Practice areas
Bar & Court Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
Education
Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1989
University of Michigan, Masters of Regional Planning, 1981
State University of New York at Binghamton, B.A., 1979
Professional & Community Activities
Montgomery County Agricultural Lands Preservation Board
- Chairman
Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy
- Board Member and Former Vice Chair
Harpur College (Binghamton University) Alumni National Law Advisory Council
- Steering Committee
American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
Previous Board Service:
- Conservancy of Montgomery County
- Collegeville Economic Development Council
- Partnership for the Delaware Estuary Inc.
“Understanding what all parties in a matter want allows workable solutions to be developed for our clients.”
Jonathan entered the legal profession with an educational background in the sciences and natural resources, and with professional experience as an environmental consultant. As a partner at the firm, Jonathan advises clients on issues ranging from wetlands, endangered species and cultural resources to those involving brownfields remediation, sewage facilities, and real estate transactions and permitting. Jonathan was lead environmental counsel to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development in its acquisition of the Philadelphia Navy Yard, an approximately 1,400 acre former military base in south Philadelphia, a representation that continues today as he assists in its redevelopment as a vibrant mixed-use development. Early in his career, Jonathan was a guest on-air commentator on “Court TV” discussing a citizen’s suit regarding a claim of harm to the American bald eagle. More recently, Jonathan has been counsel to industrial clients and real estate development firms in avoiding and resolving enforcement actions regarding the management of stormwater, an area of recent and rapid regulatory change.
Outside of the office, Jonathan serves as Chairman of the Montgomery County Agricultural Land Preservation Board, and continues to work to improve his community by serving on the Board of the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy. Jonathan bikes, kayaks and plays golf with his wife Carla and enjoys time with his two adult sons and their families.
He has represented clients ranging from real estate and commercial developers to municipalities on a number of matters including the following:
- counseling the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development ("PAID") on all environmental aspects of the transfer and redevelopment of two former military sites—the Philadelphia Navy Yard and the Defense Personnel Support Center;
- negotiating a Consent Decree on behalf of Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. to settle allegations by the USEPA regarding stormwater practices at its development sites nationwide, including ongoing counseling on their stormwater compliance issues;
- counseling numerous residential, commercial, and industrial developers to obtain state and federal wetland permits, and resolve issues related to land development impacts to waters and wetlands, such as (1) assisting several national homebuilders in obtaining a Pennsylvania Chapter 105 and federal Section 404 wetland permit for a large-scale residential community in Chester County, Pennsylvania, (2) assisting a regional healthcare institution to obtain wetland permits for its new health care center in central New Jersey, (3) obtaining state and federal wetland permits on behalf of a Chester County, Pennsylvania, developer of a mixed use residential-commercial project, (4) prosecuting one of the few successful administrative appeals of a jurisdictional determination issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and (5) negotiating resolution of several alleged violations of wetlands laws, regulations, and permits with the state and federal government resulting in the issuance of after-the-fact permits, voluntary settlement agreements, and performance of Supplemental Environmental Projects;
- representing several municipalities and municipal authorities with respect to their sewage treatment plants and discharge permits issued for these plants, including Pennsylvania Act 537 sewage plans;
- assisting a regional developer to challenge, and ultimately reverse, a determination made by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ("PADEP") at the request of a watershed association to upgrade the classification of a stream abutting the developer's property, allowing the project to proceed in a more timely manner;
- preparing and submitting a "private request" to PADEP resulting in the agency ordering a municipality to revise its Act 537 sewage plan to include a client's development project (Jonathan subsequently defended the municipality's appeal of PADEP's order);
- advising numerous clients on their rights and obligations with respect to state and federal threatened and endangered species, including bald eagles, bog turtles, red bellied turtles and Indiana bats; and
- counseling various developers on compliance with stormwater permits associated with earth disturbance activities, typically for land developments.
Honors & Awards
- Chambers USA - America's Leading Lawyers for Business (environmental law), since 2017. The Chambers list is issued by Chambers and Partners. Click here to view the selection methodology.
- Best Lawyers® in America listing (environmental law), since 2009. The Best Lawyers list is issued by Woodward/White Inc. Click here to view the selection methodology.
- Pennsylvania Super Lawyers listing (environmental law), since 2011. The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters. Click here to view the selection methodology.
- AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated through Martindale-Hubbell®. Click here to view the selection methodology.
- Main Line Today “Top Lawyer” listing (environmental law), 2015
- No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey or any other jurisdiction.
