Practice areas
Bar & Court Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
Education
University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1993
Stanford University, B.A., with distinction, 1988
Professional & Community Activities
Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority
- Board Member, since 2006
- Chairman, since 2013
Legacy Youth Tennis and Education (formerly Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis Center)
- Board Member, since 2012
- Development Committee Chair, since 2017
City Avenue Special Services District
- Board Member, since 2012
Villanova University School of Law
- Adjunct professor, Environmental Lawyering, 2013-2015
Bryn Mawr Hospital Foundation
- Board Member, 2014-2015
Lower Merion Conservancy
- Board Member, 2004-2014
- Chairman, 2007-2009
International Council of Shopping Centers
- Environmental Law Committee
Riverbend Environmental Education Center
- Board of Directors, 1996-2002
- President, 2000-2001
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.
Honors & Awards
- 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.
- Main Line Today “Top Lawyer” listing (environmental law), 2015
- "Pennsylvania Lawyers on the Fast Track" listing in American Lawyer Media, 2005
- 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
- December 12, 2019
- September 26, 2019
- 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
- March 5, 2019
- October 15, 2018
- 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
- March 19, 2018
- December 18, 2017
- December 7, 2017
- August 15, 2017
- May 31, 2017
- May 22, 201770 Percent of the Firm Included in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Listing
- May 9, 2017
- August 18, 2016
- May 31, 2016
- April 26, 2016Region-Wide Search Spearheaded by Wawa, 6abc and Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP
- April 21, 2016
- March 10, 2016
- March 1, 2016$10,000 in Honorariums to be Awarded in 2016
- December 14, 2015
- August 24, 2015
- May 19, 2015
- March 24, 2015
- January 26, 2015$10,000 in Honorariums to be Awarded in 2015
- December 11, 2014
- November 6, 2014
- November 4, 2014
- October 6, 2014Jonathan Spergel Named Managing Partner
- May 27, 2014
- November 19, 2013“The Real Estate Hibernation Has Ended—What Developers Need to Know About Key Environmental Regulatory Changes in the Post-Recession Economy”
- October 28, 2013
- August 22, 2013
- June 3, 2013The Tenth Consecutive Year Firm Recognized in Top Tier of Environmental Law
- May 20, 2013
- September 4, 2012
- May 29, 2012
- March 29, 2012
- March 27, 2012
- March 20, 2012
- May 23, 2011
- September 15, 2010
- June 28, 2010
- April 27, 2010
- June 17, 2009
Seminars & Speaking Engagements
"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
"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
Media Coverage
- September 24, 2019The Legal Intelligencer
- May 23, 2019MontCo.Today
Special Alerts
- September 4, 2018
- February 15, 2016
- September 15, 2014
- March 27, 2014
- January 21, 2014
- January 3, 2014
- November 11, 2013
- January 17, 2013
- February 9, 2012
- October 6, 2010
- August 30, 2010
- October 29, 2009
- September 8, 2009
- May 16, 2008
- May 16, 2008
- January 16, 2005
Articles
- May 8, 2015The Legal Intelligencer
- April 25, 2014Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal
- November 8, 2013The Legal Intelligencer
- December 19, 2012The Legal Intelligencer
- January 13, 2012Association of Corporate Counsel's "Green-house Counsel"
- July 10, 2009Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal
- December 19, 2008Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal
- March 14, 2007The Legal Intelligencer