Aaron Roffwarg, chair of the firm's real estate department, counsels clients on strategic transactions in a creative, efficient and effective manner. He represents and counsels clients in transactions that involve real estate and construction projects, including synthetic lease and sale-leaseback transactions, complex midstream oil and gas projects, pipelines and terminals used to transport oil, gas and other petroleum products and merchant electric generation facilities. He represents private equity investors, developers, financial institutions and utilities in transactions that include acquisitions and divestitures of assets and companies, structured finance, leveraged finance, project development and project finance. In addition, Aaron regularly represents healthcare organizations regarding real estate development and mergers and acquisitions transactions.
Bracewell LLP
Lawyers
Allan Taffet has more than 30 years of experience representing clients in complex civil disputes through trial and appeal. Allan represents multiple institutional clients in the financial services industry and capital markets in cases that involve securities, structured derivatives, employment and non-competition, breach of contract and contract construction, fraud, RICO, shareholder and partnership disputes and dissolutions. Over the last two decades, Allan has tried numerous cases in federal and state courts and before arbitration panels and administrative bodies.
Amy Halevy counsels and represents employers in all areas of employment law. She guides her business clients in the preparation and application of employment policies and procedures. Amy also provides valued advice in assisting with complex and high level company investigations when there are concerns of employee misconduct or in other areas related to the employment relationship. She serves in the role of trusted advisor by helping clients with difficult employee terminations.
Ann Navaro advises on and litigates under the federal laws and policies governing natural resources and the environment. After more than 25 years as a top litigator and policy adviser to the federal government, Ann brings exceptional insight and acumen to clients seeking to build infrastructure, produce valuable natural resources, or improve government policies and programs affecting their businesses. She has held senior legal and policy positions at the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Department of the Interior, including most recently as Counselor to the Solicitor at the Department of the Interior. Ann spent more than 10 years as a trial lawyer in the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the US Department of Justice, as well as 10 years litigating and managing civil works litigation for the Army Corps.
Austin Lee represents and counsels clients in the acquisition and divestiture of oil and gas properties, as well as a broad range of transactional and operational matters regarding upstream and midstream operations. In addition, Austin also counsels clients in the upstream and midstream space who are dealing with distressed situations, whether in the form of restructuring financial arrangements or acquiring or divesting properties. Additionally, Austin represents lenders and borrowers with respect to the financing of oil and gas properties; pipeline systems and other midstream assets; and other development facilities.
Barbara S. Jones, former judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, focuses her practice on corporate monitorships, compliance issues, internal investigations and arbitrations and mediations. During her 16-year term in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Jones presided over a diverse range of cases, including accounting and securities fraud, antitrust, fraud and corruption involving city contracts and federal loan programs, labor racketeering and terrorism. In May 2010, Judge Jones was appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States to serve on the seven-member Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation; she served on the panel until October 2012.
As a result of his experience with virtually all types of governmental entities and diverse finance structures, Barron Wallace’s public finance practice is both unique and broad. His clients benefit from his knowledge of traditional and highly structured project finance conduit transactions involving state agencies, cities, school districts, airports, higher education, housing, industrial development, private and primary secondary schools, cultural arts organizations, regional mobility authorities, special districts and not-for-profit organizations. His multifaceted practice spans traditional municipal finance, tax increment finance, urban redevelopment, as well as general public law.
Blakely Latham Fernandez focuses her practice in the space where business and government intersect, recognizing that complex business issues and solutions often exist in a political environment, just as complex public issues and solutions often benefit from private partnerships. She represents both governmental entities and private sector clients in structuring projects that include public benefit and, often, incentives. As a former elected official, she recognizes the stewardship and political considerations that are an important part of project development.
Bob Wagman has experience representing U.S. and foreign companies of all sizes in a broad range of industries in all facets of conducting business with the government including government contracts, grants and other federally-funded projects. His experience ranges from representing companies in litigation matters before courts and administrative tribunals to advising clients in transactional matters and regulatory compliance. Bob has represented numerous companies in civil False Claims Act (qui tam) matters ranging from representing companies at the early stages of DOJ/Inspector General investigations, to securing dismissal of qui tam complaints, to defending firms in jury trials. He has conducted internal investigations on behalf of companies and boards of directors and advised on self-disclosure obligations. Bob also has represented companies and individuals in suspension and debarment matters. He has experience in representing government contractors in criminal investigations involving alleged misconduct on government programs. In the bid protest arena, he has successfully represented both protesters and intervenors in bid protest matters at the GAO, the Court of Federal Claims and before agencies. He has prosecuted claims on behalf of companies and also represented companies in prime/sub disputes.