Press Releases
- November 5, 2020
- Bruce Katcher Named the Best Lawyers® 2021 Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Cherry Hill, NJAugust 20, 202016 Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox Attorneys Included in Best Lawyers 2021 and Four Named to Inaugural Ones to Watch List
- June 8, 2020Gotanda, McCabe, Moshang and Schiller Included in Top 50 Women Pennsylvania Listing
- April 30, 2020
- April 22, 2020
- April 21, 2020
- August 19, 201915 MANKO, GOLD, KATCHER & FOX ATTORNEYS INCLUDED IN BEST LAWYERS 2020
- May 23, 2019Fox and McCabe Included on Top 100 List for Philadelphia; McCabe and Moshang Included in Top 50 Women Pennsylvania
- May 16, 2019
- August 15, 201814 Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox Attorneys Included in Best Lawyers 2019
- May 21, 2018McCabe, Moshang and Schiller Included in Top 50: 2018 Women Pennsylvania Super Lawyers; McCabe Included on Top 100 List for Philadelphia
- May 14, 2018
- August 15, 2017
- May 31, 2017
- May 22, 201770 Percent of the Firm Included in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Listing
- April 20, 2017
- November 17, 2016
- August 18, 2016
- May 31, 2016
- March 1, 2016With Speaking Engagements by Partners Joseph M. Manko, Bart E. Cassidy, Jonathan E. Rinde and Carol F. McCabe
- February 8, 2016
- August 24, 2015
- July 13, 2015
- May 19, 2015
- November 11, 2014
- November 4, 2014
- May 27, 2014
- May 13, 2014
- November 4, 2013
- October 10, 2013
- October 7, 2013
- September 23, 2013
- August 22, 2013
- May 20, 2013
- December 11, 2012
- September 4, 2012
- May 29, 2012
- January 10, 2012
- December 8, 2011
- November 1, 2011
- September 22, 2011
- May 23, 2011
- March 8, 2011
- September 27, 2010
- September 15, 2010
- April 25, 2010
- October 6, 2009
- April 20, 2009
- April 16, 2009
- March 16, 2009
- February 4, 2008
Seminars & Speaking Engagements
"Natural Resources and Wildlife Update" presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's Environmental Law Forum in Harrisburg, April 5, 2017
"Dirty Dirt and Development in Pennsylvania: New Act 2 Standards and Their Impact on Cleanups and the Management of Fill" presented by MGKF in Philadelphia, PA, November 15, 2016
"Rain, Rain, Go Away," presented at 2015 Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors' Educational Conference in Hershey, PA, April 21, 2015
"Successful Wetland Permitting for Oil and Gas Pipelines - The State of the Law and a Primer of Proper Wetland Permit Application Preparation," for the Air & Waste Management Association in Pittsburgh, PA, May 13, 2014
"Current Issues in Stormwater Regulation in Pennsylvania," sponsored by Lorman Education Services in Allentown, PA, November 20, 2013
"Current Trends in Stormwater Management," sponsored by The Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) in Mechanicsburg (October 25, 2013), Pittsburgh (November 1, 2013) and Philadelphia (November 5, 2013) respectfully
"Implementing DEP's Permit Decision Guarantee," presented by MGKF in Williamsport, PA, November 14, 2012
"Current Issues in Stormwater Regulations," sponsored by Lorman Education Services in Mechanicsburg (February 1, 2012) and Philadelphia (February 27, 2012), respectfully
"Current Issues in Stormwater Regulations," sponsored by Lorman Education Services in Philadelphia, PA, January 10, 2012
“Environmental Issues Associated with Real Estate Development in the Marcellus Shale Region,” presented by MGKF, November 2011
"Threatened and Endangered Species," presented at the 15th Annual Environmental Law Forum sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, April 23, 2010
Media Coverage
- January 27, 2020Law360
- May 23, 2019MontCo.Today
- December 19, 2013Montgomery Newspapers
Special Alerts
- January 21, 2020
- January 15, 2019
- January 14, 2019
- March 1, 2018
- January 23, 2017
- January 23, 2017
- January 23, 2017
- August 11, 2016
- May 5, 2016
- January 25, 2016
- January 25, 2016
- January 25, 2016
- October 12, 2015
- October 5, 2015
- September 3, 2015
- June 30, 2015
- May 28, 2015
- December 18, 2014
- September 15, 2014
- March 27, 2014
- March 13, 2014
- August 12, 2013
- July 9, 2013
- March 22, 2012
- March 13, 2012
- November 29, 2011
- May 5, 2011
- August 8, 2010
- July 14, 2010
- June 24, 2010
- February 9, 2010
- January 8, 2010
- December 22, 2009
- November 6, 2009
- October 29, 2009
- June 15, 2009
- May 8, 2009
- May 8, 2009
- January 8, 2009
- December 17, 2008
- June 12, 2008
- January 16, 2008
- August 16, 2007
- June 7, 2007
- May 16, 2007
- January 16, 2007
- January 16, 2007
- January 16, 2006
- January 16, 2006
Articles
- July 6, 2020MGKF Litigation Blog
- July 27, 2017The Legal Intelligencer - Environmental & Energy Supplement
- June 5, 2017MGKF Special Alert
- November 11, 2014Co-authored by Jonathan E. Rinde and Michael Dillon
- November 11, 2014Authored by Jonathan E. Rinde
- September 1, 2010Association of Corporate Counsel's "Green-house Counsel"
- February 18, 2010The Legal Intelligencer
- January 20, 2010Pittsburgh Post Gazette Opinion/Perspectives
- May 5, 2008The Legal Intelligencer
- February 22, 2008Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal
- December 14, 2007NJPA Real Estate Journal
- July 26, 2006The Legal Intelligencer
- June 20, 2005The Legal Intelligencer
- March 17, 2005The Legal Intelligencer