The Legal 500 > United States > United States > Energy: renewable/alternative power

Headed by Los Angeles-based partner Jeffrey Greenberg , under the umbrella of the firm's global project development and finance group, Latham & Watkins LLP is 'at the cutting-edge of transactions' for developers, sponsors, funds and lenders across the spectrum of renewable energy matters. The team is particularly accomplished at structuring financing transactions in the sector, where it is able to leverage strong institutional ties with some of the leading commercial banks in the space, including Citibank, which it advised in connection with KKR’s convertible equity investment in a NextEra Partners portfolio of solar and wind energy projects. 'Truly best in class', New York-based partner Eli Katz was also involved in the aforementioned deal and is particularly strong at ensuring deals are structured in such a way as to maximize tax subsidies. Also based in New York, Matthew Henegar is a key member of the team and provides 'unmatched legal structuring and transaction management' to banks, developers and private equity funds on renewable financings, including ones featuring highly complex intercreditor arrangements.

Led from New York by Daniel Bartfeld and Jonathan Green, and also able to tap into substantial resources both nationally and globally (throughout Asia, Europe and Latin America), Milbank's project, energy and infrastructure finance team has the resources and know-how to provide excellent coverage to clients throughout the renewables energy value chain, including as it relates to the acquisition, divestiture and financing of portfolios of renewable assets. An eclectic roster of clients, which includes debt and equity investors, lenders, developers and sponsors, ensures that the team is able to provide a 'balanced and commercial' service across both onshore and offshore projects. Los Angeles-based partner Karen Wong  has vast experience for both lenders and sponsors in relation to development, financing and acquisition transactions involving solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass, and other renewable energy facilities. New York-based partner Roland Estevez has a particular niche advising on Latin America-related renewables projects and is a key member of the team that also includes 'terrific' Los Angeles-based partner Timothy Wendling, who is 'very effective on the finance side'.

'A real force to be reckoned with', Norton Rose Fulbright's 'diversified renewables offering' sees it instructed by developers, investors and lenders across the gamut of corporate and financing activity in the sector. The firm is, however, perhaps best-known for its work on the borrower/sponsor side and is regularly involved in some of the biggest-ticket M&A mandates in the market, including its work for Danish wind energy powerhouse Ørsted on its $510m acquisition of Deepwater Wind Holdings from DE Shaw. Spearheaded by the 'dean of the energy tax world' Keith Martin from Washington DC, the team is also at the forefront of the tax equity market and is frequently the first port-of-call to clients seeking the most commercial and creative solutions to maximize the tax benefits within the sector. New York-based partner Benjamin Koenigsberg co-heads the projects team alongside Martin and is 'very active in the space' for lenders and borrowers, with a particularly strong track record in relation to transactions in the off-shore wind sector. The 'fantastic' Todd Alexander is also a key member of the team and handles a significant amount of work for Hannon Armstrong, a leading investor in climate change solutions.

Led out of San Francisco by Les Sherman and also able to call upon renewables-specific M&A, financing, environmental, regulatory and litigation expertise throughout the firm's domestic network of offices, including New York and Washington DC,  Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP has a 'very strong reputation' across the project life cycle of matters relating to solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and battery storage. Sherman manages the firm's relationship with many of the most important clients in the space, including EDF Renewables and Macquarie Capital, advising the latter on the establishment of its Green Investment Group (GIG) platform (and in its subsequent M&A activity). Noted for his tax and cash equity financing of solar and wind space projects, Mark Weitzel has also recently handled a significant amount of work for GIG, including acting for it on the acquisition of the solar and energy storage unit of Tradewind Energy. Although he is active across a range of renewable energy work for developers and investors, Eric Stephens has a particular niche in relation to distributed solar projects. All practitioners named are based out of the firm's San Francisco office.

Benefiting from 'amazing touch points within the industry across all types of projects and counter parties', Winston & Strawn LLP provides 'unparalleled knowledge' to sponsors, lenders, developers and investors across the spectrum of renewables-based M&A and financing. Lawyers within the firm's West Coast offices are particularly strong on the project development front and provide 'commercial and common-sense' advice across the gamut of power purchase contracts and other off-take and transmission agreements. Los Angeles-based partner Laurae Rossi has strong relationships with commercial banking clients, which she regularly advises as lenders across a broad range of renewables-related projects, including on tax equity, back-leverage and portfolio financings. Out of New York, Jonathan Birenbaum and Tara Greenberg 'have tremendous knowledge in all aspects of projects from investing to contract review, debt and equity' and both regularly advise funds and strategic investors on M&A and financing in the sector. Rich Shutran and Joe Karp  head the overarching energy group from New York and San Francisco and both 'handle some very good work' in the renewables space.

Tapping into a 'very strong project finance' and M&A capability spread throughout the firm's network of offices on the East and West coasts, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP provides a 'very high-quality of service and work product' to clients engaged in the acquisition, disposal and financing of all aspects of renewables and sustainability projects. Washington DC-based partner John Marciano  is co-head of the firm's global project finance group and provides an 'exceptional service' to developers and financiers engaged in solar and wind energy projects. Both Marciano and Los Angeles-based partner Matthew Nesburn are particularly adept at advising on tax equity financings, an area where they are noted for their ability to 'balance legal skill with an exceptional commercial sense that is rare among big-law lawyers'. Los Angeles-based global project finance co-head Daniel Sinaiko  combines his very strong financing capability with a growing M&A deal flow across a wide range of energy projects, including many renewables mandates.

Co-headed by Jeff Kayes  and Michael Didriksen out of San Francisco and New York, respectively, and also able to tap into a significant pool of resources throughout the firm's national and international network of offices, Baker Botts L.L.P. is well-placed to advise a wide array of stakeholders throughout the life cycle of solar, wind and hydro projects. The team is noted for its 'coordinated and commercial approach', which sees it resource transactions utilizing both corporate and finance lawyers, as well as lawyers with complementary skill-sets across regulatory, environmental, tax structuring, real estate and litigation. San Francisco-based environmental partner Chris Carr is a pivotal member of the team and is able to leverage his considerable former governmental and private practice experience to secure the necessary local, state and federal permits and their associated environmental review documents for some of the largest renewables and alternative energy projects in the country.

Led from Washington DC by Jeffrey Schroeder, Eric Pogue and David Lowman, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has a strong track record for developers, sponsors, end-users and investors engaged in the financing, development and acquisition of renewable energy and clean power projects and portfolios. Although the practice is fairly broad-based, it has developed a particularly strong reputation on behalf of commercial banks, including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley, on tax equity financings, both from a single project and portfolio perspective.

Co-headed by Richard Filosa  and John Klauberg  from Boston and New York, respectively, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP's project finance, infrastructure and natural resources team provides a 'phenomenal' service to developers, investors and lenders engaged in the financing, development and acquisition of utility-scale and distributed solar and wind projects. New York-based partner James Tynion has longstanding corporate and finance expertise, particularly as it relates to wind and solar projects. Praised for her 'exceptional judgement and subject matter knowledge', Chicago-based partner Elizabeth Hanigan 'truly delivers on work product' and handles M&A, development and financing transactions in the solar and wind sectors, in particular. 'Very strong' Los Angeles-based partner Wayne Song  is also recommended, in particular for his sponsor side work on M&A and financing mandates across the renewables space. Closely aligned to growing trends in the market, the firm has also been particularly active from a transactional and thought-leadership perspective in relation to the growing importance of energy storage.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP has a significant focus on renewables transactions, with expertise not only from a financing and corporate perspective, but also in adjacent but pivotal areas including environmental, permitting and land rights. Much of the firm's transactional work for developers, sponsors and financiers is driven by tax considerations, including advice on structuring equity investments for the monetization of investment tax credits or production tax credits, special allocations in partnership arrangements, implementing tax advantaged financing and acquisition techniques. Led out of Chicago by Katherine Gillespie  on the transactional front and Andrew Ratts  for bespoke tax advice, the firm has recently advised many project developers in relation to the financing of wind project portfolios throughout the country. Gillespie co-heads the team alongside Chicago-based partner Tony Toranto .

Although New York-based heavyweight Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP may lack the degree of industry specialization and critical mass of some of the firms in the rankings, its ties with many of the leading worldwide financial institutions and funds clients ensures that it regularly handles big-ticket corporate and financings across the gamut of solar, wind, geothermal and biofuel projects. Led by David Lieberman, the team is praised for its 'ability to provide guidance to lenders on renewable energy transaction risks' and regularly advises lenders and borrowers on syndicated financings to facilitate big-ticket M&A in the space.

