Jonathan E. Kidwell
Overview
Jonathan Kidwell is a leader in Kirkland’s Environmental Practice. Honored as a “Rising Star” by Law360, Jonathan is recommended in The Legal 500 U.S. as “among the most commercial environmental attorneys in the market.” Jonathan’s clients rely on him to identify and manage complex environmental compliance and liability issues, primarily in the context of corporate mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, bankruptcies, financing transactions and real estate investments. Jonathan has particular experience in the energy (conventional and renewable), waste management, manufacturing, chemical and mining sectors and his work has included hundreds of successfully closed deals in a wide range of commercial transactions and several high-profile bankruptcy matters. Jonathan routinely identifies and assesses environmental risks and liabilities, coordinates due diligence, negotiates with regulatory agencies, manages consultants and technical experts, drafts and negotiates contracts and agreements, coordinates lender issues, negotiates environmental insurance coverage, coordinates environmental regulatory approvals and pursues resolution of regulatory compliance and environmental liability issues. Jonathan also has substantial experience advising clients on environmental regulatory risks and trends, managing cleanups, permitting and navigating enforcement actions. Through the Practice, Jonathan maintains a worldwide network of environmental consulting and insurance and legal professionals to provide his clients with all necessary resources during or following their transactions or restructurings.
Jonathan is recognized in The Legal 500 U.S. for Environment: Transactional for 2017–2020.
Experience
Representative Matters
Jonathan counsels a broad range of clients including private equity firms and public companies on environmental compliance and liability issues, and has extensive experience in the following industries: conventional and renewable energy; upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas; waste management, treatment and disposal; manufacturing; automotive, aerospace and transportation; chemicals; paper and packaging; consumer care products; food production and services; and pharmaceuticals.
Energy and Mining
- Waterfield Midstream LLC, a provider of water midstream infrastructure solutions in the Permian Basin, on the sale of all of its assets to Stonehill Environmental Partners.
- Summit Midstream Partners, LP in the financing for the development of the Double E Pipeline Project.
- ArcLight Clean Transition Corp., in a $1.6 billion transaction that will lead to Proterra Inc, an innovator in commercial vehicle electrification technology, becoming publicly listed.
- EQT Corp. (NYSE: EQT) in its $735 million acquisition of Chevron USA’s upstream and midstream assets in the Appalachian Basin.
- Chesapeake Energy Corporation (a premier oil and natural gas exploration and production company) and 40 of its subsidiaries in their Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
- Covia Holdings Corporation (a provider of diversified mineral-based and material solutions for global energy and industrial markets) and certain of its affiliates in connection with Covia’s prearranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
- Blackbuck Resources, a portfolio company of Cresta Fund Management, in its acquisition of Cimarex Energy Co.’s Whites City produced water gathering and disposal infrastructure system in Eddy County, New Mexico and execution of a long-term produced water management agreement with Cimarex encompassing more than 40,000 acres.
- National Fuel Gas Company and affiliates Seneca Resources Company, LLC, NFG Midstream Covington, LLC and National Fuel Gas Midstream Company, LLC on the acquisition of all of Shell’s right, title and interest in certain upstream and midstream assets located primarily in Pennsylvania for an approximate purchase price of $541 million.
- BCE-Mach III LLC – acquisition of Alta Mesa Holdings, LP and its subsidiaries’ upstream oil and gas assets and Kingfisher Midstream, LLC and its subsidiaries’ midstream assets as part of the 363 sales process of the debtor sellers.
- Magnetar Capital in its up to $250 million preferred equity investment in WaterBridge Holdings, as part of an equity capital raise involving Five Point Energy, an affiliate of GIC and WaterBridge management to fund strategic acquisitions of water infrastructure from Primexx Energy Partners, Tall City Exploration III and Jetta Permian.
- TPG on its preferred equity investment in Summit Midstream Partners, proceeds of which will be used to fund capital contributions to Double E Pipeline.
- Murray Energy Holdings Co. (the largest privately-owned coal company in the United States) and certain of its subsidiaries in their Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
- Westmoreland Coal Company (the sixth largest North American coal producer) and certain of its affiliates for environmental matters in Chapter 11 restructuring.
- Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. on its decision to acquire the Williston Basin properties of VEN Bakken, LLC for $310 million.
- HG Energy II Appalachia LLC on its agreement to sell certain producing gas assets to Diversified Gas & Oil Corp. for approximately $400 million.
- KKR/Venado Oil and Gas, LLC in its $300 million acquisition of certain of EXCO Resources, Inc.’s oil and natural gas properties in South Texas.
- Blackstone on its acquisition with Sanchez Energy Corp. of Anadarko Petroleum Corp.’s working interest in approximately 318,000 gross acres in the Western Eagle Ford for approximately $2.3 billion.
Waste Management
- Macquarie Infrastructure Partners in its acquisition of Wheelabrator Technologies Inc., the second largest U.S. waste-to-energy business.
