Praised for its ‘unique’ longstanding presence in the market, Baker Botts L.L.P. fields a team of specialists able to cover the waterfront of energy transactions, both domestically and abroad. The firm combines capital markets expertise with top-end M&A and acquisition financing work, instructed by major utility players, multinational asset managers, and energy developers and producers. Particular mandates of note include the Champlain Hudson Power Express Project, the Texas Temple I and Temple II projects, and the Twin Oaks coal-fired power plant, whilst continued work in the energy transition space has seen an influx of battery storage, wind and solar transactions. Elaine Walsh and Michael Didriksen lead the team from Washington DC and New York respectively, with the former lauded by clients for her extensive understanding of the regulatory landscape – a competency honed from previous in-house industry experience – and the latter for his M&A and development capabilities that spans both conventional and renewable energy assets. Practice group chair of project finance and San Franciscan-based Dino Barajas has been the leading figure on gas-fired and solar energy mandates, operating in both North and Central America, while Houston’s Tim Taylor has been a crucial advisor to clients on their capital markets transactions. San Francisco-based senior counsel Vladimir Fet and Washington DC senior associate Carlos Marquez bring further project financing and debt financing between them, as well as possessing strong M&A capabilities. Eli Hinckley in Washington DC is focused on tax equity financing work. Jonathan Bobinger departed the practice in June 2023.

Delivering both traditional and energy transition asset advice alongside cutting-edge technological and innovative expertise, Kirkland & Ellis LLP continues to handle blockbuster multi-billion dollar asset and company acquisitions and disposals, often working for some of the market’s most formidable financial sponsors and pension funds. The team has responded to motivations from both domestic and European investors taking interest in tax credit instructions through the hire of Sam Kamyans from Allen & Overy LLP in June 2023, with his expertise combining with fellow tax specialist Michael Masri to service the firm’s ever-expanding stream of solar, wind and battery storage deals. The Houston-based Andrew Calder heads the team and is often active on the firm’s most substantial mandates, including Global Infrastructure Partners' recent acquisition by BlackRock. Kevin Crews operates out of Dallas and is noted for his far-reaching practice that has seen him advise on wind and solar, forestry, and RNG projects, while Cyril Jones has been predominantly engaged with private equity acquisitions and joint venture deals, acting from the firm’s Houston office. Out of New York, Kristin Mendoza is a key contact to the practice’s clean energy and sustainable infrastructure platforms such as CleanCapital and Arclight Capital Partners, often working alongside Houston’s Ahmed Sidik who is equally well versed across M&A, divestitures, private equity and project development investments. Also advising from the firm’s Houston office, Rhett Van Syoc is one of the main port-of-callsfor Blackstone and its portfolio companies for buyouts, investments and disposals.

Advising new market entrants and entrenched clients in the energy space since the Inflation Reduction Act, Latham & Watkins LLP provides counsel to large and mid-market private equity funds, energy developers and producers, and financial institutions who seek high-end sector knowledge and transactional expertise. The firm has equal engagement with company takeovers and project-specific mandates, and has been involved with assets including, but not limited to, renewables, utilities, energy transmission infrastructure, and conventional power. Jointly heading the team in New York, David Kurzweil and Eli Katz advise on complex, multi-faceted M&A, with the former well-regarded for the breadth of his public and private company deal sheet and the latter for the expert tax advice he provides for private equity sponsors and infrastructure funds. Houston’s Trina Chandler has taken the lead on a number of energy power producer mergers and equity interest acquisitions, while Washington DC’s David Schwartz is sought out for M&A, regulatory and disputes counsel, advising both global asset managers on multi-billion dollar acquisitions and leading energy players on power purchase and sale agreements. Lauren Anderson is based in Houston and has a notable focus on private equity transactions, particularly in the renewables space over the past twelve months, which is similar to New York’s Christopher Cross, who acts as sellers counsel in previous deal highlights. Eminent practitioner Jeff Greenberg, who operates out of Los Angeles, continues to leverage his vast knowledge and expertise within the energy industry to advise on a broad-array of marquee transactions and financings. David Owen and Caroline Phillips provide further M&A and joint venture capabilities from New York.

 

Bracewell LLP continues to work on both traditional power and large scale renewable projects, with an increased flow of battery storage and carbon capture instructions coming through the firm’s diverse pipeline of mandates. The group has seen an increased engagement with private equity funds, working with the likes of Arroyo Energy Investment Partners and Rockland Capital on natural gas and oil-fired power facilities. Debt and equity capital markets are another key feature of the firm’s practice, demonstrating a wide breadth of capabilities by advising on the underwriters, issuer, and investor side of multi-million and multi-billion dollar transactions. Team lead Ryan Holcomb operates out of Houston and is predominantly focused on traditional power projects, competently overseeing the transactional, regulatory and commercial aspects of complex, high-value deals. The New York-based trio of practice co-heads Catherine Hood, Todd Eckland and J. Anthony Terrell are integral figures to the firm’s capital markets offering, assisting energy and utility players across the full array of securities offerings. Energy M&A specialist Danielle Varnell is well-versed in both greenfield and brownfield developments and has had a concentrated focus on renewables and energy transition assets over the past twelve months, and is often supported by Laura Sheldon, with the duo advising from the firm’s Washington DC office. Associate Shannon Baldwin acts out of Houston and is noted for her engagement with an impressive breadth of practice matters, whereas associate Stephen McNamara is primarily concerned with capital markets work and sits in New York.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP boasts a strong array of transactions, including overseeing the purchase and sale of equity stakes in marquee energy players, major company takeovers, and capital markets work involving utilities. The firm has a growing portfolio of tax equity investments work, and on the renewables front the team covers the full life cycle of a project, from the acquisition through to the financing and development piece. Furthermore, the firm has been on the seller side of large-scale utility and energy services holding company transactions, such as advising South Jersey Industries on its $8.1bn sale to Infrastructure Investments Fund. One of the most experienced names in the industry, Peter Hanlon leads on a number of the firm’s most consequential M&A, as well as being a key figure in the group’s capital markets offering. Co-head Nicholas Politan, who also possesses considerable industry experience, is chief advisor to Berkshire Hathaway Energy alongside a number of financial sponsors, developers and producers. Sought out by both public and private companies for his combined M&A expertise and technological acumen, John Gaffney ‘s transactional offering spans both domestic and cross-border instructions, as well as capital markets work. Emad Khalil and Darius Mehraban also come highly recommended. All individuals operate out of New York.

McGuireWoods LLP is regularly sought out for its expertise handling heavyweight transactions concerning energy companies and assets, providing trusted counsel to some of the largest retail electricity providers in the country. Beyond transactional expertise that encompasses both conventional energy portfolios and a growing volume of renewable and clean energy developments, the firm demonstrates notable energy regulation expertise and regularly drafts, negotiates and advises on supply and partnership agreements. Team head and Richmond-based Joanne Katsantonis continues to be a key contact for a range of clients that include public utilities, financial sponsors, and independent power producers, most recently overseeing transactions involving nuclear, LNG and renewable assets. Operating out of Baltimore, Brian Kelly chairs the firm’s energy industry team and often receives multiple instructions from clients looking to capitalize on his M&A, project development, and commercial expertise, while Houston-based Edmund Daniels is particularly revered for his strong track record on joint venture mandates. Baltimore’s Heather Welch Arbogast is regularly engaged by retail energy providers for complex, multi-faceted transactions. Emilie McNally has been predominantly active on LNG and battery storage mandates, advising clients from Richmond.

Rated for its excellence in the energy transition and renewable space, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP houses a deep bench of experienced advisors that focuses on M&A, joint ventures, first-of-its-kind power purchase agreements, and both investment and production tax equity transactions. The team works with many of the the top energy producers in the country such as Calpine and TotalEnergies, whilst also advising multinational corporations pursuing net zero and carbon negative goals such as Microsoft. Added to this, the firm continues to operate at the leading edge of battery storage developments and transactions. The trio of team heads includes Houston-based Blake Winburne, a seasoned practitioner who acts for both premium private equity firms and energy developers; Dahl Thompson, who also operates out of Houston and has been particularly active in the wind space; and Louise Gibbons, who leads from the firm’s San Francisco office and who has been active on equity transactions on some of the largest renewable developments in the country. Fellow San Francisco advisor Kristin Seeger‘s practice largely concentrates on M&A pertaining to renewables, while Giji John is instructed by the firm’s roster of financial sponsors for development, financing and transactional counsel and resides in Singapore. Houston’s Brad Gathright covers conventional and renewable asset deals with equal measure. Other names of note are Patrick Ferguson, who joined from Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in January 2023 to provide further regulatory capabilities to the practice, and Rohit Sachdev, who is well versed across the development and M&A piece. Both sit in the San Francisco office.

 

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP reinforces its eminent reputation as a go-to for leading global investment firms operating within the energy space, advising the likes of BlackRock, Blackstone, EQT and KKR on the purchase and sale of stakes in both conventional and renewable energy developers and producers. Alongside this work, the team has been active on the acquisition financing of wind and solar portfolios, capital markets work, and commercial agreements. Acting out of Houston and New York respectively, Breen Haire and Eli Hunt front the energy and infrastructure practice and take an active role guiding private equity funds and strategics through their M&A deals. Houston’s David Lieberman is sought out for his financing expertise, often counseling capital investors through debt instrument purchases as well as regularly overseeing acquisition financing mandates, while New York-based Brian Chisling’s practice spans M&A, joint ventures, financing and regulatory advice. Also based in New York, Martha Kammoun’s previous industry experience is an extra selling point for clients and is well-regarded for her work on energy transition and impact investments. Katy Lukaszewski and Gabriel Silva joined the practice in late 2023 from Sidley Austin LLP and Vinson & Elkins LLP respectively to add further traditional and renewable energy, as well as digital infrastructure expertise.

Eversheds Sutherland is a strong port of call for major power supply corporations in the US, handling both domestic and cross-border transactions, joint venture partnerships, and commercial agreements. Led by a trio of practice heads, the team engages with a wealth of renewable assets, particularly solar, and also leverages its financing expertise to handle significant capital markets mandates. Herbert J. Short is the first of three team leads and is predominantly regarded for the financing counsel he provides to electric utilities and investment bankers. Thomas H. Warren handles the firm’s most consequential energy transactions, active on M&A, commodity deals and project development, while Cindy Upchurch is a key figure in the practice’s steady stream of banking and finance and capital markets work. Associate Alyssa Walker continues to be a crucial supporting presence on a wide array of client instructions, demonstrating notable activity in the renewables space. Further expertise was added through the arrival of Prem Malali from Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP and Todd Silliman from Dentons in early-mid 2023, with the former quickly engaging with the firm’s solar and battery storage deals. Practitioners are all based in Atlanta.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has carved out a niche in the US energy market as a leading tax equity practice, advising both established industry players and new market entrants on the tax equity financings of substantial solar and battery storage projects, as well as advising multinational financial services firms on tax credit transactions. Alongside this, the practice boasts a formidable capital markets offering, working closely with household names in the utilities space, as well as leading underwriters, on significant financing arrangements. Co-heads Jeffrey Schroeder and Peter O’Brien operate out of Washington DC and New York, respectively, with the latter the key figure in the group for power, utilities, and capital markets work, often working closely with colleagues Michael Fitzpatrick and Steven Friend, who demonstrate further excellence in this area and sit alongside O’Brien in New York. Richmond-based Laura Jones is an especially well-regarded tax lawyer who oversees a wealth of tax credit transactions, both generating repeat instructions and new business for the firm. Washington DC’s Geoffrey Lorenz‘s wide-ranging experience covers a variety of financing and transaction structures, and he is also highly active on tax-equity investments. Patrick Jamieson and Brendan Harney are further names of note for their debt and equity capital markets work from New York, while Douglas Dua and Jean Liang received promotions to partnership and counsel, respectively in 2023, also sitting in the New York office.

K&L Gates is well-positioned to act on a wealth of energy deals, possessing wide-ranging expertise that covers M&A, joint ventures and varied financing structures. The firm has a notable specialism constructing buy-side power purchase agreements for large multinational corporates, as well as demonstrating strong engagement with tax equity financing mandates. Washington DC-based regulatory expert Kimberly Frank leads the team together with Kansas lawyer John Crossley, who frequently engages with mandates pertaining to the acquisition and disposition of large scale conventional and renewable energy builds. Seattle’s Elisabeth Yandell McNeil‘s recent highlights include electric utility, solar, wind and battery storage sales. Also in Seattle, Eric Freedman is instructed by a wide array of public and private sector clients who rely on both his transactional and commercial expertise, while Kansas-based Brogan Sullivan is predominantly focused on M&A and tax-equity financings, often working alongside Martha Pugh, who has been deeply involved in production tax credits and investment tax credit matters.

Combining financing and transactional capabilities for a range of multinational commercial banks, investment banks, and US power and energy infrastructure asset managers and companies, Milbank is equally comfortable acting as lenders' and borrowers' counsel on mandates pertaining to critical projects and developments across the nation. Daniel Bartfeld and Daniel Michalchuk co-lead the practice, with the former leading the firm’s most significant M&A and acquisition financing mandates, and the latter possessing a broad understanding of energy assets, from conventional power to renewables and minerals. William Bice is another name to note for the practice’s acquisition financing expertise, while Richard Hillman primarily focuses on project and structured financing transactions. Jeffrey Leider regularly advises energy and infrastructure investment firms and developers. All practitioners operate out of New York.

 

Demonstrating the ability to advise across a wide array of energy assets, Norton Rose Fulbright‘s client roster comprises a host of investment partnerships, global asset managers, infrastructure funds and major industry developers. The practice, which has an impressive record on renewable energy projects, is under the joint leadership of Austin’s Becky Diffen and New York’s Kessar Nashat. Diffen handles M&A, joint venture and project development mandates, particularly with regard to developers navigating sell-side M&A, while Nashat has notable strength working alongside investors and financial sponsors. The Los Angeles-based Elizabeth Sluder brings wider expertise to the fore through her tax equity financing acumen and ability to consider the environmental and regulatory issues that underpin the firm’s diverse portfolio of transactions. Chicago-based Sameer A. Ghaznavi has been the leading figure on major renewable portfolio deals, advising both domestic and international clients, whereas Anastasia Slivker has overseen investments in both projects and companies from the New York office.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP‘s cross-disciplinary energy team includes key names Ben Clark and David McCullough, who bring extensive sector-focused M&A experience between them, and Don Lonczak, who joined from Bracewell LLP in August 2023 and is well reputed for his tax expertise. The trio join an already established team that features practice head Robert James, who operates out of San Francisco and is especially strong on energy transition mandates, and fellow practice lead and New York attorney Jeffrey Delaney, who possesses a formidable capital markets offering. Robert Nelson is the chief point of contact for the firm’s roster of marquee energy holding companies and investment funds and advises from San Francisco. Washington DC’s Elina Teplinsky has been predominantly engaged with nuclear-related transactions in recent work highlights, whereas Shellka Arora-Cox has focused on solar deals from New York.

White & Case LLP regularly acts on complex structured transactions that involve both substantial conventional power and renewable asset portfolios, particularly gas fired and nuclear projects which remain a key theme of the group’s pipeline of work. With a diverse spread of clients, the team is active on behalf of PE outfits, particularly regarding investment in early stage outfits through to the eventual sale and reinjection of capital back into the energy space. Michael Shenberg, head of US power and utilities and operating out of New York, is a key figure in some of the practice’s most prominent client relationships, such as Caline Corporation, EnCap Investments, and JERA Americas. Fellow New York practitioner Ipek Candan Snyder carries out considerable foreign investment work, often instructed by Asian asset managers and Middle Eastern clean energy developers on traditional power, battery storage and renewable deals. Houston’s Morgan Hollins provides corporate governance advice alongside her deep expertise in M&A, private equity and joint ventures, while Mingda Zhao, also in Houston, has predominantly worked with NRG Energy, Inc over the past twelve months on their energy and digital infrastructure acquisitions. Jeff Davies lends tax equity expertise from Washington DC, while Hayden Baker joined in New York from Troutman Pepper in 2023 and brings further M&A and financing capabilities. Arthur Scavone has retired.

Akin not only leads on high-end debt and equity financings for a range of energy projects, but also possesses a strong bench of advisors who competently handle the specialist regulatory, tax and development aspects of these substantial builds. In addition, the firm also oversees M&A, joint ventures, and power purchase agreements. Matthew Kapinos heads the team from Houston and covers the full range of energy transactions, financings and asset types, with particular engagement with battery storage over the past twelve months. Project finance duo Ikenna Emehelu and Daniel Lynch operate out of New York and Los Angeles respectively, largely focusing on renewables and energy transition matters. Washington DC’s Shariff Barakat advises sponsors, tax-equity investors and lenders across the acquisition, development and financing piece. New York-based counsel Brad Warner has been a strong supporting presence on a range of renewable matters, while recent arrival Sam Guthrie, who joined from Allen & Overy LLP in July 2023, brings further tax equity acumen, advising from Washington DC.