Brad Chin, chair of Bracewell's IP Practice Group, is a registered patent attorney who counsels and represents clients concentrated in the energy and high-tech industries. Brad’s deep technical experience, industry and market knowledge, and background as a chemical engineer equip him to counsel clients in managing IP portfolios and strategic business relationships. His practice focuses on assisting clients with patent and trademark procurement and enforcement, licensing and technology transfer, invalidity, non-infringement, and freedom-to-operate opinions, post-grant review proceedings (IPRs, PGRs, and CBMs), IP DFARS/FARS government contracting compliance, and corporate due diligence. Brad prosecutes patents in the chemical, electrical and mechanical arts for U.S. and international (China, Japan, Korea and Middle East) clients, particularly in the areas of oil and gas drilling equipment, chemical processing, telecommunications, automotive, robotics, consumer electronics, OLED and plasma displays, semiconductors, energy storage, renewable energy, clean technology, catalytic filtration systems, coatings, food products, medical devices, nanotechnology, electronic health care systems and treatments and life sciences. Brad also represents clients in intellectual property litigation matters before state and federal courts.
For over 20 years, Brad Benoit has maintained a practice that serves both plaintiffs and defendants, something that sets him apart from many other litigators. This balance helps him see both sides of a case more clearly and provide his clients with a broader approach to complex commercial litigation. Following along with Bracewell's core strengths, Brad focuses on representing clients in energy-related litigation, securities/derivative litigation, and bankruptcy-related litigation.
Brian Teaff has a multifaceted tax practice, advising clients in connection with tax-exempt financings and other business transactions in the public finance area, as well as counseling public charities and private foundations on a wide range of tax planning and compliance matters. In addition, Brian advises a variety of types of clients with respect to the "opportunity zone" provisions enacted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
Brian Tompkins’ practice focuses on patent prosecution, patent portfolio analysis and client counseling. He serves clients in the software, computer and petroleum industries. Brian has also advised clients on product development strategies and has provided opinions of counsel and patent landscape analyses.
Brock Bailey, managing partner of Bracewell's Dallas office and a member of the firm's management committee, represents and counsels developers, borrowers, owners and lenders in the acquisition, development, financing and divestiture of large commercial and industrial projects. His experience in the real estate industry includes office, healthcare, hospitality, stadium development, industrial, multifamily, mixed use and retail real estate projects. He counsels clients on all aspects of real estate development, acquisition and construction finance, management, and infrastructure development, as well as construction, leasing, acquisition and disposition matters.
Bryan Dumesnil provides Bracewell’s clients with the intense dedication needed when facing complex litigation challenges. Although most cases are resolved outside the courtroom, a trial lawyer must be willing and able to try a case in order to achieve the best results for the client. Bryan knows this, and that is why he approaches every case as if it will be tried. By doing so, Bryan is prepared to zealously protect his clients and their interests if a negotiated resolution is not possible.
Catherine McCarthy has represented asset owners and others on energy regulation and policy matters for more than two decades. She chairs Bracewell's Energy Regulatory Department and is the current Chair Elect of the American Bar Association's Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section. Her experience includes obtaining Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and state authorizations for major projects and transactions; FERC compliance and enforcement matters; FERC transmission and centralized markets issues; and rate, tariff and refund matters. She also represents energy clients before the Department of Energy, the Federal Communications Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Cathy has extensive experience advising public utilities and competitive energy issuers on securities offerings. She represents issuers, underwriters and institutional investors in the full range of debt, equity and hybrid securities offerings by such issuers, including offerings of first mortgage and collateral trust bonds, green bonds, unsecured notes, tax-exempt debt, debt for projects, high-yield debt, and common and preferred equity. She also represents energy and utility companies in commercial lending transactions.
Conor Civins represents companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies in patent, trade secret and trademark litigation, as well as disputes involving breach of contract, fraud and unfair competition. Over the past several years, he has litigated cases in the Western, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas, as well as in various districts in California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, New York and Oregon. Conor has also argued before the Federal Circuit and Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Cristy Edwards practices in the area of public finance and tax-exempt finance, with a primary focus on transactions involving hospitals and other healthcare facilities, colleges and universities, private schools, nonprofit organizations, industrial development, waste disposal facilities, airports and state agencies. She serves as bond counsel, borrower’s counsel, disclosure counsel, trustee’s counsel and underwriters counsel in such financings. Cristy also represents electric cooperatives in finance transactions. Cristy is experienced as trustee’s counsel in default and workout situations.
