Overview

Sam Dykstra is an environmental partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, whose work has earned him a listing on Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2026 in Environmental Law. He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 with testimonials commending his “good judgment” and “broad knowledge base.”

Sam advises private equity firms, strategic clients and financial institutions on a broad spectrum of environmental issues in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, real estate deals and other transactional contexts. He leverages a sophisticated understanding of domestic and international environmental legal regimes to help clients achieve regulatory compliance and satisfy their risk management goals. Sam has significant experience with negotiating environmental contractual provisions and conducting due diligence, including retaining and working with engineers and other technical consultants. Additionally, he has advised clients in litigation, environmental insurance and permitting matters.

Sam has worked successfully with clients and targets across a wide array of industries, including but not limited to the manufacturing and distribution of chemicals, industrial equipment, electronic components, plastics, pharmaceuticals, food products, cosmetics and other products; transportation and logistics; healthcare; hospitality; agriculture; retail; REITs; real estate development; energy exploration and transmission; carbon capture and sequestration; and environmental and other professional services.

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Thought Leadership

Recent Publications

Co-Author, “PFAS Update: EPA Proposes National Standard to Regulate PFAS in Drinking Water,” Kirkland Alert, March 20, 2023.

Co-Author, “PFAS Update: European Chemicals Agency Publishes Proposal That Would Ban or Severely Restrict the Manufacture, Use and Marketing of Thousands of Broadly Used Man-Made PFAS Chemicals,” Kirkland Alert, February 15, 2023.

Co-Author, “Environmental Diligence During a Pandemic Lockdown: Examining the Permissibility of Environmental Site Visits under Covid-19 Stay-at-Home Orders,” Fried Frank, April 28, 2020.

Co-Author, “Expert Analysis: Navigating The Many Risks of PFAS In M&A Transactions,” Law360, January 23, 2019.

Contributor, "Chapter 4: Environmental Disclosure," The Year in Review 2018, ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, 2018.

Recognition

Named in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Environmental Law, 2026

Named as one of the “500 Leading U.S. Environmental Lawyers” by Lawdragon, 2025

Recognized in The Legal 500 United States for Environment: Transactional, 2023–2025

Memberships & Affiliations

Adjunct Professor of Law, NYU School of Law

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2014New York
  • 2020Pennsylvania
  • 2013New Jersey

Courts

  • United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

Education

  • Seton Hall University School of LawJ.D.cum laude2013
  • Wheaton CollegeB.A., Political Sciencemagna cum laude2009
    Phi Beta Kappa