Led from Los Angeles by Jeffrey Greenberg  and able to draw upon a huge pool of resources from other offices on the East and West Coasts, including New York and San Diego, Latham & Watkins LLP's project development and finance practice has an 'excellent perspective of market trends and commercial norms', acting for sponsors, developers and lenders engaged in renewables matters. Although the firm has expertise across all phases of the development and financing of renewable power projects, it adds particular value on later stage mandates and matters requiring complex financing requirements, involving debt throughout the capital structure. Recent highlights include Greenberg's work for MUFG Bank, as lead arranger, on the $1.1bn financing to facilitate the  project financing of multiple geothermal facilities located in Sonoma County and Lake County, California. New York-based tax partner Eli Kazt is also a pivotal member of the team due to the importance of tax incentives for equity investors deploying capital to help fund solar and wind projects throughout the country. New York-based partner Matthew Henegar is appreciated for his ability to structure deals involving complex inter-creditor arrangements, while at a slightly more junior level, San Diego-based partner Omar Nazif is gaining market recognition for his balanced offering on behalf of developers, sponsors and financial institutions engaged in the development and financing of wind, solar, and geothermal energy projects.

Leveraging the firm's world-class project finance offering, both domestically and across its international network, and also imbued with a strong understanding of the underlying sector specific nuances associated with work across the renewables firmament, Milbank is regularly involved in the most significant domestic and cross-border projects in the market. Led from New York by Daniel Bartfeld and Jonathan Green, the team is undoubtedly best-known for its creditor-side work for banks across a range of finance products, as well as institutional investors in private placement offerings. As part of his broad project finance offering, Bartfeld has developed  a strong reputation handling Latin America-based mandates, many of which involve multi-source finance structures. Roland Estevez is also a key driver of the firm's South America offering, with notable recent instructions flowing from both lenders and sponsors on financing and refinancing mandates relating to solar and wind projects in Chile. Los Angeles-based partner Timothy Wendling has a strong reputation advising lenders on the financing of utility-scale domestic wind and solar projects and is also well-versed in handling M&A-related work in the space, for both buyers and sellers. Karen Wong recently retired. All named practitioners are based in New York, unless otherwise indicated.

Combining overarching M&A and finance expertise with comprehensive energy sector market knowledge, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is well positioned to advise a balanced mix of stakeholders on mandates at all stages of projects utilizing wind, solar, biomass, and other alternative energy assets. The team, which is co-headed from Boston and New York by Richard Filosa and John Klauberg, respectively, is perhaps best known for its 'very impressive sponsor-side development credentials', which see it engaged in a tremendous volume of wind and solar projects, from greenfield and brownfield development to the expansion of existing facilities. Los Angeles-based partner Wayne Song is 'very well known in the renewables market' and provides 'commercial and pragmatic' advice to developers and private equity/financial investors across a range of project development, finance and M&A mandates. New York-based partner James Tynion is particularly adept at handling debt and equity financing and M&A-related work pursuant to wind projects. With many years' experience advising both developers and private equity and financial investors, Chicago-based partner Elizabeth Hanigan has an excellent perspective of market trends and of the commercial drivers informing the acquisition and sale of development-stage wind and solar assets, completed projects and portfolios.

Benefiting from an 'excellent understanding of the market', and able to resource matters from across its office network utilizing lawyers with sector-focused finance, projects, regulatory and corporate expertise, Norton Rose Fulbright excels in handling 'complicated acquisitions involving numerous stakeholders'. Although it has a broad client base, the firm is perhaps best-known for its sponsors/developer-side work and has vast experience advising on acquisitions and disposals relating to interests in domestic wind and solar projects. 'Fantastic' New York-based partner Todd Alexander recently represented TOTAL Strong (a joint venture formed between Hannon Armstrong and Total) in connection with its formation and subsequent purchase from SunPower of the entirety of its equity interests in ten project companies, each of which is developing and constructing a solar project in the US. 'Truly an authority on renewable energy', Washington DC-based partner Keith Martin has gained legendary status in the market as a result of his renewable-related tax structuring advice. In addition to being sought out for his transactional expertise, he is also a persuasive voice on behalf of clients on policy issues in this space. Martin co-heads the firm's overarching projects team alongside New York-based partner Benjamin Koenigsberg, who, in addition to maintaining a very strong lender-focused offering, is also the relationship partner of Danish renewable energy heavyweight, Ørsted as it moves into the US market.

