Jennie Morawetz
Overview
She is fabulous at risk management, highly intelligent, and willing to think creatively. - Chambers USA
Jennie Morawetz is the strategy and operations partner for Kirkland’s ESG & Impact practice, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the practice to ensure it delivers on its promise of integrating cutting-edge legal counseling on ESG & impact into Kirkland’s top-tier transactional and litigation practices. Her responsibilities include tracking ESG market, legal, and regulatory trends (including leveraging data generated by Kirkland’s transactional practice), training, substantive client outreach on emerging legal and compliance issues, and development of innovative legal service offerings. Jennie also provides legal advice to clients on complex ESG and climate issues at all stages of the investment and operational life cycles. Clients value Jennie for her attention to detail, thoroughness, and ability to understand and clearly explain complex issues in a “big picture” way, while offering practical solutions that align with their business goals.
Prior to assuming her current role, Jennie was a partner in Kirkland’s Environmental practice, where she counseled clients in all areas of environmental law across a range of industries. She has provided environmental counseling to private equity and public company clients in hundreds of corporate transactions, worked with clients to identify and evaluate pending and proposed environmental regulatory changes that could impact their business decisions, helped clients assess and address potential environmental liability, including in connection with crisis events, and negotiated a number of complex environmental insurance policies. She has also developed approaches for integrating evaluation of climate change risk into the environmental due diligence process, particularly for transactions focused on energy and infrastructure assets, and is a thought leader on this topic as well as other ESG and environmental topics.
Prior to starting her career at Kirkland in 2015, Jennie served as a law clerk to the Hon. Sharon L. Gleason on the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska and the Hon. Morgan B. Christen on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. At Kirkland, in addition to her ESG & Impact and Environmental practices, Jennie has represented individuals in immigration, habeas, and veteran’s benefit proceedings and assisted NGOs with conservation efforts on the East Coast, in the Rocky Mountain West, and in Alaska.
Experience
Representative Matters
ESG & Impact
- Write short briefs for private fund and corporate clients on new laws and regulations, as well as litigation matters, relating to ESG.
- Organized monthly ESG “hot topics” briefings for ESG, impact, legal, and compliance professionals at a large alternative asset manager.
- Advised a large alternative asset manager on the impact-linked carry mechanics for its first impact fund.
- Provided advice on climate disclosures to a global publicly-traded company subject to multiple interacting and overlapping regulatory regimes.
- Conducted ESG due diligence of a large, publicly-traded upstream oil and gas company, including evaluating physical and transition risks from climate change.
- Counseled multiple private fund clients on their responses to ESG certification requests from LPs in states subject to anti-ESG laws.
Environmental
- Provided environmental counseling in connection with hundreds of transactions.
- Counseled a private equity client working with its portfolio company to develop short-term response and long-term mitigation strategies for a pipeline spill.
- Counseled a real estate company on the emergency response to a release resulting from demolition activities.
- Served as co-counsel to a publicly traded company in connection with a CERCLA matter involving governmental and private parties.
- On behalf of a private equity client, managed teams of experts to conduct analyses of environmental regulatory trends, litigation trends, and permitting considerations that could impact potential investment targets.
Pro Bono
- On behalf of the Tipping Point Fund on Impact Investing, led a project evaluating fiduciary duty considerations for impact investors.
- On behalf of the Start Small Think Big, conducted trainings on ESG and diverse-owned business certifications.
- On behalf of Friends of the Rappahannock, developed form agreements to be used with landowners in connection with conversation efforts.
