Jonathan Spergel is the immediate past managing partner of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, the environmental and energy law firm with which he started his legal career in 1993.  He handles a wide variety of environmental legal issues, including the environmental aspects of commercial transactions and brownfields sites, environmental insurance procurement and coverage issues, public funding opportunities, regulatory compliance counseling, and litigation for commercial, industrial, residential, and individual clients.  From September 2001 to February 2003, Jonathan served as general counsel of O'Neill Properties, a regional real estate development company that focused on the redevelopment of brownfield sites.

Jonathan has authored a number of articles on environmental issues and frequently lectures for various groups and organizations. He graduated with distinction from Stanford University and received his juris doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, cum laude. 

Jonathan is very involved in the community serving on the boards of the City Avenue Special Services District and Legacy Youth Tennis and Education. He is also the chairman of the board of the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority. He served on the board of the Lower Merion Conservancy for nearly a decade, and previously served on the Bryn Mawr Hospital Foundation Board.

• Chambers USA - America's Leading Lawyers for Business listing (environmental law), since 2006. The Chambers list is issued by Chambers and Partners. Click here to view the selection methodology.
• The Best Lawyers® in America listing (environmental law), since 2007. 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 and “Rising Star”  listing, 2005-2006. The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters.  Click here to view the selection methodology.
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"Emerging Environmental Issues and Their Impact on Real Estate Transactions," presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's 2025 A Day on Real Estate webinar, June 10, 2025

"Contamination Risk in a Transaction," presented at the PBI Environmental Law Forum in Harrisburg, PA, April 9, 2025

"Environmental Issues Associated with Real Estate Transactions," guest lecturer for Real Estate Law at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, February 20, 2025

"Emerging Environmental Issues and Their Impact on Real Estate Transactions," presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's 2024 Real Estate Institute, Philadelphia, PA, December 6, 2024

"ESG Trends and Global Regulatory Landscape", presented at the CPMA Sustainability & Innovation Forum, Hatfield, PA, September 18, 2024

"Critical Environmental Permits for Real Estate Development," presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's 2023 Real Estate Institute, Philadelphia, PA, December 1, 2023

"PFAS Risk Management: Insights into the Evolving Regulatory Landscape," a hybrid program presented by the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin, Bala Cynwyd, PA, October 19, 2023

"Seeking Closure: Closing the Transaction and Working to Avoid Post-Closing Disputes" presented at the ABA SEER Environmental Transactions Masterclass: Hot Topics and Emerging Issues for 2023 and Beyond, Chicago, IL, September 22, 2023

"PFAS:  Impacts to Your Property & Operations", a webinar presented by MGKF, February 22, 2023

"Pennsylvania Water Laws and Regulations: Water Quality Issues Associated with Development and Construction ," a HalfMoon Education webinar, April 28, 2022

"Briefings on the Environmental Initiatives of the Biden Administration” a webinar presented by MGKF, March 24, 2021

"Fundamentals & Hot Topics in Environmental Law for Real Estate Lawyers" presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's 2019 Real Estate Institute, Philadelphia, PA, December 6, 2019

"In An Ever-Changing Environmental Landscape, Are Liabilities at Brownfield Sites Ever Really Extinguished?" presented at the 2019 NAEP Conference, Baltimore, MD, May 21, 2019

"New Jersey Environmental Update: Regulations, Remediations & Responsibilities" presented by MGKF and Roux, Cherry Hill, NJ, November 14, 2018

"Environmental Sustainability: Planning for Smart Growth" presented at the 2018 Pennsylvania Brownfields Conference, Lehigh Valley, PA, October 2, 2018

"The Pennsylvania Environmental Rights Amendment: Are You Ready for a New ERA?," presented at the In-House Counsel Conference of the Association of Corporate Counsel Greater Philadelphia, April 25, 2018

"The Pennsylvania Environmental Rights Amendment: Are You Ready for a New ERA?" presented by MGKF, Bala Cynwyd, PA, February 27, 2018

"Building on Contaminated Land" presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's 2017 Real Estate Institute, Philadelphia, PA, December 8, 2017

“Law Firm Leadership” for Executive Leaders Radio Program, April 28, 2017

"Practical Considerations for Buying and Selling Contaminated Property," presented at the DELVACCA Real Estate Institute in Philadelphia, PA, November 5, 2014

Moderator of "Preparing for and Responding to an Emergency of Casualty Incident," sponsored by MGKF in Bala Cynwyd, PA, June 24, 2014.

Moderator of "Building the Foundation for Sustainable Practices and EPA's Consideration of the New Rule for Retail Hazardous Waste," presented at the City Avenue Special Services District Lunch and Learn in Bala Cynwyd, PA, April 24, 2014

"Managing Liability Risks Posed by Independent Contractors," presented at the Association of Corporate Counsel Delaware Valley Chapter Contracts and Commercial Law Institute, February 12, 2014

MGKF Webinar "New Jersey Remedial Investigations:  New Extended Deadline Explained," February 10, 2014

"The Real Estate Hibernation Has Ended--What Developers Need to Know About Key Environmental Regulatory Changes in the Post-Recession Economy," presented at the 2013 PA Brownfields Conference in King of Prussia, PA, December 11, 2013

"Due Diligence in Negotiations," presented at the 2012 Environmental Law Forum for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute in Harrisburg, PA, March 28, 2012

“Environmental Issues Associated with Real Estate Development in the Marcellus Shale Region,” presented by MGKF in Williamsport, PA, November 2011

"Taking the Mystery Out of Opting-In to NJDEP's LSRP Program," sponsored by MGKF and Environ in Edison, NJ, February 25, 2011

"Taking the Mystery Out of Opting-In to NJDEP's LSRP Program," sponsored by MGKF and Environ in Cherry Hill, NJ, February 15, 2011

"Keeping Secrets: Recent Developments in Attorney-Client Privilege and Expert Witness Disclosure Rules," sponsored by MGKF in Bala Cynwyd, PA, January 26, 2011

"Overcoming Hurdles to Redevelopment - A Case Study of Technical, Economic, and Interpersonal Challenges," presented at the 15th Annual Business of Brownfields Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, April 20, 2010 

"Untangling the Web of LSRP Regulations," sponsored by MGKF in Cherry Hill, NJ, December 15, 2009