Led from San Francisco by Les Sherman and also receiving robust support from the firm's energy and project finance-focused Houston hub, as well as regulatory, environmental and disputes lawyers throughout its national network of offices, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is well placed to advise a range of stakeholders throughout the life cycle of solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and battery storage projects. The firm has developed deeply entrenched relationships with many developers/sponsors, including the renewable arms of major energy utilities, among which EDF Renewables and E.ON Renewables are the most prominent. Consequently, it picks up a tremendous volume of work as these energy behemoths invest and dispose of a myriad of renewables projects throughout the country, often in the context of large portfolio transactions. Recent highlights included the representation of Acciona Energy in its acquisition of a 3GW utility-scale portfolio of greenfield solar projects and a 1GW battery storage development portfolio from Tenaska. Although his project development and financing expertise in the energy sector covers a mix of renewables assets, Eric Stephens has gained most acclaim for his work within the solar space, particular as it relates to distributed projects, an area that he has been at the forefront since the inception of the technology over a decade ago. Mark Weitzel is particularly noted for his tax equity financing expertise in the solar and wind space. All practitioners named are based in the firm's San Francisco office.

Combining national M&A, private equity and project finance expertise with a core focus and understanding of the energy sector and the underlying assets involved, Vinson & Elkins LLP is well placed to provide 'commercially-minded' advice to a predominantly investor-focused client base on their renewables transactions. The firm remains the principal adviser to Goldman Sachs on investments made through its renewables fund and has also recently advised the Carlyle Group on the first two investments and financing transactions for its renewable and sustainable energy platform. As a corollary of his broader corporate and M&A practice, the 'proactive and creative' Dallas-based partner Peter Marshall is regularly engaged in private equity-related work in the sector and is a key member of the team, as is Spanish speaking New York-based partner Eamon Nolan, who regularly advises lenders and borrowers on debt and equity financing transactions to fund the acquisition, development, and divestment of renewable assets, both domestically and throughout Latin America. In addition to advising on commercial contracts, including PPAs and joint development agreements, Houston-based partner Danielle Patterson is also regularly engaged in M&A in the sector, adding value by dint of her ability to provide detailed asset-level due diligence. Kaam Sahely and John Connally co-head the firm's overarching energy, infrastructure and projects group from Austin and Houston, respectively. Sahely is particularly instrumental to the firm's success for private equity sponsors investing in renewables and clean energy projects.

Fielding dedicated teams of practitioners from across the firm's multi-disciplinary nationwide energy group, Winston & Strawn LLP 'sets the standard for its knowledge of the subject matter and ability to adapt to any scenario' and is consequently able to provide 'thoughtful and constructive' advice to a myriad stakeholders engaged in domestic renewables matters throughout the project life cycle. Much of the work handled by the firm in this space is led from its California offices, which have over the years developed a strong track record advising on solar and wind farm-related project development matters. As well as regularly advising developers on renewable projects, San Francisco-based energy group chair Joe Karp is also praised for his 'in-depth knowledge of what is "market"' in relation to power purchase agreements (PPAs), enabling him to effectively advise both sellers and end-users in relation to power off-take arrangements. Los Angeles-based partner Laurae Rossi is regularly instructed by commercial/regional bank in debt financing related to the development of single projects, as well as in relation to renewables-related portfolio mandates. Mike Pikiel and Richard Shutran co-chair the energy and infrastructure energy group from the firm's New York office, which is also a significant hub for renewables-related transactional work, particularly on the corporate and finance front. Jonathan Birenbaum  handles a great deal of M&A work in the space, for both private equity funds and strategics, including as it relates to the acquisition and sale of existing and development-stage renewable energy assets. 'Superb' corporate finance partner Tara Greenberg is also based in New York and regularly works alongside Birenbaum for clients seeking to acquire, dispose of or finance assets relating to solar and wind projects, in particular.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP has a core focus on renewables work for a variety of leading domestic and international stakeholders, including sponsors/developers (SunPower Corporation); lenders (Macquarie Bank, Royal Bank of Canada) and investors (D.E.Shaw Renewable Investments). The scope of the work is broad and includes advising on all aspects associated with the development, financing, acquisition and sale of renewables projects, both from a purely domestic as well as international perspective. Although the firm handles its fair share of volume-based instructions, its work at the leading-edge of the industry, in terms of new technologies, transactions and structures has ensured that it has become the go-to-practice for clients on their more bespoke and innovative transactions. Notable recent highlights include advising SunTrust Bank on its tax equity investment in the Holstein solar project (a 200MW solar project located in Texas), which was notable for being the first tax equity transaction on a solar hedge off-take in the market. The team was, however, impacted in March 2021 by the departure of a number of key practitioners including John Marciano to Allen & Overy LLP.

The 'diligent, reliable and smart' team at Baker Botts L.L.P. advises a balanced mix of stakeholders, including strategic investors, private equity firms, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and banks, across the spectrum of renewables-related corporate and finance work throughout the project life cycle. New York-based partner Michael Didriksen continues to be involved in some high-profile and cutting-edge mandates in the space, including his recent work for AES Corporation on the ten-year strategic alliance it formed with Google to accelerate the growth and adoption of clean energy (in part by leveraging Google Cloud technology to pioneer innovation in the sector). 'Very bright and capable' San Francisco-based partner Jeff Kayes co-heads the global projects/renewable clean energy practice alongside Didriksen and is noted, in particular, for his 'superb experience in renewables-related finance', including advice to borrowers and lenders on equity and debt financing structures. New York-based senior associate Leslie Hodge provides 'a commercial and can-do-approach' for strategic investors, private equity firms and developers on project development and acquisition financing transactions within the renewables sector.

Praised for its ‘accessible and responsive service‘, as well as its ‘flexible and aggressive billing strategy‘, DLA Piper LLP (US)‘s ‘knowledgeable and experienced‘ projects team continues to gain market share among sponsors, lenders and equity investors, which are appreciative of its ability to strike ‘the right balance of caution and common sense’. The firm’s aptitude at handling global projects, aided by a vast international network of offices, is also a significant selling point, and this was recently enhanced by the arrival in March 2020 of Dino Barajas from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, who is skilled at handling Latin America-related energy/infrastructure projects work. Combining both construction and ‘commercially-minded and solutions-oriented‘ industry sector knowledge, ‘exceptional‘ Chicago-based of counsel Sameer Ghaznavi is also a key member of the team, particularly in light of the increasing tendency to implement build-own-transfer contracts in the renewables space. Washington DC-based partner Vanessa Wilson co-heads the projects, energy and infrastructure team alongside Barajas and is appreciated for her ‘depth of experience and patient disposition‘, in relation to renewable energy project finance matters.

Led from New York by Peter Hanlon and Nicholas Politan and drawing upon the expertise of industry-focused M&A, financing, projects, tax and regulatory lawyers spread across the firm's network of offices, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is well positioned to advise developers, project sponsors, funds and lenders on the acquisition, development and financing of a range of renewables projects. Both Hanlon and Politan continue to regularly advise cornerstone client BHE Renewables, Berkshire Hathaway's renewables arm, which remains voracious in its appetite for acquisitions and tax equity investments in the wind and solar space. Other domestic work includes advising on the buy- and sell-side of utility-scale projects, as well as helping clients in the sector to raise finance via debt and equity issuances on the capital markets. The firm's international network of offices also ensures that it is well placed to pick up instructions from foreign investors entering the US market, as well as assisting on projects which necessitate a multi-jurisdictional approach.

