Hall of Fame

The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.

Rising stars

Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

Next Generation Partners

Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Kristin Mendoza

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Kristin L. Mendoza is a corporate partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Kristin advises public and private companies, including private equity firms and strategic investors, in connection with domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, reorganizations and other general corporate matters, focusing in the energy sector. Kristin maintains an active pro bono portfolio relating to rule of law and media freedoms with the Media Law Working Group of the International Senior Lawyers Project.

Leading lawyers

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Andrew Calder

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Partner focusing on mergers and acquisitions, corporate and securities law, and corporate governance, with a focus on the energy and infrastructure sectors. Represents many of the largest private equity sponsors, such as Blackstone, KKR, EIG and GSO and many of the leading energy companies. Has worked on many of the largest transactions in the sector.

Brian Chisling

Brian Chisling

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

With a corporate and regulatory practice focused on the energy and infrastructure industry, Brian Chisling advises infrastructure investors, including electric and gas utilities, independent power producers, pipeline companies, fiber-optic and other telecommunications tower companies, private equity funds and financing parties with respect to mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, securities issuances, financings and related federal and state regulatory issues. In the power industry, Brian has regularly advised American Electric Power, NextEra Energy, Ohio Valley Electric Corp., and various private equity clients. He has represented utility and private equity clients in numerous high-profile mergers, including ITC Holdings’ sale to Fortis, JPMorgan's sale of its physical commodities trading businesses, American Electric Power’s acquisition of Central and South West Corp., and the acquisition of TXU by a group of private equity firms. Brian is recognized as a leading regulatory lawyer in the energy and infrastructure sectors by Chambers and Legal 500.

Nicholas H. Politan Jr.

Nicholas H. Politan Jr.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Nicholas H. Politan, Jr. is a partner in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Energy (Power and Renewables) Practice Group. Mr. Politan is also a member of the Global Finance Practice Group. Mr. Politan focuses his practice on domestic and cross-border energy-related transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, financings of all types, project development, construction and operation, and restructurings. He has particular experience in wind power, solar power and other renewable technologies. He represents developers, sponsors, strategic investors and lenders in connection with these transactions. He also has extensive experience in asset-based and structured financings.

Rhett Van Syoc

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Rhett Van Syoc is a partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. His practice focuses on domestic and international mergers and acquisitions in the energy, mining and infrastructure sectors, with a particular emphasis on private equity and complex joint ventures. Rhett’s experience covers a broad spectrum of matters in the energy and natural resources industries, including power generation, coal and other mining, oil and gas exploration and production, renewables and clean energy, energy services, transportation and midstream, and refining. He also has significant experience in the acquisition and development of infrastructure projects in the U.S., Africa and Latin America.

Danielle M. Varnell

Danielle M. Varnell

Bracewell LLP

Danielle Varnell has extensive experience in energy M&A including with respect to both development stage and operating projects, portfolio acquisitions and divestures, and complex multi-party joint ventures. In addition to her experience with fossil generation assets and onshore wind and solar assets, Danielle has significant experience in carbon capture and sequestration, battery storage and offshore wind. Danielle also has extensive experience on all aspect of energy and infrastructure project development, including the negotiation and drafting of build transfer agreements, EPC contracts, operation and maintenance agreements, construction management agreements, asset management agreements, shared facilities agreements, build out agreements and equipment procurement and supply agreements (including gas and wind turbines, modules and transformers), as well as numerous other project development agreements.