José Morán > Baker McKenzie LLP > Chicago, United States > Lawyer Profile
Baker McKenzie LLP Offices
300 EAST RANDOLPH STREET, SUITE 5000
CHICAGO, IL 60601
ILLINOIS
United States
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José Morán
Work Department
Banking & Finance
Position
José A. Morán serves the Global Steering Committee of the Firm’s Projects Practice Group and Energy, Mining & Infrastructure Practice Industry Group, and is the past chair of the Firm’s Global Projects Practice Group, which consists of over 200 lawyers who work on large energy, mining and infrastructure projects and financings. The Legal 500 United States has recognized José from 2011 – 2016 in the area of project finance and in prior years in the areas of corporate & finance and real estate & construction.
Additionally, José has been recognized by the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Chambers & Partners global guide in the area of Projects. José is noted for his projects work with Spanish clients including in project financings noting that: “His projects work forms part of his broad banking and finance practice” and receives warm praise from interviewees, with one client reporting: “He’s always available. He always hears us and gives us the best approach.”
José was named to A Word About Wind’s 2022 Top 100 Legal Power List. The Legal Power List ranks the top 100 lawyers that exert the most influence on the wind industry globally, through the deals they work on and the advice they provide. In 2021, José represented a large infrastructure fund in a transaction that was awarded “Deal of the Year” by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) at the IFLR Americas Awards 2021. Further, in 2020, José represented the lead underwriters in a bond offering transaction that was awarded the 2020 Infrastructure Journal “Global Award for North American roads category”. In 2019, José led the representation of a USD 3.59 billion acquisition that was awarded the 2019 “Outbound Deal of the Year” at the 14th annual China Law & Practice Awards.
José has been trained as a lawyer under a civil law system and a common law system.
José is a lecturer at Loyola University School of Law’s comparative law seminar on legal systems in the Americas, and a visiting professor at Northwestern Law School as a lecturer in the project finance class. He was the vice chair of the Banking and Financial Services committee of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolutions. Prior to joining Baker & McKenzie, José practiced law in Madrid, Spain and in New York, with the law firms of Gide Loyrette Nouel and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, respectively. Further, José has also worked at the Madrid and Barcelona offices of Baker & McKenzie as part of the Firm’s Associate Training Program.
Career
Amid a changing global energy market, his work includes acquisition and divestiture of power project assets for both financial and strategic parties. Both on behalf of project sponsors and lenders, José has led moving complex projects through development, project financing and operation.
José represents clients in numerous high-value deals, including one recognized by Thomson Project Finance International as “the largest merger and acquisition deal in Latin America.” José has a particularly strong expertise in multi-tiered financing structures and cross-border transactions, including intercreditor arrangements and workouts. José has also been lead counsel on limited recourse project financings, using traditional bank debt, leveraged leases and Rule 144A capital markets issues. And during project development, he has successfully managed complex siting, permitting and transaction issues.
José has assisted many international companies, including utilities and IOC’s in their acquisitions of solar, wind and battery storage portfolios, in operation and development across the U.S. (in 5 RTO zones) and Canada. A number of those transactions included post-closing funding as construction of the projects from the portfolio are completed. Further, José continues to assist these clients on the due diligence updates and additional financings (including tax equity financings) and closings on an ongoing basis. José brings knowledge of critical issues, concerns and drivers of energy matters, providing tailored, specialist advice that addresses the particular complexities of doing business in the industry.
Languages
English, Portuguese, Spanish
Memberships
- Chicago Bar Association
- Madrid Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Energy > Renewable/alternative power
Offering assistance with sustainability investments and green financing, the projects group at Baker McKenzie LLP is sought after by developers, investors, and technology providers to advise on matters involving renewable energy and clean technology such as wind, solar, and hydrogen, as well as waste-to-energy, ocean energy, and geothermal. The practice’s expertise in the renewable and alternative energy space is complemented by its cross-border capabilities and experience handling high-value and high-profile matters. As a result, the team has amassed an impressive client roster comprised of notable names from the energy, retail, and manufacturing sectors including the likes of Repsol and Best Buy Stores. Leading the group in New York is Clyde (Skip) E. Rankin, III who specialises in project finance transactions, joint ventures, and M&A. In Chicago, cross-border transactional expert José Morán co-heads the practice alongside contracting, construction, and operational authority James O’Brien.
United States > Finance > Project finance
Renewable energy and clean technologies are the drivers of the projects team at Baker McKenzie LLP, assisting with both debt and equity finance transactions. The department is adept at advising lenders, sponsors or borrowers, and a complementary, strong tax practice facilitates advice on novel tax equity financing structures. Clyde Rankin‘s broad practice encompasses airport projects, renewable energy developments, and power projects. He is a key contact at the New York office and co-leads the group alongside Chicago-based duo José Morán and James O’Brien. Morán’s cross-border practice includes a host of Latin American transport projects, as well as renewable energy work in Canada. O’Brien supports his clients throughout a project’s life cycle, and also lends tax expertise to the group. Further tax assistance in this area comes from Maher Haddad, and Stan Sirot is another notable contact for both sponsors and lenders.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- International trade and national security > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Finance > Fintech
- Finance > Project finance
- Tax > US taxes: contentious
Firm Rankings
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Labor and employment > Immigration
- Dispute resolution > International litigation
- Tax > International tax
- Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
- Transport > Aviation and air travel: litigation and regulation
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
- International trade and national security > National Security
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: middle-market (Up to $500m)
- Energy > Renewable/alternative power
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: non-contentious (including prosecution, portfolio management and licensing)
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Antitrust > Cartel
- International trade and national security > CFIUS
- Environment > Environment: regulatory
- Intellectual property > Patents: prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- International trade and national security > Trade remedies and trade policy
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense