Christine Rideout Schirra focuses her practice on environmental litigation and regulatory matters.

Christy Rideout Schirra is an experienced environmental attorney, focusing her practice on a wide range of environmental issues involving transactional, regulatory, and litigation-related advising. Christy advises clients on matters involving the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, hazardous and solid waste regulation under CERCLA and RCRA, underground storage tank regulations, and the Clean Air Act.

Christy regularly counsels clients on environmental compliance, permitting, and due diligence matters. Christy’s clients include both public and private entities, such as manufacturers, developers, midstream companies, oil and gas exploration and production companies, counties, and municipalities. Christy assists clients in navigating issues in business and real estate transactions, and in understanding the impacts of environmental rulemakings on businesses and industries. In addition to her transactional and regulatory practice, Christy handles all aspects of litigation in administrative, state, and federal courts, often involving enforcement defense, permitting appeals, and cost recovery matters. Christy also represents clients before the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and in oil and gas litigation and regulatory matters.

Before joining Bricker, Christy served as an Assistant Attorney General with the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, representing Ohio EPA on matters relating to water pollution control and drinking and ground water laws and rules. Christy also worked as a legal extern with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5 Office of Regional Counsel, and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio.

Education

Case Western Reserve University (J.D., cum laude, 2011); Publications Editor, Health Matrix: Journal of Law Medicine, 2010-2011

University of Michigan (B.A. with distinction in History and Spanish, 2007)

Distinctions

Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America (Litigation – Environmental), Columbus, Ohio, 2024

Listed, The Best Lawyers in America® – Litigation - Environmental (2022–2025)

Top Author, JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards, 2021

Professional Activities

Case Western Reserve University School of Law Coleman P. Burke Center for Environmental Law, Alumni Advisory Board Member (2021-present)

Ohio State Bar Association, Environmental Law Section, Secretary (2023-2025); past Treasurer (2021-2023)

Ohio Women's Bar Association Leadership Institute (2021-2022 Class)

Advisory Board Member, Institute for Energy Law

Women's Energy Network

Environmental Law Committee Chair, Columbus Bar Association, (2018-2019)

University of Michigan Alumni Club of Central Ohio (2012-present)

Co-Chair, Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Seminar, Ohio State Bar Association (2017)

Planning Committee Member, Barrister Leadership Program, Columbus Bar Association (2017)

Graduate, Barrister Leadership Program, Columbus Bar Association (2016)

Member, Ohio State Bar Association

Member, Columbus Bar Association

News

Resource Centers

Blog Posts

Speaking Engagements

Publications

Additional Items

• Speaker, “Environmental Law Hot Topics for Municipalities,” Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association (December 2024)
• Speaker, “Understanding ‘Forever Chemicals’: PFAS Regulation and Implications for Municipalities,” Ohio Municipal League (October 2024)

Christy is originally from the Toledo area and remains loyal to her Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan roots, but is pleased to now call Columbus home. Christy lives in Upper Arlington with her husband and two young daughters, who are a constant source of mischief, inspiration, and fun.