Brian O’Neill, Prominent Environmental Lawyer, Dies of ALS At 72
“He led the Minneapolis-based legal team at Faegre & Benson that distributed $1 billion to native Alaskans and fishermen affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill,” reports Jennifer Bjorhus in Star Tribune’s Local News.
“For nearly two decades, Brian O’Neill fought Exxon after the catastrophic 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska’s Prince William Sound.”
“The charismatic environmental lawyer led the Minneapolis-based legal team at Faegre & Benson that distributed $1 billion to thousands of native Alaskans and fishermen affected by the spill, a crusade chronicled in the book ‘Cleaning Up’ by Minnesota author David Lebedoff. It was a herculean chapter in O’Neill’s career. There were many others, including ones on wolves, bald eagles and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.”
“O’Neill died at his home in Minnetonka on May 6 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. He was 72.”