing powerful corporate and government entities to answer for their action in a court of law. As an environmental activist, she recognized that these same entities can and should be held accountable for causing and allowing ever increasing toxic pollution to degrade our air, land and water with serious implications for human health. 

During law school, she received several scholarships and awards including the Dean W. Kohlhoff Memorial Award for Excellence in Environmental Law, the Corpus Juris Secundum Award, and the Charles R. Gromley Scholarship that was given to one member of the class of 2007 for outstanding academic achievement and community service. Also while in law school, Ms. Ferraro clerked for the U.S. EPA Region 5 Office of Regional Counsel, the City of South Bend Legal Department and Lake County Superior Court Judge, John Pera. Finally, Ms. Ferraro was an elected officer of the Valparaiso Environmental Law Society, a teaching assistant in the law school’s legal writing program and graduated in the top quarter of her class.

Since founding LEAF, Ferraro has earned the respect of the environmental community and legal profession. In 2008, the Hoosier Environmental Council named her "Legal Advocate of the Year" for "her exceptional commitment to provide legal counsel to Northwest Indiana communities facing great environmental challenges and limited financial resources." In 2009, Ms. Ferraro was one of 15 Indiana lawyers honored by the Indiana Lawyer as an "Up and Coming Lawyer" for her contribution to the legal profession and community and her demonstrated "Leadership in Law."

ADMITTED:

Supreme Court of Indiana
Supreme Court of Illinois
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

Indiana State Bar Association
Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
Illinois State Bar Association
Chicago Bar Association
American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy & Resources Law
National Association of Women Lawyers

Contact Email:  kim.ferraro@leafindiana.org

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