Miriam E. Villani

Miriam E. Villani is Counsel with Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz Coschignano PLLC. Her practice focuses on all aspects of environmental law, including litigation, transactional matters, permitting, and regulatory and compliance proceedings. Ms. Villani represents and advises developers, corporations, municipalities, buyers, sellers, and lenders in transactions involving brownfields and other contaminated properties.

She also represents clients in environmental litigation in both federal and state courts and before administrative agencies. Her extensive experience and her knowledge of environmental law includes the New York State Environmental Conservation Law, the New York State Navigation Law, the wetlands acts, RCRA, TSCA, and CERCLA.

Ms. Villani began her legal career as an Assistant Regional Counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Prior to joining SWBK, She was counsel with environmental law practice groups at two prominent Long Island law firms, and was special environmental counsel to a global pharmaceutical company, where she managed complex environmental insurance litigation.

Ms. Villani has served as Chair of the Environmental and Energy Law Section of the New York State Bar Association where she also served with distinction as Editor-in-Chief of The New York Environmental Lawyer, a quarterly journal published by the New York State Bar Association. In addition, she is a past vice chair of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Environmental Law Committee. Ms. Villani has been published in several legal journals and books, and regularly teaches and speaks on environmental issues and the law.

Ms. Villani was selected to the New York Metro Super Lawyers list in the practice area of Environmental Law in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, 2020, and 2021. In 2011 and 2013, she was named as one of Long Island Business News’ Top 50 Most Influential Women.

Ms. Villani is admitted to practice in the State of New York and before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts.

Ms. Villani received her Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and her Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law.