Cynthia Urda Kassis > A&O Shearman > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

The ‘smart’ projects, energy, natural resources and infrastructure (PENRI) practice at A&O Shearman earns a strong reputation for its work on a wide range of projects in both energy and infrastructure. Practice head Kent Rowey splits his time between Los Angeles and New York, where he leads on complex and high-value development work for project sponsors, including the multibillion-dollar PPP redevelopment of JFK International Airport’s Terminal One. Airports are one significant facet of the firm’s infrastructure offering, which also covers both traditional infrastructure, including rail and road, and telecoms and digital infrastructure, with significant recent work on data centers, where New York-based Dorina Yessios is a key contact. Also in New York, Nisim (Niso) Matari is reputed for his knowledge of a range of financing facilities. In energy, meanwhile, the practice advises on the financing of projects in wind and solar power, battery storage, and carbon capture. Complex fund structuring and financing are key strengths for the firm, with John Marciano in Washington DC, and Daniel Sinaiko in Los Angeles being sought out by clients for advice on matters relating to tax equity. New York-based Jennifer Wnek has expertise in inverted lease tax equity and construction-to-back leverage debt financing, while Jillian Ashley in New York and Andrea Lucan in Los Angeles are also noted. Sam Kamyans left the firm in June 2023. Further members joined the team following the merger of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. Cynthia Urda Kassis  has particular expertise in the mining and metals sectors. Paul Epstein has broad expertise encompassing toll roads, rail lines, ports, and airports, as well as projects in the energy sector, and is well-versed in refinancings and concession agreements. He advises on complex and high-value financing issues, with notable support from senior associate Jackson Murley. All mentioned lawyers are based in New York.

The fruit of a merger betweeen two global heavyweights, A&O Shearman fields an impressive Latin America-focused finance practice that has presence and profile in the acquisition finance, export finance, structured finance, corporate lending, and restructurings and refinancing segments. The group represents a healthy array of financial institutions (including Barclays, JP Morgan, BNP Paribas and Banamex),  along with various DFIs and ECAs, as well as institutional investors, corporates and private equity funds. The team further demonstrates particular experience in corporate lending and is making a further impression in growth areas such as sustainability-linked finance and ESG-related loans. Senior partner Denise Grant  has deep bank finance, and project finance and development experience, and an enviable trajectory in Latin America financings throughout the region. Metals and mining specialist Cynthia Urda Kassis is also active in project and development finance across the region; while co-head of the Americas projects, energy, natural resources & infrastructure group, Dorina Yessios is noted for energy and infrastructure financings. New York-based Sami Mir is co-head of the US agency practice and is pivotal to the firm’s connections to ECAs, MLAs, DFIs and commercial lenders; while Todd Koretzky (banking, leveraged finance, corporate finance and private credit) is highlighted for acquisition financings in the region. Promoted to the partnership in 2022, dual-qualified (New York/Peru) Augusto Ruiloba is another key member of the team and is particularly noted for acquisition financings in the energy, mining and infrastructure sectors, particularly in Mexico, Chile and Peru. Now based in Washington DC, dual-qualified (New York/Brazil) counsel André de Paiva Teixeira focuses on project and leveraged financing as part of his broader corporate transactional practice. Named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise. Since publication, Sao Paulo-based Bruno Soares and New York’s Joseph Stefano have both left the firm – in February and April 2024 respectively

While the full impact of the combination has yet to be fully demonstrated, as of May 2024 A&O Shearman is a reality, its constituent legacy firms have bequeathed it a lengthy trajectory in Latin America energy and infrastructure projects sectors. The former Shearman team have long been active in Chile (having worked on a series of major projects including desalination plants, electric generation, power and renewables projects), and more generally, have extensive experience throughout the region – including Central America, Dominican Republic and Argentina – on matters ranging from power and renewables to mining and natural resources, oil and gas, and transport infrastructure projects. The former A&O team brings particular profile in agency finance (which has seen it land a number of significant mandates in the region), and frequently advises DFIs and ECAs in headline financings; it also represents a multitude of commercial lenders, alternative lenders and sponsors. A key figure for energy and infrastructure matters, New York partner Dorina Yessios has been growing her profile in digital infrastructure projects, alongside more traditional renewables and power transactions. With much of her focus on the Americas in their entirety, Cynthia Urda Kassis is a recognised authority in the mining and metals sector and also works more broadly across the energy and infrastructure segments. In Washington DC and New York respectively, Jean Lee and Sami Mir are at the forefront of project financings driven by ECAs, MLAs and commercial lenders. Dual-qualified (Peru/New York) Augusto Ruiloba was elected to the partnership in June 2022 and has worked on headline deals in Chile, Panama and across the region; while Robert O’Leary was similarly promoted in 2023 and -as a fluent Spanish speaker- is also heavily focused on Latin America. Since publication, Soares has left the firm, moving to DLA Piper LLP (US) in February 2024.