Vinson & Elkins LLP > Austin, > Firm Profile
Vinson & Elkins LLP Offices
2801 VIA FORTUNA
SUITE 100
AUSTIN, TX 78746-7568
TEXAS
- Go to...
- Rankings
- Firm Profile
- Lawyer Profiles
Vinson & Elkins LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
United States > Industry focus > Sport Tier 4
United States > Energy > Renewable/alternative power
Jointly led by energy transactions & projects head Danielle Patterson, as well as corporate co-heads and acquisition experts Kaam Sahely and Matt Strock, all based in Houston, Vinson & Elkins LLP‘s practice advises high-profile clients on the whole range of development, financing, acquisition, and sale of renewables projects, and is particularly ‘well-versed in tax equity financing and credit monetization techniques in general, as well as the new opportunities presented by the Inflation Reduction Act‘. In 2022, the firm advised Goldman Sachs Renewable Power in its separation from Goldman Sachs Asset Management to form MN8 Energy, the second largest U.S. independent solar and storage energy producer by capacity, with a deal value of approximately $3bn. Further notable members of the group are transactional lawyer Michael Joyce in Los Angeles, and Austin’s Sean Moran, who stands out as ‘veteran adviser in tax equity financing‘, as well as the ‘excellent’ M&A and private equity lawyer Matthew Falcone and Alan Alexander, whose practice areas include joint ventures and advising on energy projects in Latin America. Falcone and Alexander are both based in Houston. Lauren Collins in Los Angeles is another well regarded member of the team’s ‘first-rate tax team’, while John Connally left the practice in 2022.Practice head(s):
Danielle Patterson; Kaam Sahely; Matt Strock
Other key lawyers:
Peter Marshall; Alan Alexander; Matthew Falcone; Michael Joyce; Lauren Collins
Testimonials
‘The firm has clear, deep expertise in the energy/power sector and emerging energy transition initiatives, coupled with a first-rate tax team, which is well-versed in tax equity financing and credit monetization techniques in general, as well as the new opportunities presented by the Inflation reduction Act.’
‘Sean Moran is a veteran adviser in tax equity financing with an easy-going manner and good commercial sense. On the corporate side of energy projects, Alan Alexander and Matt Falcone are excellent.’
Key clients
MN8 Energy, Inc.
IFM Investors Pty Ltd. / Buckeye Partners
Wells Fargo
8 Rivers Capital, LLC
Blackstone Credit
JPMorgan Capital Corporation
Terra-Gen
Brookfield
Siemens Financial Services
BlackRock
Soft Bank
Cypress Creek Renewables
Macquarie Infrastructure & Real Assets
Vitol
Swift Current Energy
Silverpeak Renewables Investment Partners
BNP Paribas
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
SUSI Partners AG
Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.
The Carlyle Group
Acadia Renewable Energy LLC
ioneer Ltd
Labora Group, Inc.
Compass Solar Group, LLC
Heliogen, Inc.
LSP Generation IV, LLC
Riverstone Holdings L.L.C.
Venterra Group PLC
Work highlights
- Advised MN8 Energy on the acquisition from Recurrent Energy and the development, construction/term debt, and tax equity financing of a 390MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plus 140.25MW/561MWh storage project in California.
- Advised MN8 Energy on the establishment of a financing partnership with ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT) to reduce upfront costs of EV charging technology.
- Advised Goldman Sachs Renewable Power in its separation from Goldman Sachs Asset Management to form MN8 Energy, an independent renewable energy company and second largest U.S. independent solar and storage energy producer by capacity.
United States > Finance > Project finance
Vinson & Elkins LLP is active in major projects in both traditional and renewable energy and power across the country, with a particular strong renewable energy practice, and a strong presence on the East and West Coasts and Texas. Eamon Nolan and Michael Joyce jointly lead the team, based in New York and Los Angeles, respectively. Nolan is a prominent project finance attorney with experience in complex transactions in both the US and Latin American markets, while Joyce has a strong focus on solar and wind projects. Sean Moran in Austin has particular expertise in complex financial structuring, and Lauren Collins in Los Angeles has a niche focus on tax issues in project finance. Transactions expert Aaron Prince in New York and Alan Alexander in Houston are also recommended, with Alexander’s expertise including complex downstream projects, as well as energy transition matters.Practice head(s):
Eamon Nolan; Mike Joyce
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Collaboration with teams including subject matter experts and consultant advisors.’
