A key advisor to some of the largest conventional and renewable energy companies in the US, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe acts on both the buy-side and sell-side for power portfolios and single assets. The team has expertise in developing EPC and O&M contracts, PPAs, and frequently advises clients on the sale of wind and solar portfolios, battery storage projects, natural gas plants, and increasingly on data centers. The energy and infrastructure is led by Kyle Drefke and John Eliason in Washington, DC, Dahl Thompson in Houston, Louise Gibbons in San Francisco, and Teresa Hill in Seattle. Thompson specializes in acquisitions, sales, developments, and financings of renewables, portfolios, and platforms; Gibbons is a key contact in energy transition projects and for renewable energy developers; and Hill is an expert in PPAs and sustainability initiatives. In San Francisco, Kristin Seegar supports the practice’s ability in acquisitions and joint ventures in solar and energy storage projects. Houston-based Bradford Gathright is a key contact for private equity investments and transactions in electric power generation facilities. Blake Winburne left the practice in 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Orrick is a leader regarding offtake agreements and the energy industry generally.'
- ‘Brad Gathright, Spencer Sinclair and Cacique Rich-Martinez are able to manage complex and overlapping transactions. Always responsive and available. Very thorough in their analysis and clear in their conclusions/recommendations.’
- ‘Outstanding M&A team. Able to flex up the team at crunch time without losing coordination.'
- ‘Brad Gathright led the Orrick team and did a very good job. I would recommend him.’
- ‘The firm represented us in a fairly large and complex divestment where we effectively exited the sector. The firm helped us navigate several material diligence and negotiation issues. We felt like we were well advised and supported through these and other challenges. Legal advice on challenging issues was sound and practical. Negotiation tactics and strategies were well thought through. ’
- ‘We worked mainly with Brad Gathright and Joe Lawlor. Both are sharp, practical lawyers who deliver steady, responsive service. Brad brings clear judgment and a calm, solutions‑focused approach. Joe stood out for his matter management and his ability to keep complex workstreams aligned and moving.’
- ‘The team has notable depth in the energy/renewables sector, with strong capabilities across corporate, M&A, and finance. I found them able to address even niche or ancillary issues that surfaced, provided the questions were connected to these core areas. Their bench strength and responsiveness compared favorably to other large firms with substantial corporate and M&A practices.’
- ‘Kristin Seeger and Louise Gibbons are able to provide practical advice that is informed by their deep knowledge of the industry and cross-practice expertise.'
Key clients
- Intersect
- BP Corporation North America Inc.
- CleanCapital LLC
- ENGIE North America Inc.
- Onward Energy, LLC
- Apollo Global Management
- Scale Microgrid Solutions
- Recurrent Energy
- EDP Renewables North America
- Calpine Corporation
Work highlights
Advised bp on the sale of its U.S. onshore wind energy business, BP Wind Energy North America Inc., to LS Power.
Advised Intersect on its partnership with Google and TPG Rise Climate to provide scaled renewable energy and storage solutions to new data centers.
Advised ENGIE North America on entering into a partnership with CBRE through a sell-down of a 2.4 GW portfolio that includes 31 stand-alone battery storage projects across ERCOT and CAISO.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Bradford Gathright
Practice head
Kyle Drefke; Dahl Thompson; Louise Gibbons; John Eliason; Teresa Hill
Other key lawyers
Kristin Seeger; Brad Gathright; Matt Nesburn; Adam Kowis; Joe Lawlor; Spencer Sinclair; Cacique Rich-Martinez