Clerk & Government Experience
Law ClerkHonorable Morgan B. ChristenUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit2014–2015
Law ClerkHonorable Sharon L. GleasonUnited States District Court for the District of Alaska2013–2014
More
Thought Leadership
Publications
“ESG in the U.S.: demonstrating value is key in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape,” Prequin, January 29, 2024
“An ESG checklist for in house general counsel,” New Private Markets, January 2, 2024
“COP28, Dubai: $30B Investment Fund, Carbon Markets Initiatives Reflect Increasing Momentum Behind Private Financing for Climate Solutions and Energy Transition,” Kirkland Alert, December 20, 2023
“UK's Financial Conduct Authority Publishes Final Sustainability Disclosure Requirements,” Kirkland Alert, December 7, 2023
“California Legislature Regulates Voluntary Carbon Market and Climate-Related Claims,” Kirkland Alert, October 5, 2023
“SEC Adopts Amendments to Expand the Scope of the 'Names Rule',” Kirkland Alert, October 3, 2023
“Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures Publishes Final Framework for Reporting on Nature-Related Issues,” Kirkland Alert, September 27, 2023
“California Legislature Passes Landmark Climate Disclosure Bills,” Kirkland Alert, September 21, 2023
“Supreme Court Issues Decision Overturning Affirmative Action in Higher Education,” Kirkland Alert, June 30, 2023
“ISSB Releases Final Global Sustainability Disclosure Standards,” Kirkland Alert, June 29, 2023
“EU Climate Action: Imminent Introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism,” Kirkland Alert, May 1, 2023
“California Climate Disclosure Bills Would Have Far-Reaching Implications for Companies Doing Business in the State,” Kirkland Alert, April 14, 2023
“Voluntary Carbon Market Standard-Setter Issues 'Core Carbon Principles',” Kirkland Alert, March 30, 2023
“U.N. Biodiversity Conference Signals Growing Emphasis on Private Sector Action on Nature Conservation and Restoration in 2023,” Kirkland Alert, January 19, 2023
“SEC Continues Enforcement Scrutiny of ESG Claims by Investment Advisers,” Kirkland AIM, December 12, 2022
“COP27 Highlights Climate Opportunities and Risks for the Private Sector,” Kirkland Alert, December 7, 2022
“DOL Final Regulation Eases Path for ERISA Fiduciaries to Consider ESG Factors When Selecting Investments,” Kirkland Alert, November 30, 2022
“Release of Draft Carbon Credit Principles Underscores Importance of Integrity to Voluntary Carbon Market Ambitions,” Kirkland Alert, August 8, 2022
“Manchin-Schumer Inflation Reduction Act: Proposed Environmental and Climate Policy Initiatives,” Kirkland Alert, August 4, 2022
“Enhanced Disclosure Requirements and Potential Multi‑Jurisdictional Considerations Raised by the SEC’s Proposed ESG Rule,” Private Equity Law Report, August 2, 2022
“The Major Questions Doctrine Reigns Supreme in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency — Implications for Climate Policy and Impact Investing,” Kirkland Alert, July 6, 2022
“SEC Proposes Enhanced Disclosure by Certain Advisers on ESG Investment Practices,” Kirkland AIM, June 3, 2022
“SEC Proposes Pair of Long-Awaited ESG Rules; Non-ESG Funds Swept Up as Well,” Kirkland Alert, June 3, 2022
“New Framework Announced for Assessing and Reporting Nature-Related Financial Risks,” Kirkland Energy & Infrastructure Blog, May 11, 2022
“ISSB’s Proposed Framework Seeks to Unify Global Sustainability Disclosure Standards,” Kirkland Alert, May 11, 2022
“SEC Proposes New Climate Disclosure Requirements,” Kirkland Alert, March 24, 2022
“Directors and Executives Position Themselves to Lead on Climate,” Kirkland Energy & Infrastructure Blog, March 16, 2022
“European Commission Publishes Proposed Law Requiring Value Chain Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence,” Kirkland Alert, March 7, 2022
“EU Financial Markets Watchdog Promises Action on Greenwashing,” Kirkland Alert, February 22, 2022
“Increasing Focus on Biodiversity-Related Financial Risk Presents New Challenges and Opportunities in Energy and Infrastructure,” Pratt’s Energy Law Report Vol. 22-2, February 2022
“COP26 and the Role of Private Capital,” Kirkland Alert, November 23, 2021
“TCFD Issues New Guidance as Its Climate Reporting Framework Continues to Gain Traction,” Kirkland Alert, November 10, 2021
