Matthew H. Ahrens

Matthew H. Ahrens is a New York environmental and business lawyer at Milbank LLP, who works on major corporate and finance matters. He advises clients on environmental risk in energy, infrastructure, digital infrastructure, real estate, mergers, acquisitions, securities offerings, restructuring, and project development. His work helps companies understand legal duties before they complete important transactions. He reviews risks, negotiates agreement terms, and supports deals involving renewable power, oil and gas, mining, hospitality, and other large assets across domestic and global markets.

Matthew earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School. His legal education helped prepare him to study complex rules, review technical records, and apply environmental law to business decisions. Through this background, he developed the skills needed to explain risk in clear terms for clients, lenders, investors, and project teams. His training also supports his work with permits, due diligence, disclosures, indemnity claims, remediation issues, wetlands, endangered species matters, bankruptcy issues, and government enforcement concerns.

Matthew has built a career focused on helping clients manage environmental duties during high value transactions. He helps structure corporate deals so parties can identify, reduce, and allocate environmental liabilities. He drafts environmental disclosures for SEC filings and negotiates important provisions in transaction agreements. His experience also includes Equator Principles and IFC Environmental and Social Guidelines matters. Clients rely on his judgment when environmental questions may affect financing, ownership, project timing, or long term business planning across energy, infrastructure, real estate, and corporate markets.

Matthew H. Ahrens also helps clients respond to disputes, claims, and regulatory issues. He has worked on Superfund settlements, private party claims, notices of violation, and civil and criminal environmental complaints. His work helps clients address problems before they grow into larger legal or financial concerns. He has written and spoken on environmental law topics, including climate change, due diligence, hydraulic fracturing, coal mining, lender liability, and wind farm impacts on wildlife. This background supports practical guidance for clients facing environmental legal risk.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Milbank LLP
• Member, New York State Bar Association

Licensed State

• New York

Education

• Vanderbilt Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Dartmouth College
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges