Mr Steven Friend > Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has a major focus on consumer products and retail, energy, power, utilities and REITs. It has an exceptional record in equity-linked, US investment grade corporate bonds and US corporate bonds, especially where it is acting for managers. Energy remains its primary sector, while the power and utilities group acts as either issuer or underwriter counsel for more than 60 power and utilities holding companies. Houston partner James Davidson  is rated for convertible debt and investment grade debt offerings, and is known for his expertise in the REITs sector. Michael Fitzpatrick, Steven Friend and Peter O’Brien are also key partners. Named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP is a major player in debt offerings, which has provided a platform for a growing equity offerings practice. The capital markets team is especially committed to REITs, energy, power and utilities, and consumer products and retail. It has close links to issuers and underwriters, gaining particular accolades for underwriter-side representation. Follow-on offerings and at-the-market programs have been a recent feature of the practice. Houston partner James Davidson is at the forefront of REIT IPOs, with New York’s Michael Fitzpatrick, Peter O’Brien and Steven Friend noted for energy, power and utilities deals. Washington DC-based Robert Smith is highly rated for REIT offerings.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has carved out a niche in the US energy market as a leading tax equity practice, advising both established industry players and new market entrants on the tax equity financings of substantial solar and battery storage projects, as well as advising multinational financial services firms on tax credit transactions. Alongside this, the practice boasts a formidable capital markets offering, working closely with household names in the utilities space, as well as leading underwriters, on significant financing arrangements. Co-heads Jeffrey Schroeder and Peter O’Brien operate out of Washington DC and New York, respectively, with the latter the key figure in the group for power, utilities, and capital markets work, often working closely with colleagues Michael Fitzpatrick and Steven Friend, who demonstrate further excellence in this area and sit alongside O’Brien in New York. Richmond-based Laura Jones is an especially well-regarded tax lawyer who oversees a wealth of tax credit transactions, both generating repeat instructions and new business for the firm. Washington DC’s Geoffrey Lorenz‘s wide-ranging experience covers a variety of financing and transaction structures, and he is also highly active on tax-equity investments. Patrick Jamieson and Brendan Harney are further names of note for their debt and equity capital markets work from New York, while Douglas Dua and Jean Liang received promotions to partnership and counsel, respectively in 2023, also sitting in the New York office.