Crystal Kennedy is a nationally recognized environmental attorney and leads the transactional area of the firm’s environmental practice. She listens to her clients to understand their objectives and provides practical advice to achieve those, often in the face of complex factual and legal issues.
In corporate and real estate transactions, she assists with environmental due diligence, risk analysis, contract negotiations, and use of environmental insurance, cleanup programs, indemnities, escrows and other methods to manage voluntary environmental risk. She also advises developers of industrial, commercial and residential properties on environmental matters, including Brownfield redevelopment projects.
Crystal assists banks and other financing entities with pre-loan due diligence to identify businesses and properties posing significant environmental risk in terms of cleanup liability, ability to repay and impact on collateral value. She advises lenders on the requirements for and application of environmental liability exemptions under federal and state law in the contexts of loan origination, workout and foreclosure.
Crystal is a leader of legal, business and civic organizations. She is a former president of Commercial Real Estate Women of St. Louis (CREW-St. Louis), a former co-chair of the Environmental and Conservation Law Committee of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Missouri Growth Association (MGA). She served for several years on the steering committee of the firm’s Women’s Initiative. She also served two terms as chair of the Board of Directors of Safe Connections, a United Way agency dedicated to reducing the incidence and impact of sexual assault and relationship violence.
Professional
- American Bar Association
- Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER)
- Tort and Insurance Practice Section
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Section on Environmental Law
- The Missouri Bar
- Environmental & Energy Law Committee
- The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
- Environmental and Conservation Law Committee
- Co-Chair, 2004-2006
- Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) of St. Louis
- Immediate Past President, 2005
- President, 2004
- President-Elect, 2003
- National Delegate, 2002
- Director of Community Services, 1999-2001
- Missouri Growth Association (MGA)
- Board of Directors, 2005
Community
- American Heart Association of Missouri
- Executive Leadership Team, Go Red for Women, 2011-2012
- Heart Walk Corporate Team Captain, 2003-2014
- 2004 Top Walker, St. Louis Metropolitan Region
- Safe Connections
- Chair, Board of Directors, 2012-2014, 2015-2016
- Vice Chair, Board of Directors, 2010-2011
- Member, Board of Directors, 2009-2016
- Golf Outing Volunteer Coordinator, 2002-2009
- Chair, CREW/Safe Connections Golf Outing, 1997-2002
- Humane Society of Missouri
- Associate Member
- Named a Top 10 Influential Environmental Lawyer, 2023 (by Business Today)
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Environmental Law, 2018-2025 (by BL Rankings)
- Named Lawyer of the Year for Environmental Law by The Best Lawyers in America (by BL Rankings), 2023
- Listed in “Chambers USA” for Environment in Missouri; St. Louis & Surrounds, 2018-2024 (by Chambers & Partners)
- Listed in “Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers,” 2010-2019 (by Thomson Reuters)
- Environmental Law, 2010-Present
- Top 50 Women in Missouri and Kansas, 2011-2012
- Inductee, 2017 Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame (Midwest Real Estate News)
- “Environmental Issues Impacting the Buying, Selling and Leasing of Real Estate”
Missouri Real Estate Practice, MoBar 2000, 2002, 2006 - “Environmental Issues Impacting the Buying, Selling, and Leasing of Real Estate”
Environmental Issues and Federal Regulations Affecting Real Estate, MoBar 2011
- “Environmental Due Diligence Considerations”
American Industrial Hygiene Association – St. Louis Section, May 2018 - “Environmental Due Diligence”
Real Property and Environmental & Conservation Law Committees of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, March 12, 2013 - “Environmental Issues in Real Estate Transactions”
Annual Real Estate Institute, sponsored by the Missouri Bar Association, May 2006
- Alter Trading Corporation
- Bunzl USA, Inc.
- CKE Restaurants, Inc.
- CRG Services, LLC
- GATX Capital Corporation
- Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC
- Kansas City Southern Railway Company
- McBride Homes
- McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc.
- Mercy Health
- US Bank National Association
- US Bancorp Community Development Corporation
I am an avid NFL football and Minnesota Vikings fan. I also enjoy reading and watching television program about true crime and spies.