Kenneth A. Johnson

Associate

Kenneth A. Johnson

Associate

Kenneth (Ken) Johnson focuses on mergers, acquisitions, and regulatory affairs, as well as joint ventures and other general business and contract matters.

During his time at Foley, Ken’s client-centered approach has permitted him to serve as a trusted advisor to companies and business owners, guiding them through complex transactions and opportunities. He works with companies in all stages of development, from start-up to established industry-leaders. Clients in the energy, electrified mobility, and manufacturing industries make up the bulk of his current practice.

Ken advises clients navigating operational business issues, regulatory matters, entity governance, and advocates for them before political and administrative governmental bodies. His practice supports companies’ efforts to acquire new business from government entities, major manufacturers, and other institutional customers. He also has experience representing public-benefit entities. In addition to representing businesses he devotes time to pro-bono representation of community-focused nonprofit organizations, especially in the City of Detroit and across Michigan.

Ken joined the firm as a summer associate in 2018. Prior to joining Foley, he worked as a summer associate assisting with bond issuances and real estate matters for public schools and municipalities. He was also a founding member of the University of Michigan Health System Finance Development Program, where he worked as a finance and strategy consultant prior to law school.

Representative Experience

  • Facilitating the equity sale of seven family-owned landfill gas-to-power facilities in Michigan and Kentucky to a publicly traded pipeline company for conversion to renewable natural gas (RNG) facilities.
  • Representation of various solar development companies in project sales, of an energy cooperative in the asset sale of 2000+ MW of natural gas-fired power generation asset pursuant to a Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization and supporting the acquisition by an international trading company of domestic shipping and wood-pellet production facilities.
  • Transactional support for leading manufacturers in the automotive, innovative technologies, waste, healthcare, and heavy-industry sectors, with an emphasis on transactions to acquire or divest from product lines, corporate reorganization, and entity dissolutions.
  • Representations of leading cannabis producers in combinations, licensing compliance, and in negotiating joint-venture agreements with major vertically integrated industry participants.
23 February 2024 Deals and Wins

Foley Represents rPlus Energies in $460M Partnership with Sandbrook Capital

Foley & Lardner LLP served as legal advisor to rPlus Energies, a leading private renewable energy developer, in the formation of its platform-level partnership with Sandbrook Capital, a private investment firm dedicated to transforming the world's energy infrastructure.
08 June 2023 Dashboard Insights

Successfully Navigating EV Product Roll-Outs: Manufacturers Balance Innovation and Legacy Needs

Automotive OEMs, suppliers, startups and other participants in the automotive ecosystem have a great deal to do in 2023 as manufacturers begin to move to diversify historical internal combustion vehicle product offerings with the next, battery-powered, generation of mobility.
16 May 2023 Energy Current

EPA Renewable Fuel Standards Remain Uncertain As Deadlines Loom

In Foley’s December 21, 2022 Dashboard Insights post, we examined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2023 renewable fuel standard proposal as a potentially transformative change for electric vehicle manufacturers.
06 April 2023 Blogs

Automotive Supply Chain Resiliency in 2023: Thought Leaders Gather to Discuss Shift to Electrification

21 December 2022 Blogs

U.S. EPA Rule Making Set Grants Exclusive E-RIN Production Right to EV Automakers

While U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewable fuel standards have traditionally been a chief concern of energy and fuel producers, the EPA’s 2023 rulemaking set is perhaps bigger news for Detroit than Houston this year.
17 November 2022 Blogs

OESA 2022 Automotive Conference - Outlook Panel Provides Tips for Navigating a Tumultuous Automotive Landscape

In an acknowledgement that the only constant is often change, the Original Equipment Suppliers Association’s (OESA) 24th Annual Automotive Supplier Conference opened on November 7 under the headline “The Future is Calling. How Will You Answer?