McDermott Will & Emery Adds Preeminent Energy Lawyers to Growing Houston Office and Energy & Commodities Practice
Blake Winburne and his team bring strong energy transactions, project development and finance experience
HOUSTON (February 09, 2010) — McDermott Will & Emery LLP is pleased to announce that Blake H. Winburne has joined the Firm as a partner in the Energy & Commodities Advisory Practice Group, residing in the Firm’s Houston office. Mr. Winburne is a nationally-known transactional lawyer in the downstream and midstream energy sectors, with substantial experience in transactions involving electric power and renewable energy projects and oil, natural gas and refined products infrastructure. The Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Business Lawyers 2009 identifies Mr. Winburne as one of only six “leading individuals” nationwide in the electric power projects, calling him a “star in the North American power scene.” Mr. Winburne’s project finance expertise was also recognized in Euromoney’s Best of the Best USA 2009, in which he was one of only 34 lawyers so recognized.
Joining Mr. Winburne at McDermott are partner Matt Archer and associates Brad Gathright and Kimberly Glasspool. All four were formerly in the Houston office of Baker Botts L.L.P., where Mr. Winburne and Mr. Archer were partners.
Mr. Winburne, Mr. Archer and their colleagues join a McDermott team with nearly 70 lawyers and professionals in McDermott's U.S. and European offices who focus on energy, commodities and projects, including international energy and infrastructure project development and finance.
“The addition of Mr. Winburne and his team reflects the Firm’s commitment to becoming a major provider of sophisticated legal services to companies in the international energy and commodities industries,” said Peter John Sacripanti, Co-Chairman of McDermott.
“McDermott is recognized around the world for its energy regulatory and commodities practice, with a depth of experience and a breadth of client relationships that are difficult to match,” said Mr. Winburne. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to join McDermott and continue the Firm’s commitment of service to the global energy industry.”
These newest members of McDermott’s energy and commodities team represent market-leading private equity funds, multinational energy companies, project developers and sponsors, investment banks, and other investors and capital providers in a wide range of transactions. With experience across the energy space, the team focuses particularly on the electric power sector, including fossil-fuel fired, simple and combined cycle and co-generation facilities, and wind, solar, biomass, landfill gas and other renewable power projects; on oil, natural gas and refined products pipeline, storage and other infrastructure projects; and on various “cleantech” ventures.
“We are excited to have Blake and his team join McDermott's active and growing energy practice in Houston and expand McDermott’s world-wide transactional capabilities,” said Robert Stephens, the Head of McDermott’s Houston Office. Paul Pantano, the Head of McDermott’s Energy & Commodities Advisory Practice Group commented that, “Our goal is to provide our clients with highly-integrated transactional and regulatory services. Adding Blake and his colleagues to our team will help our clients achieve their business objectives across the energy sector.”
Blake Winburne has been involved in energy and infrastructure transactions his entire career. He has advised clients on the development and financing of energy projects throughout North and South America. He also maintains an active mergers and acquisitions practice, advising energy-focused private equity firms and multinational energy companies on the purchase and sale of energy companies and assets and the structuring of complicated joint venturing arrangements.
Matt Archer’s practice focuses on energy project development and finance and mergers and acquisitions in the energy sector, with particular emphasis on renewable energy and power projects, including wind, landfill gas and solar projects. Mr. Archer has extensive experience in every stage of project development, including early stage development, joint venture formation, equipment supply, construction, acquisition, divestiture, fuel/resource procurement, offtake arrangements, and financings. Mr. Archer has been named by Law & Politics Magazine as a "Texas Rising Star."
Brad Gathright has worked on a number of project development and finance matters centering on the energy industry, with a particular focus on renewable energy and energy-related mergers, acquisitions, and dispositions. Mr. Gathright’s law degree was conferred with high honors by Emory University.
Kimberly Brame Glasspool’s project development, mergers and acquisitions, and finance experience focuses in the energy sector, where she regularly represents project developers and investors in transactions involving power generation assets such as fossil fuel-fired conventional and cogeneration facilities and wind and other renewable projects. Ms. Glasspool’s law degree was conferred by Louisiana State University’s Hebert Law Center.