Daniel Connolly's practice focuses on representing clients in such diverse industries as banking, construction and pharmaceuticals in a wide spectrum of white collar defense and regulatory compliance investigations, as well as bankruptcy, class action and complex commercial litigation cases. In addition to representing clients in federal and New York State trial and appellate courts, Dan regularly appears before numerous federal departments and agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General, as well as various state investigatory and enforcement agencies. He has represented major corporations and senior executives in an array of criminal or regulatory matters and has served as compliance and ethics advisor to companies and boards of directors.
Daniel Hemli regularly advises clients on complex antitrust issues relating to mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures and advocates before federal, state and foreign antitrust authorities. He has experience representing both buyers and sellers in connection with investigations of numerous national and multinational acquisitions and joint venture transactions across a broad range of industries, including oil and gas, electric power, chemicals, commercial and industrial equipment, waste services, construction materials, consumer goods, healthcare, technology and financial services. He has advised on transactions in a variety of contexts, including negotiated deals, hostile takeovers and distressed situations. Dan also counsels clients on a broad range of antitrust matters arising out of their day-to-day operations and assists clients in designing and implementing antitrust compliance programs. He prides himself on having a thorough understanding of his clients' business operations and objectives and providing very practical and business-focused advice.
During his more than 40 year career at Bracewell, Dan Witschey has focused on providing thoughtful, practical advice to companies, their boards of directors and committees. Equally adept in the mergers and acquisitions and securities arenas, Dan also regularly counsels on corporate governance matters and fiduciary duties. He frequently represents special committees of master limited partnerships in conflict situations ranging from dropdown transactions to equity restructurings and sales of the company.
David Perlman represents and counsels clients in regulatory and compliance matters concerning the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and state public utility commissions, energy-related transactions and financings, and in the establishment of compliance programs and training. His clients include utilities, commodities merchants, oil and gas pipeline companies, electric generators, energy marketers, industrial customers, generators, lenders and financial institutions and oil and gas producers.
David Super offers first-chair trial experience to clients across multiple industries. He handles complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts throughout the country. David’s experience includes litigation involving regulatory and environmental challenges to major infrastructure projects, and environmental claims under the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response (RCRA), Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund. Beyond his experience in environmental litigation, David has taken a lead role in a diverse set of complex commercial disputes, including defense of class actions, allegations of fraud and other business torts, breach of contract, partnership disputes, actions before federal agencies, energy issues and constitutional takings.
David Ball splits his practice primarily between bankruptcy/restructuring and intellectual property. He has experience representing both debtors and creditors in complex bankruptcy proceedings, with an emphasis on handling contested matters, and representing both plaintiffs and defendants in patent and trademark infringement matters. David’s understanding of complex products, varied industries, and financial analysis lends itself to both practice areas. He is routinely called upon to quickly understand different industries and the economics of clients’ businesses to work with financial advisors and expert witnesses. David has experience in Chapter 11, Chapter 15 and Chapter 9 bankruptcy matters, and has litigated numerous Chapter 11 matters – most recently Alta Mesa, MDC Texas Energy, ENXP, Optim Energy and Ahern Rentals – before the bankruptcy courts and federal appeals courts.
Dave Shargel is a business litigator with extensive experience representing clients in complex commercial disputes and arbitrations. Dave has built his practice representing clients in a wide range of business sectors and circumstances. His experience includes litigating contract disputes, shareholder disputes, business valuation, insurance coverage and fraud. He also handles real estate, construction and employment disputes as well as matters involving constitutional law such as under the Commerce and Due Process clauses. Additionally, as co-head of the firm’s ePractice Department, Dave assists firm attorneys with eDiscovery best practices and guidance, as well as case-specific discovery strategy and management. Dave is also a member of the firm’s COVID-19 Crisis and Recovery Task Force, advising clients on various issues related to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, including matters related to the government’s stimulus loan programs.
Deanna King, co-chair of the firm's energy litigation practice group, represents domestic and foreign energy-industry clients in a broad range of matters related to market access, competition, market behavior and market design, enforcement and compliance, and restructuring and cross-border issues related to participation in United States energy markets. She counsels energy sector clients on regulatory and compliance matters and represents them in enforcement, administrative and litigation proceedings, with a particular focus on organized and bilateral energy markets in the west, contract negotiation and dispute resolution, and compliance with market rules.
