Overview

Stefanie Gitler is a partner in Kirkland’s Global Environmental Practice Group, based in the Washington, D.C., and Houston offices. Stefanie has led and negotiated environmental aspects of hundreds of transactions. She conducts environmental due diligence for private equity and industry clients involved in complex transactions concerning the acquisition and divestiture of large businesses and companies. She negotiates contractual language in agreements, including those utilized in purchases and sales, credit transactions for obtaining loans from financing institutions, and leases for owning or occupying real property. Stefanie counsels clients regarding regulatory compliance and exposure to environmental liabilities, including the process of obtaining environmental insurance. She assists in the retention and oversight of environmental consultants. She also plays a key role in the handling of environmental liabilities in bankruptcy matters.

Stefanie also takes an active interest in pro bono matters. She most recently has supervised attorneys and paralegals working with the National Veterans Legal Services Program to handle claims and/or appeals for veterans who experienced Military Sexual Trauma and seek compensation from the VA and regularly volunteers with election protection service organizations.

Stefanie also is the lead of the Environmental Group’s Knowledge Management, with responsibility for internal know-how and maintaining networks of consultants and subject matter experts.

More

Thought Leadership

Publications 

Co-Author, “Oil, Gas and the Transition to Renewables 2024,” Chambers and Partners, USA, 2024

Settling the Tradeoffs between Voluntary Cleanup of Contaminated Sites and Cooperation with the Government under CERCLA, 35 Ecology L.Q. 337 (2008).

Recognition

Recognized by Chambers USA for Environment: Mainly Transactional (Texas) in 2021–2024

Recognized in The Legal 500 United States for Environment: Transactional in 2018–2024

Lecturer, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Environmental Transactional Law)

Kirkland's Environmental Practice Group was named "Environmental Law Group of the Year" multiple times by Law360

Memberships & Affiliations

Member, American Bar Association Section on Environment, Energy and Resources

Member, DC Bar Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section

Member, California Bar Environmental Law Section

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • District of Columbia
  • Texas
  • California

Education

  • University of California, Berkeley, School of LawJ.D.2009

    Executive Editor, Ecology Law Quarterly

    Recipient of the Environmental Law Certificate

  • University of VirginiaB.A., Economics & Environmental Science; Math Minorwith Distinction2004

    Echols Scholar

    Phi Beta Kappa