Led from Washington DC by the ‘responsive and commercial‘ Jeffrey Schroeder, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP‘s energy and infrastructure team is particularly adept at advising banks investing and lending into domestic solar and wind projects. Tax equity financing structures account for a significant volume of this work, which shows no signs of abating, particularly in light of the recent federal extension of the tax credit system. San Francisco-based partner Michael Klaus is a key member of the team and has advised investors on the tax equity financing to facilitate utility-scale, distributed generation and residential-related solar projects throughout the country.

Benefiting from an 'in-depth knowledge of the renewables space', from transactional, operational and regulatory perspectives, K&L Gates provides a well-rounded service to developers, sponsors, lenders, tax equity investors, utilities, and governmental and regulatory bodies across all aspects of the development, financing, acquisition, and operation of renewable energy projects. The team is particularly adept at guiding clients through the early stages of project development, including helping to secure the relevant permits and rights necessary to proceed and to ultimately achieve financing. Other areas of strength include negotiating both physical and virtual PPAs for developers and corporates, as well as providing thought leadership to clients and industry participants through the firm's well received handbooks on emerging trends in the sector relating to energy storage and offshore wind. David Hattery is well versed at structuring renewables-related EPC contracts and co-heads the team alongside tax partner Elizabeth Crouse, who has niche experience advising on storage and secondary market acquisitions of renewables facilities by taxable and tax-exempt organizations.

King & Spalding LLP's multi-disciplinary team is best known for its representation of financial sponsors and infrastructure funds in their clean energy investments. Leveraging strong ties with investors including DE Shaw Renewables and Capital Dynamics, New York-based M&A partner Jonathan Melmed handles a considerable amount of this investor-side work and since his arrival in 2018 from Morrison & Foerster LLP has significantly enhanced the firm's credentials within the mid-market fund space, in particular. Melmed is regularly aided on the finance front by Brandon Dalling, who is well versed across a range of debt and equity structures, as well as hedging arrangements. The firm's oil and gas-focused Houston office is also playing a more visible role in the space in light of the increasing crossover between conventional fossil fuels-related matters and renewables.

Leveraging the firm's overarching project finance and regulatory strengths, McDermott Will & Emery LLP is increasingly active in the market and now has the critical mass and breadth of expertise to be able to resource a significant range and volume of work for investors, developers, public utilities and lenders on the development and financing of wind, solar and battery storage projects. The group was recently bolstered by a spate of notable hires, including that of Washington DC-based partner Christopher Gladbach from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in March 2020. Los Angeles-based partner Edward Zaelke was himself somewhat of a catalyst to the firm's increased market visibility, and since his arrival in March 2019 from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP has spearheaded many of the most significant debt and tax equity renewable financing transactions on both the creditor and debtor side, including a considerable volume of private equity-related M&A and financing work. Washington DC-based partner Carl Fleming  is also recommended and as well as as providing 'highly commercial and pragmatic' advice to stakeholders on M&A and financing transactions, is also well placed to advise on shifting market trends and government policy decisions in the sector by virtue of his previous role as a White House advisor. Miami-based partner Philip Tingle co-heads the firm's energy and project finance practice alongside Zaelke and is noted for his solar and wind-related tax structuring expertise.

Led from New York by Junaid Chida and also aided by a sizeable cohort of lawyers on the West Coast, O'Melveny & Myers LLP's multi-disciplinary nine-partner energy team provides a 'very strong service' to stakeholders on their strategic investments, acquisitions, dispositions, and joint ventures across a range of renewables projects, including solar, wind, hydroelectric and biomass. The firm is, however, best known for its project financing credentials and is regularly instructed by key banks in the sector, including Citicorp and Wells Fargo, on debt financings or in their capacity as equity investors. Recent highlights include Chida's work for Goldman Sachs on a preferred equity investment in, and project financing of, a 75MW portfolio of solar installations in various states being developed by Duke Energy Renewables. New York-based tax partner Arthur Hazlitt regularly provides valuable input on financing mandates, including on the aforementioned deal, and is noted for his tax equity financing prowess.

Led from New York and San Francisco by Mona Dajani and Robert James, respectively, and also aided by a sizeable international footprint, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP has a strong reputation acting on behalf of sponsors, utilities and commercial and development banks, on the development, financing, and M&A work associated with domestic and international renewable power projects throughout the value chain. In addition to handling more conventional renewables work, including as it relates to wind and solar projects, the firm is also at the forefront of new developments within the renewables space and has, for example, handled a number of major battery storage projects. Most notably on this front, in a deal which was led from the firm's Los Angeles office by tax partner Jorge Medina and aided by Dajani, the firm represented Plus Power in the tax structuring, development, and financing of the Kapolei Energy Storage project, which when completed is expected to be one of the largest battery storage projects in the world.

Co-headed from Chicago and San Diego by Katherine Gillespie and Tony Toranto, respectively, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP's energy, infrastructure and project finance team provides a comprehensive service, including advice on financing provisions, project acquisitions and divestitures and PPAs, to developers, investors and lenders. Although she does handle some M&A throughout the project development and operation process, Gillespie is best known for her financing expertise, and is conversant with a range of techniques (including project-level debt transactions, back-leverage financings, and lease financing) to help facilitate the funding of renewable projects, including wind power generation facilities. Gillespie, and indeed the team as a whole, have perhaps gained most recognition for their ability to structure deals utilizing the tax benefits available in the market. This was recently underscored by its representation of Wells Fargo Bank, as tax equity investor, in two wind production tax credit (PTC) transactions, which uniquely achieved a binding commitment between a regulated utility and a tax equity provider. Chicago-based tax partner Amit Kalra is regularly involved in tax equity financing mandates, including on the aforementioned Wells Fargo matter.

Benefiting from numerous core energy and infrastructure-focused transactional lawyers based out of the firm's New York headquarters, and also able to resource matters utilizing practitioners with more generalist M&A and finance credentials, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is particularly well suited to advise private equity firms and infrastructure funds on their renewables investment strategies. The 'very knowledgeable' David Lieberman heads the team and, as well as handling M&A work for both strategics and financial sponsors, is also regularly involved in the capital markets and bank loan financing aspects of transactions in the sector. Lieberman is praised by clients for is ability to 'expertly manage the needs and questions' of deals often involving a diverse group of lenders.

White & Case LLP's multi-disciplinary team—which draws upon the expertise of M&A, projects, financing and tax lawyers throughout the country—is well positioned to advise sponsors, developers, investors, operators and financiers, on the development, financing, acquisition and disposal of renewables-related energy assets, in the context of single-asset deals, as well as major portfolio transactions. Leveraging the firm's vast international network, the team is also appreciated for its ability to handle significant global projects, while also regularly advising major international energy developers and investors on their inbound US-related work. Marius Griskonis is well versed across a range of corporate and finance-related renewables transactions and has taken the lead on much of this foreign investment, including recently advising a consortium of Korean investors acquiring a major cash equity interest in a portfolio of four domestic wind projects located in Texas, Illinois and Nebraska. Hagai Zaifman provided valuable input on the tax structuring side of the aforementioned deal and has quickly established himself as an integral member of the team since his arrival in June 2019 from General Electric Capital. Nandan Nelivigi heads up the firm's energy, infrastructure and project finance team. All named practitioners are based in New York.

Benefiting from many years of transactional experience in the market as well as complementary strengths in regulatory and environmental law, Ballard Spahr LLP remains a favorite among developers, investors and lenders requiring advice on their domestic renewable energy projects. Drawing upon deep industry ties (including his current role at the Solar Energy Industry Association), Los Angeles-based partner Dirk Michels has an excellent reputation in corporate and finance transactions, particularly as they relate to domestic distributed solar energy matters. Dual qualified in the US and Germany, Michels has also developed a strong reputation for advising on solar, wind, and energy storage projects involving collaboration between North American and German companies. In addition to representing clients in the development, financing, and acquisition of solar and wind renewable generating facilities, Philadelphia-based energy team head Patrick Gillard is also well versed at advising large industrial and corporate energy retail customers on renewable-related commercial contracts, including on the drafting of PPAs, competitive generation supply agreements, and renewable energy credit trading arrangements.

While it remains best known for its oil and gas expertise, Bracewell LLP continues to develop a strong offering in the renewables space, acting on behalf of alternative energy-focused developers and investors, as well as conventional utilities and core fossil fuels clients, which are increasingly visible in the sector. Houston-based partner Alan Rafte exemplifies the firm's flexible and varied energy offering. In addition to continuing to service its loyal roster of clients on their traditional midstream and upstream matters, Rafte is increasingly active for petroleum companies as they deploy more capital into the renewables sector. For example, he recently acted as US counsel to Equinor on its $1.1bn sale to BP of a 50% interest in the Empire Wind project and the Beacon Wind project off the US East Coast; as part of this transaction Equinor and BP agreed to form a partnership to develop other offshore wind projects in the US. As well as advising on core debt and equity financing facilities, the firm also has a sweet spot representing clients in commodity and hedging transactions, an aspect of the practice that was further enhanced by the arrival in March 2020 of New York-based partner Danielle Garbien from Sidley Austin LLP. Houston-based partner Ryan Holcomb heads the firm's power practice and deploys wide-ranging corporate and finance expertise on behalf of stakeholders engaged in conventional and renewables-related energy matters.

Combining deep sector strength with a formidable multi-disciplinary offering  covering financing, M&A, regulatory and disputes, the 'responsive and professional' team at Hogan Lovells US LLP is well placed to advise clients on work throughout the renewables life cycle, from project development and finance, through to buy- and sell-side project M&A. An electrical engineer by trade and benefiting from prior in-house experience in the electric utility industry, Baltimore-based team head Brian Chappell is uniquely positioned to advise clients in the renewables space and is recommended for providing 'considered and commercial' advice from a purely legal as well as business perspective. Although the firm handles a substantial amount of work for established developers and utilities in the sector, it is also regularly instructed by start-ups seeking to grow their businesses in the renewables sector through venture capital equity financing. Other recommended practitioners include 'responsive' Washington DC-based partner John Lilyestrom, who provides an 'excellent work product', particularly as it relates to regulatory challenges facing stakeholders in the industry, and Miami-based partner Jorge Diaz-Silveria, who regularly advises on financing and M&A pursuant to Latin America-based renewables projects.

Praised for its 'first-hand knowledge of market trends' and 'first-rate technical skills', Kirkland & Ellis LLP is able to 'secure favorable transactional terms' for its private equity-focused client base on their investments in the renewable/alternative energy sector. Indeed, the firm has been the welcome beneficiary of the increased appetite, driven in part by ESG considerations, of core institutional fund clients, including KKR and Blackstone, to deploy capital in renewable projects. In addition to advising sponsors on acquisitions and divestitures in the sector, including on many large utility-scale wind and solar projects, the firm is also increasingly active for the credit arms of private equity firms, including GSO Capital Partners, as alternative lenders in the space. Washington DC-based team head Rohit Chaudhry excels at structuring complex single-asset and portfolio debt financing arrangements on both the debtor and creditor side, including work for a number of non-bank lenders.

Leveraging the expertise of corporate, projects, real estate and environmental lawyers with considerable industry level knowledge, Mayer Brown 'combines excellent legal analysis and commerciality' for investors, sponsors and developers across a range of transactions in the renewables sector. The firm is, however, best known for its work on the financing side, in the context of M&A and project-related mandates. At the core of this is its ability to structure matters utilizing sophisticated tax arrangements, including tax equity financing work for many leading investors engaged in both solar and wind projects. Jeffrey Davis and Robert Goldberg jointly head the team from Washington DC and Houston, respectively. Chicago-based partner Nadav Klugman is also recommended.

Co-headed from Richmond and Houston by Breenen Keene and Durham McCormick, respectively, McGuireWoods LLP's multi-disciplinary practice advises a varied array of stakeholders, including banks and developers, on the development, financing and acquisition of renewable-related assets. In addition, the firm also benefits from close ties with numerous energy utilities, including Dominion Energy, with which it continues to advise on its solar-related activity throughout the country. Richmond-based M&A partner Michael Woodard leads on much of this work for Dominion and is a key member of the team that also includes Timothy Callahan in Chicago, who is adept at handling both M&A and project financing work in the sector.