For more than 28 years, Dewey Gonsoulin has effectively and efficiently represented clients in all types of financing transactions. He devotes a significant portion of his practice to energy financing, and is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to upstream oil and gas reserve based financings. He represents commercial lenders, mezzanine lenders, corporate borrowers and other financial institutions in all types of financing transactions. Dewey focuses primarily on credit facilities in the upstream energy sector, including traditional borrowing base credit facilities provided by senior bank lenders to independent producers as well as more complex mezzanine and development financing transactions. In addition to working on upstream financings, Dewey also has extensive experience in oilfield service and midstream pipeline financings. In periods of economic downturn, Dewey works alongside the firm’s restructuring practice, serving as lead transaction counsel on numerous workouts and restructurings involving energy companies. In addition to his client responsibilities, Dewey serves as chair of the firm’s finance department, and has previously served as a member of the firm’s management and finance committees.
Doug Rommelmann is a registered patent attorney and counsels companies in all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret law. He advises on patent procurement and designing around competitor’s patents, provides opinions on patent and trademark invalidity and infringement issues, represents companies in contested U.S. Patent & Trademark Office proceedings, including inter partes review (IPR) proceedings. In addition, he leads IP due diligence teams for major mergers and acquisitions and also maintains an active IP litigation practice
Dee Martin is co-chair of the firm's Policy Resolution Group, the government relations and strategic communications section of Bracewell. Dee represents clients before the U.S. Congress and federal agencies, developing and implementing policy and media strategies that achieve her client’s goals. Dee has 20 years of experience providing strategic advice to corporations, non-profit organizations and trade associations. Her work covers a broad range of issues, including energy and the environment (oil & gas; power; renewables); national security (federal law enforcement); women’s rights (economic and violence issues); and financial services (credit rating agencies; consumer protection). Dee has successfully led clients through legislative, appropriations and oversight campaigns. In addition to her policy work, Dee represents clients involved in agency inquiries and Congressional investigations, including hearings and testimony.
Edmund Robb focuses his practice on commercial disputes arising out of the energy industry. He has experience prosecuting and defending complex commercial litigation, oil and gas disputes, energy agreements, environmental and regulatory matters and securities claims. Edmund works closely with in-house teams to manage and prepare cases at all stages, from initial investigation to final judgment. He has represented clients in state court, federal courts and in arbitration, and has conducted numerous internal investigations on behalf of corporations, boards and board committees. Edmund also has experience handling probate, product liability and construction cases.
Elizabeth McGinley, chair of Bracewell's tax department, regularly advises clients on acquisitions, dispositions, restructurings, joint ventures and debt and equity investments in the upstream and midstream oil and gas and conventional and renewable power industries. She represents both public and private energy companies as well as private equity funds. In addition to her traditional energy practice, Liz also advises on tax issues arising in connection with the energy transition including federal tax credits and investment structures. Liz has experience with the use of carbon dioxide emissions for enhanced oil recovery.
Elizabeth Bowes serves as counsel to issuers and underwriters in public offerings and private placements of municipal bonds. She has particular experience in housing, transportation, prepaid natural gas and other structured project finance transactions. Elizabeth has worked on transactions utilizing multi-modal bonds, interest rate swaps and other advanced financial products. She advises clients with respect to primary and continuing disclosure matters and has advised issuers, bondholders and trustees on default, forbearance and work-out matters.
Fernando Rodriguez Marin advises developers, investors and financial institutions on infrastructure, energy and real estate projects. He represents clients in project finance and public private partnership (P3) transactions, including roads, rail, brownfield and greenfield infrastructure projects and renewable energy projects. In addition, Fernando negotiates, drafts and reviews P3, concession and credit agreements on behalf of government agencies, private businesses and investors.
George Fatula’s practice focuses on energy-related transactions, regulatory matters, projects, and controversies. George has extensive experience navigating the intersection of regulatory and commercial issues involved with the development and operation of major energy infrastructure projects. He regularly advises natural gas, oil, liquids and CO2 pipeline and storage project developers in negotiating terms of service, drafting definitive agreements, and steering through the regulatory approval process for the development of new and re-purposed pipeline and other infrastructure projects before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other regulatory agencies. George also represents midstream service providers, producers, and marketers in commercial, transactional, and FERC regulatory matters, including purchase and sale transactions, compliance matters, tariff and certificate proceedings, and contested matters.
Greg Bopp has served as the managing partner of Bracewell since 2016. Prior to becoming managing partner, Greg co-chaired the firm’s business and regulatory section and served numerous terms on the firm’s management committee. Greg has extensive experience in a broad range of corporate transactions, including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions for midstream and upstream companies, including master limited partnerships (MLPs).
