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  1. Professionals

Joshua D. Brown

Associate

Chicago

+1 312-558-5654

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  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights & News

Josh focuses his practice on environmental matters in a variety of contexts including corporate transactions, regulatory compliance counseling, and guiding clients in litigation.

Josh regularly provides environmental due diligence support for transactions across all industry sectors, represents lenders in connection with renewable energy project finance, and identifies solutions to individual compliance matters arising under federal, state, and local environmental regulations.

Josh’s professional interests stem from his upbringing on a third-generation family farm in South Dakota. Prior to joining the firm, Josh interned with the Michigan Attorney General's Environment, Natural Resources, & Agriculture Division. While at Michigan Law School, Josh spent two semesters working in the Environmental Law and Sustainability Clinic. Both engagements provided valuable regulatory compliance and litigation experience.

Continuing the trend of hands-on experience, Josh also participated in Michigan Law School’s Veterans Legal Clinic, helping litigate claims on behalf of veterans. Upon graduation from law school, Josh completed a fellowship with the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) at the Loyola University Chicago–Business Law Clinic, where he assisted entrepreneurs and non-profits on corporate matters.

Josh is a regular contributor to Winston's Environmental Law Update. 

Key Matters

Transactional Diligence:

  • Provide environmental diligence to support a gas and liquid molecule manufacturer in a merger-of-equals transaction for a consideration of $15B+.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the sale of a crematorium, cemetery, and associated infrastructure.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisition of international manufacturers of in vitro fertilization (IVF) medical instruments for a consideration of $100M.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisition of a national design and manufacturing company of exterior & interior signage for $40M.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the sale of a national soccer equipment and apparel retailer for a consideration of $230M.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the sales and acquisitions of numerous food manufacturing companies with products ranging from baked goods to bottled water.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisitions of waste management and treatment companies with associated landfills.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisition of fixed-base operators (FBO) located at airports across the United States.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the purchase of a NASCAR charter and associated assets.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support numerous acquisitions of medical spas.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisition of an above-ground storage tank (AST) fabrication and repair company for $20M.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisitions of multiple providers of custom glass for commercial/residential projects and specialty coatings for commercial/industrial equipment.

Regulatory Compliance:

  • Counsel a private entity regarding relocation of fill material associated with construction of a surf park development in the United States.
  • Provide regulatory guidance for a public utility provider in connection with a notice of violation under state wetlands statutes.
  • Provide environmental contractual guidance for a private entity engaged by a government entity to investigate circumstances surrounding certain wildfires in the United States.
  • Provide state and local regulatory guidance for a private country club in connection with historic septic tanks and associated leach fields.
  • Counsel private entities on manufacturing facility decommissioning processes and associated relocations.

Renewable Energy Project Finance:

  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) array in California on 3,000-acres of public and private lands, which included state and federal permitting review.
  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) array project portfolio encompassing golf courses, landfills, carports, and rural land, which included federal permitting review.
  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of an energy storage facility situated adjacent to cranberry bogs, which included federal permitting review.
  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of a wind energy project encompassing over 10,000 acres of public and private land in Texas, which included federal permitting review.
  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of a battery storage project portfolio in Utah, which included federal permitting review.
Recent Experience
Cuadrilla Capital Acquires Gluware, Inc.
Winston Represented Revelstoke Capital Partners in Acquisition of NKMD MGMT, LLC
Winston Represented S&S Automotive in its Sale to Lawson Products
Winston Represented Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in its Acquisition of The Rowley Agency

  • Member, Chicago Bar Association — Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
  • Member, American Bar Association 

Capabilities

Environmental
Transactions
Environmental Litigation & Enforcement
Mergers & Acquisitions
Energy
Energy Transition

Key Matters

Transactional Diligence:

  • Provide environmental diligence to support a gas and liquid molecule manufacturer in a merger-of-equals transaction for a consideration of $15B+.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the sale of a crematorium, cemetery, and associated infrastructure.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisition of international manufacturers of in vitro fertilization (IVF) medical instruments for a consideration of $100M.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisition of a national design and manufacturing company of exterior & interior signage for $40M.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the sale of a national soccer equipment and apparel retailer for a consideration of $230M.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the sales and acquisitions of numerous food manufacturing companies with products ranging from baked goods to bottled water.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisitions of waste management and treatment companies with associated landfills.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisition of fixed-base operators (FBO) located at airports across the United States.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the purchase of a NASCAR charter and associated assets.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support numerous acquisitions of medical spas.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisition of an above-ground storage tank (AST) fabrication and repair company for $20M.
  • Provide environmental diligence to support the acquisitions of multiple providers of custom glass for commercial/residential projects and specialty coatings for commercial/industrial equipment.

Regulatory Compliance:

  • Counsel a private entity regarding relocation of fill material associated with construction of a surf park development in the United States.
  • Provide regulatory guidance for a public utility provider in connection with a notice of violation under state wetlands statutes.
  • Provide environmental contractual guidance for a private entity engaged by a government entity to investigate circumstances surrounding certain wildfires in the United States.
  • Provide state and local regulatory guidance for a private country club in connection with historic septic tanks and associated leach fields.
  • Counsel private entities on manufacturing facility decommissioning processes and associated relocations.

Renewable Energy Project Finance:

  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) array in California on 3,000-acres of public and private lands, which included state and federal permitting review.
  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) array project portfolio encompassing golf courses, landfills, carports, and rural land, which included federal permitting review.
  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of an energy storage facility situated adjacent to cranberry bogs, which included federal permitting review.
  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of a wind energy project encompassing over 10,000 acres of public and private land in Texas, which included federal permitting review.
  • Representation of a lender in connection with the financing and development of a battery storage project portfolio in Utah, which included federal permitting review.
Recent Experience
Cuadrilla Capital Acquires Gluware, Inc.
Winston Represented Revelstoke Capital Partners in Acquisition of NKMD MGMT, LLC
Winston Represented S&S Automotive in its Sale to Lawson Products
Winston Represented Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in its Acquisition of The Rowley Agency

Credentials

Education

Josh received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School in 2023. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, in political science from Morningside University in 2019.

    Admissions
    • Illinois

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    View All Insights & News

    Capabilities

    Environmental
    Transactions
    Environmental Litigation & Enforcement
    Mergers & Acquisitions
    Energy
    Energy Transition
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