Led from New York by Gregory Tan and also able to tap into the expertise of practitioners spread throughout the firm's global network, Shearman & Sterling LLP's 13-partner project development and finance team is regularly engaged in high-profile transactional work throughout the life cycle of renewable energy projects. Although the firm also regularly handles corporate and M&A-related work for private equity investors, in particular, it derives a sizeable proportion of its workflow for lenders, including commercial banks providing debt facilities and institutional investors involved in private placements. Alexandro Padrés handles a significant amount of Latin America-related single project and portfolio renewables financing work for both sponsors and lenders (including both commercial and development banks). Robert Freedman is also recommended.

Steeped in the electric power business since the firm's inception, Troutman Pepper has followed the needs of its clients, including developers, finance providers, utilities, investors and IPPs, as they have increasingly focused on renewable sources of energy to generate electricity. Consequently, the firm, which deploys a multi-disciplinary approach (and draws from the expertise of lawyers on the East and West coast with project finance, environmental, real estate, tax and regulatory capabilities) has developed a strong understanding of work in the space and is well placed, by virtue of its underlying sector knowledge and substantive legal expertise, to effectively advise clients throughout the life cycle of a project. As well as regularly advising on solar and wind projects, the firm has also been at the vanguard of projects implementing battery storage, as well as hydrogen technology, in part due to its representation of numerous funds and utilities, including NextEra, that have been first movers in the space. 'Very knowledgeable' Los Angeles-based partner John Leonti is particularly well versed in advising clients on a range of financing structures, including tax equity and hedging products. New York-based partner Craig Kline co-heads the team alongside Leonti.

While Clifford Chance does handle some M&A work in the sector, its primary focus remains on the project finance front for a fairly balanced mix of commercial banks, development banks and export credit agencies.  Washington DC-based team head Lori Bean is the firm's OPIC (now DFC) and US-Exim Bank relationship partner, and has consequently handled major project financing mandates throughout the globe, including numerous wind farm projects in Latin America and East Africa. Native Spanish speaking New York-based partner Hugo Triaca is a 'star capital markets lawyer in Latin America' for both issuers and underwriters; he has been involved in many renewable energy-related financings in the region, including as it relates to green bonds.

Strengthened by a spate of recent hires, including Los Angeles-based energy-focused corporate partner April Kim, who joined in November 2019 from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Greenberg Traurig LLP's multi-disciplinary energy team is increasingly well positioned to resource a growing volume and range of development, finance and corporate work for developers, investors, operators and utilities. Los Angeles-based energy project finance team head Jeffrey Chester is regularly involved in renewables-related financing and development matters. He recently handled a raft of wind project sales for developer client Apex Clean Energy.

Led from Kansas City by John Crossley, Husch Blackwell LLP‘s cross-disciplinary renewable energy group, which resources matters utilizing sector-specific experts from across the firm’s corporate, regulatory, finance, real estate environmental and tax groups, provides ‘practical and pragmatic advice‘ to developers, tax credit investors and lenders engaged in solar, wind and battery storage projects. Although the firm is active in deals throughout the country, it has gained particular praise from clients in relation to Texas-based matters which require knowledge of the state’s unique regulatory requirements. In this regard, Maria Faconti, who has in-house experience at the Public Utility Commission of Texas, ‘has hands-on experience with the myriad regulatory requirements needed to finance a Texas renewable energy project and to keep it in compliance with the ever changing regulatory landscape in the state’. 

Morrison & Foerster LLP regularly advises venture capital firms and private equity sponsors on renewable energy investments, as part of the firm's overarching focus on sustainability and impact investing. San Francisco-based corporate partner Susan Mac Cormac chairs the energy and social enterprise and impact investing practices. She also leads on much of the most significant transactional work in the renewables sector (particularly in relation to later-stage venture capital financing). Moreover, Mac Cormac provides advice to company board members on corporate governance and fiduciary duties as applied to sustainability and climate change.