“Preparing for Potential Updates to Human Capital Management & Board Diversity Disclosure Requirements,” Kirkland Alert, October 1, 2021
“The SEC’s Recent and Planned Activity on Climate Change Disclosures: What Companies Can Do To Prepare,” Kirkland Alert, October 1, 2021
“Financing for the Future: Surging Sustainable Finance Market Presents Challenges, Opportunities,” Kirkland Alert, August 16, 2021
“EU and UK Regulatory Update for Fund Managers,” Kirkland Alert, July 19, 2021
“Surging Sustainable Finance Market Presents Opportunities for Energy and Infrastructure,” Kirkland Energy & Infrastructure Blog, May 24, 2021
“Risk Alert: SEC’s Examination Division Issues ESG Risk Alert for Investment Advisers,” Kirkland AIM, April 19, 2021
“Improving Climate Governance Under the Biden Administration,” Corporate Secretary, March 23, 2021
“Enforcement Task Force Announcement is Latest Sign of SEC Focus on ESG and Climate,” Kirkland Alert, March 8. 2021
“Expected ESG and Climate Regulation Impacting Private Equity Under the Biden Administration,” Kirkland Alert, February 16, 2021
“Pathways to Implement Biden’s Climate Change Policy,” Bloomberg Law Environment & Energy Report, December 9, 2020
“Managing PFAS Liability Risk,” Kirkland Energy & Infrastructure Blog, August 21, 2020
“Four Key Steps to Assessing and Mitigating Climate Risk,” Kirkland Energy & Infrastructure Blog, July 21, 2020
“COVID-19 Offers Force Majeure Lessons For Climate Planning,” Law360, July 14, 2020
“Mitigating Climate Risk: Solutions for PE Firms to Develop a Physical Climate Risk Program” (Part Two of Two), Private Equity Law Report, July 14, 2020
“Mitigating Climate Risk: Advantages to PE Firms Pursuing Climate Risk Programs and Pitfalls to Avoid” (Part One of Two), Private Equity Law Report, June 30, 2020
“The Ripple Effect of EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Investments in U.S. Financial Sector,” Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, June 26, 2020
“How Cos., Asset Managers Can Plan for Physical Climate Risk,” Law360, March 19, 2020
“Bipartisan Senate Energy Legislation Moves Forward,” Kirkland Alert, March 9, 2020
“Managing ESG Consultants In Private Equity Transactions,” Law360, June 7, 2019
“Assessment: Chinook, Chum, and Whitefish Ecology in the Yukon River Basin,” DukeSpace, Duke University, April 15, 2013
Note, “No Room for Squatters: Alaska’s Adverse Possession Law,” 28 Alaska Law Review 341, 2011
Speaking Engagements
Moderator, “Developing an ESG Contract Toolkit – Workshop,” PEI Responsible Investment Forum West, September 4, 2024
Speaker, “ESG in Exits Webinar: Capturing Value & Mitigating Risks,” Kirkland Webinar, June 5, 2024
Panelist, “Evolving regulatory landscape in the US and beyond: implications for fund marketing and reporting,” PEI Impact Investor Summit North America, October 31–November 1, 2023
Panelist, “ESG in Alternatives 2023,” Preqin Webinar, June 28, 2023
Panelist, “ESG Regulations: Challenges and Opportunities,” Preqin Webinar, May 18, 2022
Speaker, Diligent Climate Leadership Certificate Program, Spring 2022
Moderator, “Impact Panel,” Wharton Women in Investing Inaugural Conference, February 11, 2022
Moderator, “ESG and Climate Disclosures: Latest Developments,” ALI-ELI Environmental Law 2022 Virtual Conference, February 10, 2022
Recognition
Recognized by Chambers & Partners USA for Environment: Mainly Transactional, 2021–2022
Recognized by Chambers & Partners USA as an “Associate to Watch” for Environment: Mainly Transactional, 2020
Recognized for Environment: Transactional by The Legal 500 United States, 2019–2021
Memberships & Affiliations
Member, Environmental Law Institute
Member, Environmental/Natural Resources Section, Alaska Bar Association
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2016District of Columbia
- 2013Alaska
Courts
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court for the District of Alaska
Education
- Duke University School of LawJ.D.magna cum laude2013Editor-in-Chief, Alaska Law Review
- Duke Graduate SchoolM.E.M. (Master of Environmental Management)2013
- Stanford UniversityB.S., Earth Systems; Japanese Language Minor2007
Scholar-Athlete Award (Varsity Lightweight Women’s Rowing)