‘Willing to send a partner alone to all client meetings rather than always bring an associate and charge for two attorneys at team negotiating meetings.’
Key clients
MN8 Energy, Inc.
Wells Fargo Central Pacific Holdings, Inc.
Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc.
Houston Energy, Inc.
Wells Fargo Central Pacific Holdings, Inc.
Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc.
Houston Energy, Inc.
Work highlights
- Advised Terra-Gen in the approximately $270 million construction financing and $136 million tax equity financing for the 64.5 MW Tehachapi Plains, 60.3 MW Oasis Power, and 14.4 MW Oasis Alta wind generation facilities in Kern County, California, and the 61.2 MW Coachella and 46.8 MW Painted Hills wind generation facilities in Riverside County, California.
- Advised Wells Fargo in their tax equity investment to construct the 145 MW Aragonne Mesa Wind Project and to repower the 90 MW Aragonne Wind project, both in Guadalupe County, New Mexico.
United States > Environment > Environment: litigation
Vinson & Elkins LLP offers clients broad expertise in the environmental and natural resources arena and handles crisis management, the defense of high-stakes government investigations, and litigation against regulatory authorities relating to the contention of new regulations. It is active in the manufacturing, oil and gas, and mining industries, and has considerable experience in water, air and contamination cases, as well as those relating to endangered species. The team is led by Ronald Tenpas in Washington DC, with Tenpas recommended for civil and criminal investigations; Austin’s Eric Groten is a key name for CAA issues and defending enforcement actions. Larry Nettles has retired.Practice head(s):
Ronald Tenpas
Other key lawyers:
Eric Groten; George Wilkinson; Brandon Tuck; Corinne Snow
Testimonials
‘Ron Tenpas and Corinne Snow all have deep experience at either EPA or DOJ and understand federal environmental enforcement.’
Key clients
Adelphia Gateway LLC
Blackstone Energy Partners
Blue Racer Midstream
Bluewing Midstream LLC
Daseke, Inc.
Enable Midstream
Enbridge
Endeavor Energy Resources, LP
Global Companies, LLC
Goldman Sachs
Greer Capital Corporation
Gulf Coast Ammonia
First Reserve
Magellan Midstream Partners L.P.
Northwoods Energy, LLC
Oasis Petroleum, Inc.
Rosehill Resources
San Miguel Electric Cooperative
Sandy Creek Services
Freeport-McMoRan Inc.
IAV GmbH
NextEra Energy, Inc.
PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC
Perpetua Resources
San Miguel Electric Cooperative
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP,
Work highlights
- Represented IAV GmbH (“IAV”) in connection with the DOJ’s criminal investigation into the Volkswagen emissions system violations.
- Advising Perpetua for a first-of-its kind settlement with EPA and the US Forest Service that would allow for the removal of legacy environmental contamination and solutions to current groundwater issues associated with those legacy operations while still allowing for active mining and job creation.
- Representing ALTIVIA Petrochemicals, LLC in a US Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Clean Air Act enforcement case brough in United States District Court in the Southern District of Ohio (US v. ALTIVIA Petrochemicals, LLC, No. 1:21-cv-00640) in which EPA alleges noncompliance with various requirements of the National Emission Standards for Organic Hazardous Air Pollutants from the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry at ALTIVIA’s petrochemical manufacturing facility in Haverhill, Ohio.