Texas-based energy heavyweight Vinson & Elkins LLP has successfully followed the market and has continued to keep abreast of the fast-changing renewables sector, enabling it to provide a compelling combination of 'excellent subject matter asset knowledge', allied to strong product expertise relating to the M&A, financing and the day-to-operational needs of a primarily investor/borrower focused client base. As the principal adviser to Goldman Sachs' renewable power group, the team has been kept extremely busy over the past 18 months, advising the fund on numerous high-profile transactions, including its $350m acquisition of South Jersey Industries' solar portfolio. Located out of Houston, John Connally and Kaam Sahely co-head the firm's overarching energy transactions and projects group, with Sahely regularly involved in renewables work for core investor clients and a key member of the team that also includes the 'excellent' Danielle Patterson. Patterson has significant coverage across both transactional and commercial work in the sector, and as well as regularly handling renewables asset M&A, also regularly advises on commercial contracts in the sector, including on power purchase agreements (PPA) and joint development agreements. The team was strengthened on the finance front by the arrival in January 2019 by New York-based partner Eamon Nolan from Linklaters LLP.

Strengthened on the tax equity financing front by the arrival in June 2019 of New York-based tax partner Hagai Zaifman from General Electric, White & Case LLP provides a one-stop shop service (drawing upon practitioners from within the finance, corporate, litigation, antitrust, regulatory and environmental groups) to a range of sponsors, developers, investors and financiers.  Led out of New York by Nandan Nelivigi, the team is particularly strong on the financing front for both lenders (commercial banks and development banks) and sponsors, where it has generated 'excellent deal experience and is able to draw on numerous precedents where the team has been involved before'. 'Very efficient' New York-based partner Marius Griskonis has an 'excellent understanding of transaction mechanics' and regularly handles domestic and international renewables work as part of his broader energy, infrastructure, project and asset finance workload.

Led from New York by Kent Rowey and also including practitioners based out of Washington DC, Allen & Overy LLP's 'responsive' six-partner projects, energy, natural resources and infrastructure group regularly handles renewables work for lenders, sponsors, developers and project companies. Implementing a full-service approach which draws from the firm's capital markets, banking and corporate groups, the team has the capacity to handle the full spectrum of work across the asset life cycle: from creation to acquisition, capital raising (including equity and debt capital), restructuring and ongoing portfolio management. It is, however, particularly well-suited and focused on advising infrastructure funds engaged in M&A in the space, as well as handling financing work for development banks and export credit agencies on Latin America-related projects.

Led out of New York and Chicago by James O’Brien, José Morán and Clyde Rankin, and also able to tap into the expertise of projects and energy lawyers spread throughout the firm's international network, Baker McKenzie LLP is well-positioned to advise clients engaged in renewables and clean technology-related work, from both a domestic and international perspective. Instructed by a diverse array of stakeholders, including developers, lenders, investors and end-users, the team is able to provide a balanced perspective to clients on the corporate, tax structuring, financing and ongoing operational aspects of wind, solar, geothermal, landfill gas, biofuels, biomass, waste-to-energy and ocean energy-related matters. It also been at the vanguard of the development of corporate renewable power purchase agreements and has advised numerous Fortune 500 companies utilizing such contracts in their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, while implementing more sustainable practices.

Led by Patrick Gillard out of Philadelphia and aided by numerous lawyers spread throughout the firm's national network of offices, Ballard Spahr LLP's energy team has significant involvement for developers, sponsors, tax equity investors and lenders across a myriad renewables-related project acquisitions, construction agreements, and project development and financing arrangements. Abreast of federal and state level regulations impacting on work in the space, the team continues to be very active handling M&A and financing mandates in relation to distributed generation and utility-scale solar and wind projects. The firm is also well-versed in structuring deals utilizing more bespoke and innovative mandates, including in relation to the acquisition and tax equity and debt financing of multiple community solar projects, a rapidly growing market niche.

With energy forming one of the cornerstones of Bracewell LLP's overarching business strategy, it is perhaps unsurprising that the firm has closely followed the growing prominence of renewables as a power source and has successfully implemented best practices from across the firm's wider energy project finance offering for developers, investors and financiers. Benefiting from transactional lawyers with industry strength across solar, wind and hydropower, as well as being able to call upon environmental, tax and restructuring experts, the firm is able to counsel clients throughout the life cycle of a project - from early stage development, through financing to acquisition and disposition. Other niche areas of expertise include renewables-related commodities transactions, as well as advice on corporate power purchase arrangements. Houston-based partner Alan Rafte heads up the firm's business and regulatory section.

