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Ken Rivlin

Partner

Email

ken.rivlin@aoshearman.com

Phone

+1 212 610 6460

Offices

New York

V-CARD
Ken is Global Co-Head of Environmental & Sanctions and a member of the Board. He founded the U.S. Environmental Law Group and co-heads the International Trade Group.

He is also an Independent Partner Director serving on the Firm’s board.
 
Ken and his team advise corporates, financial institutions, funds, governments, and NGOs on a wide range of regulatory and risk issues in transactions, stand-alone compliance matters, and disputes, including: sustainability & ESG, climate risk, emissions trading & decarbonization, corporate reporting & disclosure, governance and risk management, the Equator Principles and similar voluntary standards, supply chain sustainability, toxic tort risk, and human rights.

Ken and his team also advise on U.S. and international economic sanctions, foreign direct investment rules (CFIUS), anti-corruption and anti-bribery compliance, and similar matters.

Ken writes and speaks frequently on environmental and regulatory matters, and is a Lecturer-in-Law at Columbia University School of Law, where he co-teaches a seminar called “Environmental and ESG Concerns in Business Transactions and Corporate Decision-making.”

He is the former Chair of the Advisory Council for the Institute at Brown (University) for Environment and Society, Member (and former President) of the Board of Trustees for the Human Needs Food Pantry, Former Chair of the New York City Bar Committee on International Environmental Law, , a member of the Leadership Council for the Environmental Law Institute, and has served on numerous additional boards. He also is a core member of the International Environmental Lawyers Network, and a member of the Environmental Law Advisory Committee at Columbia Law School.
 
Ken is widely recognized as a leading international lawyer by the principal legal ratings publications, including Chambers & Partners (Ranked Band 1), The Legal 500 (Ranked as “Hall of Fame”) and Who’s Who Legal (“Recommended”).

Expertise

Business and human rightsCorporate and M&AJoint venturesM&A EmploymentCorporate governanceEnvironmental climate and regulatory lawChemicalsContaminated landEnvironmental health and safety regulatoryEnvironmental disclosure and corporate environmental transparencyBiodiversity protectionProduct stewardshipESG transactional supportWasteEnvironmental social and governanceEnvironmental and climate change litigationSanctions investigationsPrivate equityAdministrative and public lawSanctions and international tradeForeign direct investment and CFIUS

Industries

Consumer and retailEnergyOil and gasDownstreamLiquefied natural gasMidstreamUpstreamPowerCarbon capture and storageRenewablesIndustrials and manufacturingInfrastructure and transportAirportsAviationPortsRailShippingWater and wasteLife sciences and healthcareFood and cosmetics

Medtech

PharmaceuticalsMining and metalsReal estateTechnologyMediaTelecommunicationsTechnologyTelecommunicationsPrivate capital

Published Work

  • 'The REACH of Europe's Regulatory System:  New Era Begins for Registration and Assessment of Chemicals', New York Law Journal, P. 9, July 14, 2008,  by Kenneth Rivlin, Felise Cooper, Matthew Townsend and Rebecca Lawson
  • 'WEEE and RoHS Directives: New Requirements Impacting the Global Supply Chain of the High-Tech Industry,' American Competitiveness Institute, August 2005, with Jean-Philippe Brisson and David Wharwood
  • 'Preparing for the WEEE Directive,' Circuits Assembly, April 2005, with Jean-Philippe Brisson and David Wharwood
  • 'Proposed Rule Changes to Federal Civil Procedure May Introduce New Challenges in Environmental Class Action Litigation,' Harvard Environmental Law Review, Volume 27, Number 2, (July) 2003, with Jamaica Potts

Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, Perception vs Reality, ACI Advanced Forum on Economic Sanctions Enforcement & Compliance, April 2016
  • Moderator, deep dive session: the sanctions intensive, A.C.E.S. Compliance Summit, April 2016
  • Moderator, Policy Update: A Conversation with OFAC, BIS and the State Department, 3rd U.S.-Cuba Corporate Counsel Summit held in New York, March 2016
  • Speaker, Doing business in Iran post-sanctions, March 2016 Moderator, The Debate Between Environmental Sustainability and Economic Solvency: A lecture by Dr. Janez Poto?nik, European Commissioner for the Environment, Columbia Law School, September 2014

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Adjunct Professor of Environmental Law, Cardozo Law School, 2003
  • Member, New York Bar Association
  • Member, New Jersey Bar Association
  • Member, Environmental Bankers Association
Recognition
“He has a talent for taking complicated matters and boiling them down to the critical points. He ensures you get the best legal advice, allowing you to make the best decisions for your business.”
Chambers USA 2021, Environmental: Mainly Transactional

Qualifications

Admissions

Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales, 2024

Admitted: Bar of the State of New York, 1997

Admitted: Bar of the State of New Jersey, 1995

Academic

J.D., cum laude, Boston University, 1994

B.A., Brown University, 1987

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.