Matthew H. Ahrens

Primary Focus & Experience

As the leader of the firm’s Environmental Practice, Mr. Ahrens advises on a range of environmental matters, with a particular focus on
some of the most complex energy, infrastructure and digital infrastructure transactions in the market. Milbank clients entrust Mr. Ahrens to identify and resolve environmental issues and liability in nuanced global and domestic transactions, including financing, project development, mergers and acquisitions, real estate development, securities offerings and corporate restructuring. He has worked on hundreds of transactions involving a wide range of industries and assets, especially with respect to renewables, power, oil and gas upstream, midstream, downstream and service, mining, hospitality and traditional infrastructure.

Mr. Ahrens regularly negotiates critical environmental provisions of transaction agreements, helps structure corporate transactions to minimize and allocate environmental risks and drafts environmental disclosures for SEC filings. He has helped clients comply with the Equator Principles and the IFC Environmental and Social Guidelines on international project finance matters, has submitted and defended environmental indemnity claims, and has negotiated Superfund settlements, private party claims, and civil and criminal complaints and notices of violation. His experience includes remediation, air permits, climate change, wastewater, asbestos, wetlands, endangered species, NEPA, insurance, environmental bankruptcy matters and environmental due diligence.

Recognition & Accomplishments

Mr. Ahrens has frequently published articles and client alerts and spoken at conferences, including with respect to the Equator Principles, hydraulic fracturing, coal mining, the impact of wind farms on avian wildlife, environmental due diligence, climate change and lender liability. He has served on the Environmental Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association.

Mr. Ahrens has been recognized since 2009 by Chambers and Partners for his environmental transactional work as a notable practitioner, and is described as a “growing force in the environmental market” and an “extremely hard-working and serious lawyer,” following “enthusiastic feedback from market observers.”