Sean Goldstein > White & Case LLP > Miami, United States > Lawyer Profile

Fielding a ‘talented and commercial’ team that ‘listens to client needs and responds appropriately’, White & Case LLP boasts a stellar and diverse client roster that includes majors, state-owned energy players and investment funds, and new market investors. The group has engaged with large-scale greenfield project financings, both domestically and internationally, floating production storage and offloading vessels, LNG regasification terminals, and direct air capture facilities – among others. This impressive asset engagement sits alongside continued excellence regarding multi-billion dollar M&A and private equity transactions, joint ventures and company spin-offs, handling mandates across upstream, midstream and downstream. Team lead Jay Cuclis has a wide corporate practice that is particularly focused on the upstream, and is noted for his strong work regarding CCUS. The ‘phenomenal‘ Mingda Zhao is praised for his ‘pragmatic’ and ‘commercial’ mindset is often instructed by private equity funds and their portfolio companies. Possessing M&A, finance and development expertise, Steven Otillar has predominantly been engaged with offshore mandates, while Clark Wohlferd focuses on large company takeovers, often working with the likes of Saudi Aramco. Emery J. Choi demonstrates prolific activity across the entire oil and gas value chain, handling M&A, joint ventures and strategic partnerships, whereas Charlie Ofner has led the team on mineral and royalty interest deals as well as spin-offs. Miami’s Sean Goldstein heads up the firm’s Americas-facing practice, specializing in project development and energy infrastructure work in Latin America. All practitioners are based in Houston unless otherwise stated. Christopher Richardson departed the firm in March 2024.

Providing financing advice on a litany of projects and noted for the scale of its cross-border practice, White & Case LLP continues to be a dominant force in the energy and infrastructure market, with a strong bench of advisors well-geared to act across a range of debt, equity and hybrid structures, as well as P3s. Marquee energy project highlights include ATVM loans for lithium-ion battery resource facilities, stand-alone battery storage financings, and bridge term loans for biorefineries, green hydrogen and ammonia projects, and electric vehicle battery ventures. On the infrastructure side, the firm handles a number of of transport, social and digital-related greenfield and brownfield projects, with the team able to act as counsel on the bidding, financing, and development side of ventures including JFK International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and São Paulo’s metro system. Leading these substantial infrastructure mandates and the practice as a whole is Dolly Mirchandani, one of the most pre-eminent infrastructure lawyers in the market and who combines long-standing P3 knowledge alongside the ability to advise on first-of-its-kind private investment and finance structures across a range of traditional and novel infrastructure projects. Working closely with Mirchandani is Evelyn Balassiano who provides counsel to an impressive roster of infrastructure find, commercial banks and institutional lenders. In Miami, the head of the firm’s Americas energy, infrastructure, project and asset finance practice Sean Goldstein focuses on energy and infrastructure projects in Latin America. Nandan Nelivigi has overseen mezzanine credit facilities, senior construction and term credit facilities, bridge loans, and green financings relating to a plethora of asset types. Jeffrey Davis joined the practice in March 2023 and brings extensive tax experience from his tenure at Mayer Brown, while infrastructure investment expert Nadav Klugman, also formerly at Mayer Brown, joined the team in April 2024. Former practice co-head Christopher Richardson left the practice in March 2024. All listed members of the team are based in New York unless otherwise mentioned. Elena Millerman has left the firm.

White & Case LLP has a robust track record in a range of matters at the top of the market, including M&A, joint ventures, high-value financing, tax equity arrangements, and project development contract negotiation. The firm’s New York office houses a number of the team’s key partners: Raymond Azar, noted for his expertise across all aspects of a renewable energy project and acts for investors, sponsors and project owners; financing expert Nandan Nelivigi; and January 2024 partner appointment Raffaele Turco, who is particularly knowledgeable of the Latin American market. Head of the firm’s Americas energy, infrastructure and project finance offering, Sean Goldstein, is based in in Miami and focuses on infrastructure projects across Latin America. Serena Rwejuna in Washington DC is the name to note for regulatory advice on renewable energy projects. Former practice co-head Christopher Richardson left the firm in March 2024, former co-head Elena Millerman departed the firm in July 2024 and Chicago-based partner Nadav Klugman, formerly of Mayer Brown, joined the practice in April 2024.

