McDermott Will & Emery Appoints Leading Energy Partner to London Office
LONDON (02 October 2009) – International law firm McDermott Will & Emery LLP has today announced the expansion of its global energy practice with the hire of David Birchall to the London office. David joins the Firm from Denton Wilde Sapte, where he was partner in their highly ranked Electricity and Renewables practice. This hire brings the number of lawyers and professionals in McDermott’s worldwide energy practice to over 65.
David will focus his practice on trading, structured deals, major transactions and project work in the electricity, trading and carbon sectors. McDermott’s US and European transactional network offers new opportunities in these sectors and working at a firm with a different geographic and market focus was the major factor behind David’s move. David will advise major financial institutions, utilities, major energy consumers and traders.
The addition of David Birchall to the London team not only further enhances the Firm’s energy capabilities across the European and international practices but also underscores the Firm’s commitment to focus on and drive forward this key growth area.
“David’s appointment comes at a time of enormous growth and opportunity in the energy sector, requiring Firms to take a more innovative approach to how they practice,” added Andrew Watson, head of the London Projects Group. “David will bolster our already excellent capabilities in London.”
David Birchall notes: “I am delighted to be joining McDermott’s energy practice. McDermott’s US and European practice allows me to change the emphasis of my career towards new markets, at a fascinating time given the rapidly expanding scope of energy projects.”
Described by Chambers 2009 as “extremely impressive” David’s practice encompasses trading, structured deals and project work in the UK electricity, gas and renewables sphere and he has particular experience in advising on the full range of conventional and renewables projects from coal fired stations to waste (and energy from waste) schemes. His trading experience includes advising on power, gas, emissions, LECs, ROCs, coal and oil, within the UK and cross-border contexts, providing associated trading and physical regulatory advice. David advises energy companies and financial institutions, in the carbon market, on regulatory matters, subsidy advice, wind (offshore and onshore), tidal, biofuel and biomass projects, Kyoto projects and CER/EU ETS trading.
The hire of David Birchall to the London office comes at a time when McDermott is bolstering its energy capabilities globally. Following the hire of Stefan Schmitz in late 2008, David will further strengthen the London office’s transactional, trading and renewable energy capabilities. In addition, within the last month, the Houston office has expanded further with the hire of partner Sergio Pozzerle, whose practice focuses on project development and finance, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions with specific focus on renewable energy. Since opening in February 2008 the Houston office has recruited high profile energy partners who work closely with the energy teams worldwide to provide global energy services.
McDermott Will & Emery is an international law firm (amongst the top 20 both in the United States and globally) with more than 1,000 lawyers who practice from the Firm's offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Düsseldorf, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Rome, San Diego, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C., and a strategic alliance in Shanghai with MWE China Law Offices.