Dentons‘ energy practice is valued by electric generation and transmission utilities and multinational independent power producers who value the team’s capabilities in M&A, project development, and project finance. In terms of transaction work, the group handles joint ventures and investments surrounding large-scale windfarms, solar power project company sales, and vast acquisitions of gas-fired combined cycle power plant projects. Clint Vince leads the group from Washington DC and takes the lead on complex energy transactions and negotiations. Fellow Washington DC advisor Luis Torres is noted for his impressive cross-border practice.

 

Trusted by a host of private equity outfits and infrastructure funds, the team at Mayer Brown International LLP ‘know what to focus on within complex deals’, overseeing a range of high-profile mandates regarding renewable energy portfolio transactions, PPAs, joint ventures, and the purchase and sale of companies – among others. Paul Astolfi spearheads the practice from Chicago and is well-renowned for his equity investment work in the renewables industry, and is a chief advisor to CDPQ. Elena Rubinov guides global energy players and investment managers through M&A from the firm’s New York office, with recent work highlights including large-scale wind, solar and battery storage developments, and often works alongside Nadav Klugman who provides further M&A and renewables expertise from Chicago. Washington DC’s Mark Williams demonstrates prolific activity across the board and lends crucial transactional-energy regulatory know-how to a wide range of practice mandates. Heather Feingold, who is also based in Washington DC, is held in similar acclaim for her energy regulatory strength.

 

 

A team with a ‘good mix of project finance, M&A and corporate legal expertise’, McDermott Will & Emery LLP is well positioned to advise its host of energy companies, utilities, developers and large-cap sponsors for an array of transactions in the conventional and renewable energy space. The firm particularly stands out for its work with private equity and infrastructure funds, and also has the ability to handle complex tax issues relating to energy transition assets. Practice heads Edward Zaelke and Philip Tingle operate out of Los Angeles and Miami respectively, with the former focused on M&A and joint ventures and the latter on financings and equity investments. Frederick Lark, based in New York, is the key advisor to key client Argo Infrastructure Partners and their M&A requirements, while Robert Lamkin has a mixed transactional and regulatory practice that energy developers and producers continually seek out. Debra Harrison is a renewables and tax equity expert and works out of Washington DC.

Demonstrating ‘national – not simply in-state – electric power development, finance, tax equity, and M&A’ expertise, Moore & Van Allen, PLLC counts a number of financial institutions, private equity firms, and energy producers among its client roster. In recent work highlights, the team has overseen the acquisition and disposition of large-scale solar projects and natural gas facilities, as well as handling joint ventures and commercial agreements. Joe Fernandez is a highly active advisor who acts as the key client contact and leading figure in the group. Joe is equally proficient across conventional and renewable energy sources and is well-placed to act on M&A and corporate finance. Josh DeBottis brings strong tax expertise to a range of transactions. Lesley Attkisson Lewis is also recommended. All lawyers mentioned are based in Charlotte.

Counting a number of investor-owned utilities, major infrastructure core funds, and domestic power and natural gas holding companies among its client roster, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP capitalizes on its deep regulatory knowledge to act on multi-billion-dollar deals in this space. Robert Warnement and Gerard Clark are the key names in the team, both operating from Washington DC and possessing a broad understanding of an array of asset types, particularly utilities. Mike Naeve has retired from the practice.

Fielding a ‘nimble’ transactional team that is ‘responsive to client needs’, Winston & Strawn LLP‘s team is ‘well integrated with every other major practice area required to conduct transactions in this space’. With expertise across conventional and renewable energy assets, the group regularly advises on M&A, joint bidding and ventures, financings and development work, with energy storage products increasingly becoming a key feature of the firm’s workload. Rich Shutran and Mike Pikiel helm the practice, with the former noted for the scale of his renewables and energy transition offering and the latter for his financing expertise. Jonathan Birenbaum is widely lauded by clients for his dealmaking capabilities, with the New York-based partner frequently engaged with a broad array of transaction structures and assets. Jason Lewis advises energy investors on M&A, project finance and project development matters. Managing partner for the firm’s Houston office Mike Blankenship also co-leads the team and is singled out for his securities and financing proficiency.