Forming a part of the firm's overarching projects, energy and infrastructure offering - which is led from the US by Washington DC-based partners Timothy Moran and Gregory Smith, DLA Piper LLP (US) has considerable renewables credentials, both domestically and internationally - where it is able to tap into the expertise of practitioners spread across the firm's global network. The firm is well-versed at advising a myriad clients - including sponsors, lenders, equity investors and government agencies - across the spectrum of hydro, solar, onshore and offshore wind projects. A niche area of expertise relates to the team's work at the forefront of the development and financing of energy storage projects. On global energy and project financing matters, in addition to work on behalf of commercial banks, the team is also well-versed at representing export credit agencies and development finance institutions in relation to emerging markets-based transactions. Joseph Tato joined Covington & Burling LLP.

Benefiting from a significant national footprint and a team of lawyers with both industry specific transactional and regulatory strength, Hogan Lovells US LLP is well-placed to advise clients on work throughout the renewables projects life cycle, from project development and finance, through to buy and sell-side project M&A. The firm's Miami office has a particularly robust offering and as well as handling domestic projects, also regularly takes the lead on projects with a Latin American nexus. Miami-based partner Jorge Diaz-Silveira heads up the firm's overarching Americas infrastructure, energy, resources and projects practice out of which he regularly advises on wind and solar projects, including his ongoing work on the development of photovoltaic solar projects in Honduras and in relation to the development, finance, and construction of two hydroelectric plants in Guatemala.

Led by Portland-based partner William Holmes and including key practitioners across the firm's Seattle and Washington DC offices, in particular, K&L Gates' 'top-notch and experienced' team provides 'responsive and efficient advice' 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 firm's 'broad knowledge and experience base' is appreciated by clients, who view this as 'a significant advantage to deal structure and project development support'. The team has forged a particularly strong reputation advising on offshore wind matters (it has produced a well-received Offshore Wind handbook) and on matters relating to the growing importance of battery energy storage. Based in Seattle, the 'exceptional' David Hattery's 'experience ... gives him a unique understanding'.

Deploying a multi-disciplinary approach which draws upon the expertise of corporate, tax, finance and regulatory lawyers with energy specific industry knowledge, King & Spalding LLP is best-known for its work on behalf of private equity and infrastructure funds on the acquisition and disposal of assets from across the spectrum of renewable sources, including solar, hydro and wind. Corporate partner Jonathan Melmed is regularly at the forefront of the most significant renewable energy-related private equity work handled by the team and has been pivotal to the firm's exponential growth in the area since his arrival in mid-2018 from Morrison & Foerster LLP.

Led out of Houston by banking and finance partner Robert Goldberg , and from Washington DC by tax partner Jeffrey Davis, Mayer Brown's multi-disciplinary team excels in advising domestic and international sponsors, lenders and investors across the spectrum of transactions in the distributed generation, wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, refined coal and hydropower industries. Chicago-based partners Paul Astolfi  and Nadav Klugman  are recognized for their 'fair and balanced' approach to borrowers and lenders across a myriad projects/energy bank and bond deals often involving renewables assets.

Now headed out of Los Angeles by the 'vastly experienced' Edward Zaelke, following his arrival from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in March 2019, McDermott Will & Emery LLP's global energy project finance group has considerable M&A and financing strength for developers and investors across a wide range of renewables transactions. Zaelke has particular expertise advising on complex domestic/international solar and wind transactions and adds further transactional firepower to a team that already includes well-known Miami-based energy tax expert Philip Tingle . Washington DC-based partner Carl Fleming , who also recently joined the team from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, affords the firm further renewables industry expertise and his credentials were recently acknowledged by the Department of Commerce, following his appointment to its advisory committee analyzing the competitiveness of US wind, solar, battery storage and electric vehicle sectors domestically and abroad.

Co-headed by Durham McCormick and Breenen Keene from Houston and Richmond, respectively, McGuireWoods LLP 's multi-disciplinary renewables practice leverages the expertise of M&A and finance lawyers with sector specific knowledge throughout the firm's network of national offices to effectively resource mandates throughout the project life cycle. As well as handling work for renewables developers, the firm also has strong traction with numerous energy utility companies, including Dominion Energy, which it serves as its go-to solar counsel across its portfolio of projects throughout the country. The firm also has a strong offering from its Chicago office, where Tim Callahan has carved out a strong practice for lenders and sponsors in complex financings of wind farms, solar plants, and other renewable facilitates.

