Work at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP spans the full breadth of the project finance market, with the team advising participants on every side of transactions involving conventional power generation, electricity transmission, data centers, and renewable and alternative energy projects, across both utility-scale and community-level developments. Oversight of the practice is shared between Houston-based Breen Haire and New York’s Eli Hunt. Operating between Los Angeles and New York, Javad Asghari concentrates on project development and finance, alongside M&A involving energy and infrastructure assets. In Houston, Matthew Einbinder advises borrowers and lenders on sophisticated banking and credit facilities, while New York’s Sonia Lopez is a regular advisor to private equity sponsors and strategic investors on acquisitions, joint ventures, and broader corporate matters across the sector. Further strengthening the Houston bench, Erland Modesto and Brandon Barton have been active representing lenders on wind, solar, and battery storage projects across the US.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Key clients
- Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp.
- ArcLight Capital Partners
- American Electric Power, Inc.
- Avnos
- Bank of America
- BlackRock
- Blackstone
- Bridgepoint Group
- Brookfield
- Capital Power
- CBRE Acquisition
- CIM Group
Work highlights
Represented Blackstone and the buyer consortium formed with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in connection with the acquisition and related financing of AirTrunk, for an implied enterprise value of A$24 billion and refinancing of AirTrunk’s greenfield and operational assets in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Representated the lenders in NextEra Energy’s project financings of several wind farms and operating and newly-built solar and storage projects in multiple states across the United States.
Represented the affiliates of Holloway Group in the project development, project financing and joint venture arrangements relating to the (i) greenfield ‘Lost Hills’ automotive shredder residue (“ASR”) metals and plastics recycling facility and (ii) arrangements for its co-located cogeneration power generation facilities located in Bakersfield, California.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Eli Hunt; Breen Haire
Other key lawyers
Javad Asghari; Matthew Einbinder; Sonia Lopez; Erland Modesto; Brandon Barton