Heather Brown’s practice focuses on complex financial transactions with emphasis on the energy industry including upstream, midstream, downstream, and services. She represents both lenders and borrowers in large, syndicated and bilateral, secured and unsecured, and traditional and structured financing arrangements, including acquisition and working capital facilities, asset based loans, reserve based loans, dividend recapitalizations, institutional term loans, first and second lien arrangements, bond financing credit enhancement, project financings, contract monetizations, and insolvency matters.
Cliff Gunter has devoted more than 49 years of practice to providing strategic, effective trial representation to energy and a diverse array of other, major industrial and financial clients in complex, high stakes, multiple-party litigation, both internationally and domestically. Cliff has a lengthy history of representing clients in class action litigations in industries such as financial services, energy, transportation, electric utility, consumer products and securities. He has advised board of directors with respect to and has conducted numerous internal investigations on diverse subjects ranging from financial reporting issues, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, power trading and bidding, law enforcement and regulatory investigations and shareholder derivative claims. Cliff has advised clients on remedial and preventative measures in connection with these investigations.
Jim Kizziar has devoted his law practice to the representation of management for labor and employment law issues for 43 years. Jim advises all levels of management, including boards of directors, executives and Human Resources, regarding compliance with federal and state employment laws and local ordinances. His practice encompasses all aspects of employment law, including executive employment agreements, separation agreements, confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, developing and implementing voluntary exit programs and reduction in force plans and drafting employment policies, reviewing employee handbooks and conducting employment training for executives, managers and supervisors. Jim has also represented employers for over three decades regarding union organizing campaigns and representation elections, proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, collective bargaining negotiations, contract administration and unfair labor practice charges.
Jim Plummer concentrates his practice on tax-exempt financings, tax credits and governmental contracts at the federal, state and local levels. His practice includes a substantial amount of work related to affordable housing and housing bonds, as well as state and local taxation. Jim also has extensive experience in public private partnerships (PPP), particularly negotiating development, management and operating contracts involving governmental entities and contracts with tax-exempt financing.
Jane Macon focuses her practice on public finance and administrative law, public and private partnerships, real estate, civil litigation, zoning, platting, condemnation and municipal bonds.
Over the last 12 years, Jason Cohen has represented corporate debtors and senior and junior secured creditors in all phases of corporate debt restructurings, including negotiating out-of-court workouts and litigating in-court Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases with assets ranging from $20 million to more than $1 billion. Jason has often advised parties on debt and equity financing, as well as asset sales.
Jason Hutt, chair of the firm’s environmental department, advises and defends clients with a deep appreciation of the high-profile and complex environmental and energy issues of our day. His advice and advocacy are informed by a technical understanding for how energy and key industrial sectors operate as well as an acumen for the challenges Bracewell’s clients must navigate to achieve their business objectives. Jason is a key member of Bracewell's incident response and internal investigation teams for matters subject to the jurisdictional reaches of these agencies. Jason's experience and perspective inform his advice to project developers, debtors, investor groups and financial institutions focused on the business implications of various policy initiatives as well as the environmental risks and liabilities associated with transactions. His thoughts on legal and policy matters are regularly reflected in the mainstream media and trade publications covering energy and environmental issues.
Jason Jean is experienced in advising public and private businesses, including private equity investors, in the financial services sector, upstream and midstream energy sector, and other sectors with respect to mergers and other business combinations, asset and stock purchases and sales, restructurings and joint ventures. Jason also advises businesses in private capital markets transactions, including Rule 144A private placements and PIPEs, and public capital market transactions listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), NASDAQ, Amex and London Stock Exchange. His capital markets experience extends to representation of issuers, underwriters and placement agents on a variety of debt and equity offerings, including initial public offerings. Jason’s practice also includes advising businesses on corporate governance and compliance issues.
At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jeff Vaden was responsible for directing criminal prosecutions and grand jury investigations in areas including U.S. export controls and sanctions, bank fraud, public corruption, immigration, money laundering, counterterrorism, and national security. His honors include the Director’s Award for Superior Performance in 2008, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Assistant Secretary’s Award in 2007, and the 20th Anniversary National Award, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force in 2002. He has worked on domestic and international matters with federal law enforcement and investigative agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Commerce-Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Department of the Treasury, Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Secret Service, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service.
Jeff Andrews’ broad transactional practice focuses on outsourcing, sourcing and technology transactions. He is best known for structuring and negotiating complex domestic and international information technology and business process outsourcing agreements. Jeff, chair of the firm's technology transactions practice, has assisted clients in outsourcing all major business functions and operations. He has negotiated opposite every major multinational and Indian outsourcing service provider. His clients span a wide range of industries, including energy, financial services, consumer products, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, commercial aviation and telecommunications.
Jeff Holmstead, former assistant administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency for Air and Radiation, is one of the nation’s leading climate change lawyers as recognized by Chambers USA (2008-2020) and heads the environmental strategies group (ESG) at Bracewell. The ESG is a multi-disciplinary group that includes environmental and energy attorneys, public policy advocates and strategic communications experts – most of whom have had high-level government experience. Under Jeff’s leadership, they work together on a daily basis to advise and defend companies and business groups confronting major environmental and energy-development challenges, both domestically and globally.
Jeris Brunette focuses her practice on commercial lending and project finance in a variety of industries with an emphasis on the renewable energy sector. She advises, structures and negotiates a range of secured and unsecured financial transactions, including structuring and negotiating senior and subordinated debt financings, acquisition and project financings, structured financings, securitizations and physical and financial commodity hedges. Jeris’ clients include financial institutions, private equity funds and other energy-sector borrowers. Notably, Jeris represented Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank as collateral agent to the revolving debtor-in-possession lenders in the $2.81 billion prepackaged Chapter 11 restructuring transaction for McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE:MDR) approved January 23, 2020 and as lead arranger, revolving agent and collateral agent in the $1.7 billion superpriority rescue financing for MDR closed October 21, 2019. She has been recognized by The Legal 500 United States for Commercial Lending (2018-2019, 2023) and Project Finance (2018-2019). Jeris has also been named to list of Rising Stars by IFLR1000 Financial & Corporate and M&A Guide in Banking (2016-2023), Law360 Banking Rising Star (2021), as well as the New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars list for Securities & Corporate Finance (2017-2019).
Jonathan Frels assists governmental bodies, nonprofit corporations and entities that contract with governmental bodies with respect to Public Information Act issues. In addition to his experience in private practice, Jonathan served as deputy attorney general for legal counsel at the Texas Office of the Attorney General, 2008 – 2010. In this role, he acted as counsel to the attorney general and supervised the Office of the Attorney General’s non-litigation civil legal divisions, including the agency’s Public Finance Division, Opinion Committee, General Counsel Division and Open Records Division. While with the Office of the Attorney General, Jonathan frequently testified before and served as a resource to members and committees of the Texas Legislature on a variety of subjects, including public finance and open government matters.
Jonathan Leatherberry focuses his practice on public debt offerings and business transactions, particularly related to the healthcare industry. He has served nationally as bond counsel, borrower’s counsel, underwriter’s counsel, disclosure counsel, trustee’s counsel for general obligation and revenue financings involving hospitals, nursing facilities, retirement facilities, primary and secondary education facilities, universities, cultural arts centers and charter schools. Jonathan also advises non-profit and for-profit organizations on general corporate matters, fiduciary responsibilities, mergers and acquisitions, liquidity and credit facilities, workout and restructuring situations, and disclosure matters. He has experience drafting and negotiating public and private debt offerings and all related documentation for 501(c)(3) organizations.
Jonathon Hance is both a litigator and an intellectual property lawyer. As a litigator, Jonathon is at home in the court room, where he represents both plaintiffs and defendants and works hard to enforce his clients' intellectual property rights and data confidentiality rights, to protect his clients' brands, to bring value to his clients in the restructuring context, and and to resolve complex commercial disputes in the design and construction, real estate, energy, healthcare, and technology industries. As an IP lawyer, Jonathon works to protect and monetize his clients' innovations and protect his clients' brands across a variety of sectors, including the energy, real estate, and technology industries. He also advises healthcare institutions regarding corporate governance issues and patient data privacy and protection under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Josh Zive is an advocate and counselor for clients confronting complex legislative, regulatory, and legal compliance issues. He has worked with clients in wide range of industry sectors to develop and implement advocacy strategies built on a deep knowledge of the client’s needs and arguments that can succeed in front of legal, political, and public audiences. Josh works with clients on all stages of legislative and regulatory advocacy, and is able to help clients design and implement strategies to have an impact on public policy. This work includes crafting formal rulemaking comments, designing effective lobbying strategies, and the development and implementation of public messaging campaigns.
Josh Klein represents corporations and individuals in complex disputes involving corporate, securities and commercial issues. He advises clients, both as plaintiffs and defendants, in cases involving allegations of breach of contract, fraud, tortious interference, fiduciary duty, antitrust and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organzaitions Act (RICO). Josh also advises entities and individuals in various enforcement investigations and proceedings brought on by governmental agencies and regulators.