Led out of New York by the 'excellent' Junaid Chida, O'Melveny & Myers LLP's energy group provides a 'very strong service' to equity investors, financiers, sponsors, and hedge providers on their strategic investments, acquisitions, dispositions, and joint ventures across the spectrum of renewable energy projects. Marshaling a multi-disciplinary team of experts from across the firm's East and West coast offices, the team is noted for its ability to handle 'high-value and complex matters' which frequently require tax, regulatory, finance, real estate and corporate input. The team is, however, perhaps best known for its 'excellent credentials within the tax equity sphere', with Chida handling a slew of work in recent years for numerous financial institutions on their acquisition of preferred equity interests in solar and wind power projects throughout the country.

Recently strengthened by a number of notable hires, including New York-based Mona Dajani from Baker McKenzie LLP and Los Angeles-based Jorge Medina , who joined from Tesla, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP has strong national M&A and financing coverage across the spectrum of individual transactions and portfolios of renewable projects. Co-headed from New York and San Francisco by Dajana and Robert James, the team handles work for a diverse range of clients, including sponsors, lenders developers and investors.  Although the firm has strength on projects throughout the country, it has particular expertise on renewables energy M&A and project financings for electric power generating facilities located in California and Texas, perhaps the two most important states in the country for renewable power generation.

Led from Washington DC by Fabricio Longhin and also including lawyers based out of New York, Clifford Chance's nine-partner projects team handles a range of bank and capital markets-related finance and refinancing work for sponsors, investors and lenders, both from a domestic and international perspective. Working alongside practitioners from across the firm's broad international network, should the need arise, the team has a particular sweet-spot advising the lenders (including export credit agencies) in relation to development bank and multilateral financings of Latin American projects. Catherine McCarthy  excels in such deals and recently advised the multilateral and development finance institutions (including IDB Invest) on the $108m project financing for the Bicentenario 125,2 MW renewable wind energy power plant located in the Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina. Another area of strength is the team's work for US-based financial investors and institutions in the financing or refinancing of projects via private placements.

Benefiting from a 'deep pool of knowledge of the energy industry' , from across the firm's multi-office platform, Greenberg Traurig, LLP is 'at the top of its game in transactions involving the highly-regulated energy and alternative power sectors'. The firm's expertise in relation to wind and solar energy finance and development matters was recently enhanced in July 2019 by the arrival of Jeffrey Chester  from Morrison & Foerster LLP. Chester now co-heads the firm's energy and natural resources team alongside Houston-based William Garner  and Washington DC-based Kenneth Minesinger .

Benefiting from 'excellent legal acumen and market knowledge', Kirkland & Ellis LLP's growing presence in the energy space, precipitated by a number of notable hires in recent years, continues to see the firm increasingly active in relation to the acquisition, financing and refinancing of renewables assets.  Led out of Washington DC by 'superb project finance lawyer' Rohit Chaudhry and aided by lawyers in New York and Houston, the team has expertise in mandates throughout the capital structure, including term loan A and B debt financings and capital markets matters for lenders, as well as the firm's impressive roster of private equity sponsor clients which are increasingly prominent investors in the renewables arena.

Despite being significantly depleted by a number of high-profile departures over the past few years, including in July 2019 that of the former team head Jeffrey Chester to Greenberg Traurig LLP, Morrison & Foerster LLP still maintains a not insignificant presence on the West Coast. Los Angeles-based partner Elizabeth Sluder has a focus on renewables-related project financing and San Francisco-based Susan Mac Cormac has extensive experience representing startup to late-stage private companies within the clean technology, renewable energy and sustainable space.

Combining strong product expertise in relation to M&A, banking and capital markets, with underlying industry knowledge across the spectrum of renewable energy sources, Shearman & Sterling LLP is well-placed to serve a diverse roster of clients engaged in domestic and international transactions. As well as handling a significant volume of private placement debt work in the space, the team has also advised the lenders on the financing of numerous renewables portfolio transactions. New York-based partner Gregory Tan is global head of the firm's project development and finance group, and alongside Robert Freedman regularly handles solar, wind and hydro-related new money deals and restructurings.

Troutman Pepper has 'great experience within the renewables power sector from all perspectives - advising owners, tax equity investors and lenders' on their transactional and operational work across solar, hydropower and wind projects. Incorporating a multi-disciplinary approach across corporate, financing, tax and regulatory competences, the team has a 'depth of knowledge and experience' across utility-scale projects and customer-sited distributed generation. John Leonti and Craig Kline co-head the team out of Orange County and New York, respectively, with Leonti providing niche expertise in relation to hedge transactions utilizing renewables-related financial derivatives.