United States > Transport > Aviation and air travel: finance
In January 2022, Vinson & Elkins LLP launched a New York-based aviation finance practice following the recruitment of David Berkery (a former A&L Goodbody LLP partner in Dublin), and Niels Jensen, formerly of Milbank. Both Berkery and Jensen represent sponsors, such as airlines and aircraft leasing companies, and capital providers, including major banks and private equity funds. The team has also assisted with the development of structural solutions that allow investors to acquire rights in insurance claims from aircraft owners. The group, which has ‘strong breadth and depth of experience‘, is supported at senior associate level by Demi Hueth, whose practice focuses on aviation-related corporate, asset-backed and structured financings.Practice head(s):
Niels Jensen; David Berkery
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘An upcoming practice with relatively young partners who are very capable and have wide experience in this space, having worked on many transactions.‘
‘The V&E team has strong breadth and depth of experience. It has done well with pushing novel structures into the market. The practice has also brought something new to the table by coupling a strong Irish-law capability (led by David Berkery) with the NY-law capability (led by Niels Jensen).‘
‘Niels Jensen is a standout – efficient, commercial, deeply connected and super sharp. He keeps his focus on the business drivers of the transaction.‘
‘David Berkerey and Niels Jensen – clients always enjoy working with them. They are excellent lawyers who know their market well.‘
‘The team is led by two highly capable and ambitious partners (David Berkerey and Niels Jensen), whose background and experience mean they are well placed to provide exceptional and pragmatic legal advice, with a particular specialism in aircraft securitization transactions.‘
‘David Berkery brings unique insight to a transaction, with a wealth of experience as both a New York and Irish-qualified practitioner, allowing him to identify and manage issues before they arise.‘
‘David Berkery and Niels Jensen have brought a talented and dedicated group of associates to Vinson & Elkins, and so are well resourced to provide a quality legal product.‘
‘David Berkery has a unique perspective on aviation structures, having qualified in both New York and Ireland, and brings a wealth of experience to bear when managing transactions for a client. He is an extremely capable lawyer, and very pragmatic when finding commercial solutions to complex legal issues.‘
Key clients
Deutsche Bank
Northern Pacific Airways
Ravn Alaska
FLOAT Alaska
BOC Aviation
Azərbaycan Hava Yolları (Closed Joint Stock Company)
Work highlights
- Acted for AZAL on its purchase, financing and leasing of three A320 aircraft from Airbus via Aviation Capital Group.
- Acted for BOC Aviation on the purchase of four new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft from private equity company 777 Partners and the subsequent leaseback of the aircraft to 777 Partners’ partially owned airline, Flair Airlines.
- Acted for Northern Pacific Airways, a start-up airline, (and its affiliates Ravn Alaska and FLOAT Alaska) in a series of transactions connected to the acquisition, financing and leasing of the airline’s initial fleet.
Vinson & Elkins LLP > Firm Profile
For over a century, Vinson & Elkins’ lawyers have provided innovative business solutions for clients whose needs are as diverse as the entities they represent. In today’s challenging environment of global markets, volatile economies and complex human and environmental issues, the firm’s time-tested role as trusted adviser has become even more critical. The lawyers’ extensive experience, combined with the responsiveness and efficiencies of the firm’s global reach, enables V&E to serve clients from start-up, to the negotiating table and boardroom, and before legislative and regulatory bodies in the courtroom and beyond.
Main areas of practice: Core practice areas include: admiralty and maritime; antitrust; appellate; business transactions; capital markets and securities; climate change; condemnation and land use; construction; contracts; corporate governance and compliance; e-commerce/internet; executive compensation and benefits; employment, labor and OSHA; energy; environmental; finance; financial institutions; government contracts; infrastructure; intellectual property; international dispute resolution; litigation; mergers and acquisitions; oil and gas; outsourcing; private equity/venture capital; project finance and development; real estate; regulatory; REITs; restructuring and reorganization; securities litigation; structured finance; syndicated finance; tax; technology; telecommunications; and white-collar criminal defense.
International work: Vinson & Elkins’ 11 offices worldwide allow the firm’s lawyers to work efficiently across time zones, as well as with local lawyers in foreign jurisdictions, to accomplish the client’s objectives. In addition to legal experience, V&E has strong personal relationships with business people and other professionals that offer significant benefits to the client, including broad experience in transactions spanning multiple jurisdictions, cultures and languages.
The firm efficiently guides its clients through a wide range of transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, public and private offerings of securities in the developed and emerging capital markets, as well as development and financing of a variety of projects.
The firm’s international dispute resolution team engages in international arbitration under all leading institutional rules, as well as international civil litigation in US courts and in other jurisdictions. V&E’s lawyers work with clients to develop effective solutions to the complex problems and unique challenges of international business.
Clients: Since the firm was founded in 1917, it has attracted an outstanding and diverse group of lawyers who serve an international clientele. Clients include the governments of sovereign nations and North American states, cities and municipalities, public and private companies, domestic and international financial institutions, new entities, joint ventures and project companies.
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Eric Groten | Partner | View Profile | |
Michael Heidler | Partner | View Profile | |
Mr Sean Moran | Sean focuses on asset finance, with an emphasis on financing, acquiring, and… | View Profile |