- Kinderhook Industries in its:
- acquisition of Chemtron Corporation, a leading hazardous waste management provider in the Midwest
- Chemtron’s add-on acquisition of Vexor Technology, a provider of non-hazardous waste processing services and alternative energy products
- acquisition of Gold Medal Enviro Services, a waste and recycling services company
- acquisition of Intergulf Corp., an industrial liquids management company
- Intergulf’s add-on acquisition of Lonestar Ecology, LLC, a centralized wastewater treatment plant operator
- sale of Rizzo Environmental Services, a provider of municipal solid-waste collection services
- acquisition of Allstate Power Vac, an environmental and industrial services provider
- acquisition of Sumter Transport, a provider of waste removal, transportation and disposal solutions
- acquisition of CVCC (d/b/a Clean Venture and Cycle Chem), an environmental clean-up contractor that provides hazardous and non-hazardous waste management services
Manufacturing/Chemicals
- Audax in its sale of Gabriel Performance Products to Huntsman Corporation.
- KKR in its acquisition of Novaria Group from Rosewood Private Investments and Tailwind Advisors.
- GTCR in its acquisition of EaglePicher Technologies, LLC, a leading U.S. battery manufacturer.
- Greenbriar Equity Group in the acquisition and subsequent sale of EDAC Technologies Corp.
- The Carlyle Group on its acquisition alongside TA Associates of WU Holdco, Inc. (Weiman), a manufacturer and distributor of specialty cleaning products.
- L Catterton in its joint sale with the Lang family of Ainsworth Pet Nutrition to The J.M. Smucker Company for $1.9 billion.
- Bain Capital Private Equity and Consolidated Container Co. in the $1.2 billion sale of Consolidated Container Co. to Loews Corp.
- Madison Dearborn Partners in connection with its £268.0 million recommended cash tender offer for Powerflute, a Finland-based, London-listed manufacturer of high performance semi-chemical fluting and other packaging papers.
- Olympus Partners in its sale of The Waddington Group, a major global packaging manufacturer, to Jarden Corp. for $1.35 billion.
- Vestar Capital Partners on the acquisition and subsequent sale of Woodstream, a leading manufacturer and marketer of branded pest and animal control as well as lawn and garden products.
- Infineon Technologies AG on the acquisition of International Rectifier Corporation for $3 billion.
- Sensata Technologies Holding N.V. on the acquisition of the sensing portfolio of Custom Sensors & Technologies, Inc. for $1 billion.
Other Matters
- Spring Valley Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, in its pending $1.2 billion business combination with AeroFarms, a leading indoor vertical farming company.
- Nexstar Media Group, Inc. in its acquisition of Tribune Media Company for $6.4 billion.
Clerk & Government Experience
Summer Law ClerkThe United States Attorney's Office, District of Columbia2006
Legislative AssistantUnited States House of Representatives2002–2005
More
Thought Leadership
Seminars
Panelist, “Webinar: Energy, Climate and Environmental Matters in a Biden Administration,” November 19, 2020.
Presenter, “Colorado Senate Passes Oil and Gas Bill SB 181,” April 10, 2019.
Publications
Co-Author, “Biden Charts Future of U.S. Infrastructure in Ambitious American Jobs Plan,” April 2, 2021.
Co-Author, “Biden Administration’s Energy, Environmental, and Climate Policies: Latest Updates and Actions (March 29, 2021),” March 29, 2021.
Co-Author, “Biden Administration’s Energy, Environmental, and Climate Policies: Week in Review,” January 29, 2021.
Co-Author, “Biden Administration is Off to a Fast Start: Day One Actions on Energy, Environmental, and Climate Issues,” January 21, 2021.
Co-Author, “Sweeping Energy and Infrastructure Provisions and Incentives in COVID-19 Relief Bill Signal Important Changes Coming in 2021,” December 30, 2020.
Co-Author, “The Prospect of a Biden Administration: What Does it Mean for the Electricity Sector?” August 20, 2020.
Co-Author, “The Prospect of a Biden Administration: What Does it Mean for Oil and Gas?” July 27, 2020.
Co-Author, "Up in the Air: The Affordable Clean Energy Rule Faces Litigation Challenges and Resulting Regulatory Uncertainty,” September 6, 2019.
Co-Author, “New Voluntary EPA Program Gives New Owners of Upstream Oil and Gas Facilities More Time to Comply with Clean Air Act Emissions Requirements,” April 10, 2019.
Co-Author, “Passage of Senate Bill 19-181: New Era of Change and Uncertainty for Oil and Gas Operations in Colorado,” April 8, 2019.
Recognition
Honored in Law360 as “Rising Star” for Environmental, 2019
Recognized in The Legal 500 U.S. for Environment: Transactional, 2017–2020
Kirkland’s environmental group recognized as “Band 1” for Texas and Washington, D.C.
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- Texas
- District of Columbia
- Massachusetts
Languages
- English
- German
Education
- Notre Dame Law SchoolJ.D.cum laude2008
- Yale UniversityB.A.2002