Alan Alexander > Vinson & Elkins LLP > Houston, United States > Lawyer Profile

The team at Vinson & Elkins LLP includes specialist construction practitioners, experienced trail arbitration attorneys, and transactional lawyers who represent a wide range of clients across the US. The practice also frequently oversees public and private energy and infrastructure projects. Kaam Sahely in Austin co-leads the team and is an expert in power generation, renewable and sustainable energy, alongside traditional hydrocarbons and infrastructure assets. Ferguson McNiel is a well-established litigator who possesses more than forty years of experience in representing clients in commercial, construction, energy as well as toxic tort cases. Alan Alexander’s practice focuses on joint ventures, project development, as well as project financings. Stephanie Coco is proficient in project and infrastructure construction and development, and her practice is particularly focused on structured transactions, joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions. All mentioned individuals are located in Houston unless stated otherwise.

Vinson & Elkins LLP is active in major projects in both traditional and renewable energy and power across the country, with a particular strong renewable energy practice, and a strong presence on the East and West Coasts and Texas. Eamon Nolan and Michael Joyce jointly lead the team, based in New York and Los Angeles, respectively. Nolan is a prominent project finance attorney with experience in complex transactions in both the US and Latin American markets, while Joyce has a strong focus on solar and wind projects. Sean Moran in Austin has particular expertise in complex financial structuring, and Lauren Collins in Los Angeles has a niche focus on tax issues in project finance. Transactions expert Aaron Prince in New York and Alan Alexander in Houston are also recommended, with Alexander’s expertise including complex downstream projects, as well as energy transition matters.

Jointly led by energy transactions & projects head Danielle Patterson, as well as corporate co-heads and acquisition experts Kaam Sahely and Matt Strock, all based in Houston, Vinson & Elkins LLP‘s practice advises high-profile clients on the whole range of development, financing, acquisition, and sale of renewables projects, and is particularly ‘well-versed in tax equity financing and credit monetization techniques in general, as well as the new opportunities presented by the Inflation Reduction Act‘. In 2022, the firm advised Goldman Sachs Renewable Power in its separation from Goldman Sachs Asset Management to form MN8 Energy, the second largest U.S. independent solar and storage energy producer by capacity, with a deal value of approximately $3bn. Further notable members of the group are transactional lawyer Michael Joyce in Los Angeles, and Austin’s Sean Moran, who stands out as ‘veteran adviser in tax equity financing‘, as well as the ‘excellent’  M&A and private equity lawyer Matthew Falcone and Alan Alexander, whose practice areas include joint ventures and advising on energy projects in Latin America. Falcone and Alexander are both based in Houston. Lauren Collins in Los Angeles is another well regarded member of the team’s ‘first-rate tax team’, while John Connally left the practice in 2022.

Vinson & Elkins LLP has been a major force in energy and infrastructure projects over the years, most notably in upstream oil and gas. It has successfully diversified its practice across industries and geographies. Historically more focused on Mexico, it has successfully targeted other key jurisdictions such as Brazil, Colombia and Chile. It has also made significant inroads into the digital infrastructure field, including data centres and fibre optic cables. In transport infrastructure, the firm has made a further impact in toll roads, and has gained prominence in energy transition projects such as green hydrogen and ammonia production. Moreover, it has a significant presence in private equity investments into energy and infrastructure assets. Houston partner Alan Alexander has a significant focus on Latin America, especially energy transition, and oil and gas projects in Mexico. New York partner Eamon Nolan is also a key name. Since publication, the October 2023 departure of Gabriel Silva  has seen the firm hire energy-transition tax specialist Jorge Medina to its Los Angeles office (effective January 2024); formerly a partner in the project finance and development practices at Shearman & Sterling LLP, Medina has a particular focus on renewable energy in the Americas.

Vinson & Elkins LLP has an extensive record in energy and infrastructure projects, along with international arbitration in Latin America. The firm’s wide ranging projects practice in the region has broadened out from one that primarily focused on Mexico and has also moved beyond its traditional forte of upstream oil and gas. It now encompasses data centre developments and fibre optic cables, toll road concessions in Colombia, green hydrogen projects in Chile and production facilities in Mexico. The Houston team is also recognised for LNG and regasification projects. Energy transactions and projects partner Alan Alexander has a significant focus on the Latin American region. In international arbitration, the firm also has a fine record in Latin America, particularly in the construction and energy fields. Led by James Loftis, who splits his time between Houston and the Middle East (where he is managing partner of the Dubai office), the Houston team also includes Latin America specialist counsel Peter Danysh and counsel Timothy Tyler. All three are part of a wider team that continue to represent the Panama Canal Authority in arbitrations connected to the Panama Canal extension project. The international arbitration team is also active in LNG and natural gas disputes in Latin America.

Vinson & Elkins LLP handles both US and English law governed transactions throughout Latin America. It is also noted for its expertise in relation to private equity investments and energy-sector transactions, including tax structuring capabilities. The increasingly prominent practice has earned a growing number of engagements in the data centre and digital infrastructure segments. Gabriel Silva has an impressive record in transactions throughout the region, most notably in the digital infrastructure and data centre fields, and Eamon Nolan is an experienced figure in energy transactions in Mexico and across Latin America. Houston partners Alan Alexander and Shay Kuperman are noted for energy and infrastructure deals, particularly in Mexico. Named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.