White & Case LLP is outstanding in Latin America energy and infrastructure transactions. The firm’s extensive team, which is spread across its New York, Miami, Washington DC, Houston, Mexico City and São Paulo offices, has a huge market share of the top deals in the region. It houses some of the leading practitioners in the market and is consistently developing new generations of talent. With a client base that ranges from sponsors and investors to banks and DFIs, the Latin America team ‘distinguishes itself through a combination of specialised expertise, innovative problem-solving, and a client-centric approach‘. The energy and infrastructure group frequently works alongside colleagues from the wider regional practice, including M&A, capital markets and restructuring; this includes a number of recent restructurings of longer-term projects. The department has a hugely impressive record in Mexico, Brazil and Chile, and has successfully targeted smaller economies such as the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Paraguay. The firm also stands out for its abilities in construction and project development, with leading figure Sean Goldstein to the fore. Carlos Viana remains highly-rated among clients and peers alike, while New York’s Thomas Pate has impressed in a series of renewable energy deals in Chile and elsewhere. São Paulo’s John Anderson is a native Portuguese speaker and a key name on Brazil deals; and Washington DC-based partner, Martin Menski, leads on many of the agency-related financings in the region. New York-based Raffaele Turco was elevated to the partnership in January 2024. Named individuals are based in Miami unless stated otherwise. Since publication, Ana Maria Arias and Grétel Martínez – both of whom handle project finance and development matters – have been promoted to counsel – effective as of January 2025.

White & Case LLP‘s strong commitment to Latin America has led it to advise on a major pipeline of financings in countries across the region. Unusually, much of its Latin America financing capability is based in Miami, along with New York and Houston. It continues to lead the field in loans to financial institutions, airline restructurings and financings in the energy, power and infrastructure sectors. It has close links to multiple international banks, along with DFIs and agency lenders, though is also known for its extensive borrower client base. The firm has formidable banking and finance teams in New York, Miami, Houston, Mexico City and São Paulo; and the practice continues to advise on large financings in Brazil, Mexico and Central America, while enjoying further growth in Peru transactions. New York partner Sabrena Silver has vast experience in Latin America financings, including structured financings, acquisition financings, bridge loans, private equity financings and restructurings. John Anderson is a pivotal figure in São Paulo, where he has an extensive record in acquisition financings, bilateral and syndicated loans, trade finance and restructurings. Anna Andreeva is making a further impression in corporate loans, acquisition financings and restructurings, leading on many of the firm’s top deals. Carlos Viana has an outstanding record in energy, power and infrastructure financings, along with Sean Goldstein, who combines project finance expertise with extensive project development acumen. Houston based Adrian Leal impresses at associate level. Named individuals are based in Miami unless stated otherwise.

White & Case LLP has the leading Latin America-facing Miami practice of the heavyweight international law firms. It is a dominant force in energy and infrastructure, including both project development and project finance, while remaining at the forefront of acquisition finance and structured financings. Moreover, it has a substantial team dedicated to white-collar crime and government enforcement investigations, along with further strength in international arbitration. In energy and infrastructure, the Miami team has a prestigious client base of sponsors, investors, banks and development finance institutions (DFIs). Carlos Viana has an outstanding reputation for large-scale and headline project financings in multiple jurisdictions, with Sean Goldstein providing further senior-level talent in project development and project finance; he is also a key relationship partner for IDB Invest. Anna Andreeva is further noted for aviation finance and equipment leasing financings, along with project finance and general bank lending. In white-collar crime and government enforcement investigations, Michael Garcia and Maria Beguiristain are top practitioners, achieving additional prominence in sanctions-related cases, cryptocurrency and fintech, along with anti-corruption due diligence in investments and acquisitions. Silvia Marchili, who splits her time between Houston and Miami, is another established name in commercial and investment arbitration in Latin America. Newly minted partner Estefanía San Juan is primarily focused on Latin America commercial and investor-state arbitrations. Head of the Latin America group Christian Hansen is now based in Mexico City.