Kate Day focuses her practice on debt financings in the energy industry. She represents international banks and other lenders, corporate borrowers and private equity sponsors. Kate has particular knowledge of reserve based lending facilities, master limited partnership (MLP) financings, asset-based lending facilities, first and second lien financings, acquisition and working capital facilities, leveraged and investment-grade financings, commodity finance, bond credit enhancement facilities, and hedging arrangements. Kate also handles restructurings and workouts of loans in the energy industry.
Kevin Ewing is a natural resources lawyer who helps clients address challenges in “federal” Washington, DC. He advises chiefly energy and infrastructure companies pursuing development projects, federal authorizations, or changes in agency policy, and in responding to federal enforcement and incident investigations. His clients are often involved in offshore exploration and development, natural gas and liquids pipelines, LNG, power transmission and specialty chemicals. Kevin has frequently been involved in efforts to improve federal policies governing infrastructure projects and related permitting and agency reviews.
Kevin assists companies responding to government investigations after major industrial accidents and chemical releases in the energy and chemical sectors. Kevin has experience responding to investigations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), California regulatory authorities, and state and federal prosecutors.
Kirk Morgan's practice focuses on complex energy issues, but clients can count on him to make things understandable and be commercially minded. Kirk provides strategic advice to oil and gas pipelines and project developers with respect to jurisdictional issues, rate options, capacity allocation methodologies, regulated practices, and business opportunities. He is regularly called upon by pipeline clients and developers regarding new infrastructure projects, including greenfield pipelines and expansion projects. This requires him to lead clients through the process of preparing open season materials, negotiating and drafting precedent and transportation agreements, and preparing tariffs. Kirk also works closely with clients to obtain regulatory approvals required for new pipeline infrastructure.
Lytch Gutmann represents public and private companies, master limited partnerships (MLPs) and special committees in a variety of corporate transactions, including stock and asset purchases and sales, joint ventures, mergers and other business combinations. She also provides counsel to private equity funds and their portfolio companies, along with management teams seeking private equity capital. Lytch’s practice focuses on the midstream and upstream areas of the energy industry. Her recent experience includes acquisitions and divestitures of oil and gas pipelines and storage terminal facilities, water infrastructure assets, and other midstream companies and assets.
As a lawyer licensed in Mexico, Manuel Vera represents U.S. financial service institutions, energy companies and investment firms in acquisitions in Mexico and Latin America, also guiding them through cross-border project finance transactions and joint ventures. Manuel has worked with clients on projects in more than a dozen Latin American countries, with a special emphasis on Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Argentina, as well as Spain.
Mark Lewis, managing partner of the firm’s Washington, DC office, focuses his practice on oil and gas pipeline and related midstream, regulatory and transactional matters. His clients include oil and gas pipeline developers, owners, operators and investors; oil and gas producers and marketers; gas distributors; and large industrial energy consumers. He handles US and international oil and gas pipeline development projects with respect to project structuring, contracting and governmental approvals. He represents regulated pipelines, pipeline ownership interests regarding pipeline management issues, clients in transactions involving the acquisition of pipeline companies and pipeline assets, and developers of pipelines and other oil, gas and CO2 infrastructure. In his practice, Mark provides legal counsel in contract negotiations involving operating, transportation, and purchase and sale agreements. He also advises clients regarding regulatory aspects of project development, contract, tariff, rate and compliance matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and various state regulatory agencies.
Mark Dendinger is the managing partner of Bracewell’s Connecticut office. He is also a financial restructuring partner who focuses on all aspects of corporate restructuring, bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings. He represents debtors, equity owners, creditors, creditors’ committees, and distressed investors (including hedge funds and private equity funds) in acquisitions, out-of-court restructurings and chapter 11 cases. He also advises boards of directors and senior management of financially troubled companies regarding fiduciary duties and corporate governance. He has broad restructuring experience across several industries, including energy, shipping and retail.
Mark C. Evans serves as co-chairman of the firm. He served as the firm's managing partner from 2008-2016, making him the second longest serving managing partner in firm history. During his tenure as managing partner the firm opened its Seattle office; relaunched its London office, focusing exclusively on energy; and entered the Am Law 100. Before assuming the role of managing partner, Mark's practice focused on representing French, Dutch, Scottish, Japanese and United States commercial banks and other lenders in complex commercial finance transactions, including syndicated loans, revolving credit and term loans, leveraged transactions, structured transactions, subordinated and mezzanine investments, credit enhancement for commercial paper and bond transactions, letters of credit and commercial paper facilities, production payment and other oil- and gas-related credits, project finance, bankruptcy and restructurings. He has also represented international banks in lending funds to Japanese, Mexican, Canadian, Venezuelan and French companies.
Matt Paulson represents companies in the oil and gas, refining, power and chemical manufacturing industries on environmental matters, including strategic permitting, regulatory compliance, investigations, enforcement and civil and appellate litigation. His work includes advising clients on issues arising under all of the major federal environmental laws and their state counterparts. Matt regularly advises clients at the early project planning stages, assisting with scoping a broad array of regulatory and permitting requirements across all media and disciplines, from air, water and waste permitting, endangered species and cultural resource reviews and approvals, and US Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration authorizations, to land use, local registration and licensing obligations, as well as other federal, state, and local requirements that can affect project timing and viability. Matt also provides assistance on crisis management and prevention, including responding to major accidents, conducting internal investigations associated with allegations of criminal and civil wrongdoing, preparing risk management, emergency response and business continuity plans, and preparing for inspections by regulatory authorities.
Matt Grunert advises clients on a broad range of compensation and employee benefits matters for public and closely-held companies, as well as private equity funds and portfolio companies. He has vast experience counseling clients with the design, implementation and on-going operation of Section 409A non-qualified deferred compensation plans and equity compensation arrangements, including stock options, restricted stock, phantom stock, Section 162(m) grandfathering issues and partnership profits interests. Matt also regularly counsels both companies and executives with the negotiation and drafting of executive compensation arrangements, including employment agreements, retention and severance agreements and change-in-control arrangements.
Matthew Nielsen represents companies, boards, executives, and securities firms and professionals in internal and government investigations and litigation involving civil and criminal misconduct. Matthew has deep experience in handling matters involving public company accounting and disclosure issues, insider trading, securities fraud, US export controls and sanctions, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), whistleblower complaints and healthcare fraud. In addition, Matthew regularly represents clients before and in litigation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Department of Justice (DOJ), Financial Industry Regulatory Agency (FINRA), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of the Treasury and other federal and state agencies.
Michael Brooks focuses his practice in the areas of energy, commodities and derivatives law. He represents energy companies and commodity trading companies in a wide variety of commercial, regulatory, compliance and enforcement matters and routinely advises clients regarding federal rules and regulations governing the trading, ownership, transportation and transmission of energy commodities. His counsel includes advising clients regarding emerging technologies and related privacy, cybersecurity, commercial and regulatory issues.
Michael Chibib focuses all aspects of intellectual property litigation, with an emphasis on district court and ITC patent litigation in the areas of semiconductors, telecommunications, electronics, software and energy. He has an active post-grant practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and also provides IP portfolio counseling.
Molly Butkus represents and counsels developers, exploration and production companies, midstream companies, private equity funds, purchasers and sellers in all aspects of upstream and midstream transactions, including acquisitions and divestitures, joint venture formation and other day-to-day operational representation. Molly also focuses on representing upstream producers and water management companies in the drafting and negotiation of water gathering, disposal, supply and recycling agreements, as well as the acquisition and divestiture of produced and fresh water assets and infrastructure.
Nancy LeGros has devoted her entire legal career to serving healthcare clients. She has 25 years of experience in advising clients on healthcare regulatory compliance, reimbursement, and operational matters such as medical peer review, academic affiliations and governance. Nancy’s clients have included hospitals, academic medical institutions, clinical research organizations, physician groups, home health and hospice agencies, long term care facilities and mental health facilities.
Nicolai Sarad advises financial institutions, developers, equity investors and governmental agencies in the United States and internationally on project structuring, development and financing, acquisitions and dispositions, and restructurings, as well as operation and maintenance. He focuses on infrastructure projects, including public private partnerships (P3), thermal and renewable power, biofuels, water, mining, process plants and major manufacturing.
Phillip Sampson has spent decades aggressively pursuing and advocating for his clients’ interests in complex business disputes. Phillip’s consistent approach to fully understanding and then preparing a matter for trial or arbitration emphasizes thoroughness, responsiveness, creativity, and practicality. Phillip is co-chair of the firm's construction litigation practice group, and he represents clients in a diverse range of complex business litigation and arbitration matters involving the energy, construction, manufacturing, steel, oil field services, chemical, petrochemical, software, financial services, consumer products, and real estate sectors. Phillip has experience and a particular focus on matters involving contract and payment issues, fraud and other business torts, construction defects, products liability, consumer protection claims, personal injury, real estate and landlord/tenant issues, and trade secret and intellectual property rights for both plaintiffs and defendants. Phillip has also successfully handled a number of appeals at the state and federal level.
Rachel Goldman is a commercial litigator with over 20 years of experience in federal and state courts, at the trial and appellate levels, and in both domestic and international arbitration proceedings. She represents clients in various sectors, including financial institutions, multi-national corporations and private equity funds. Her practice focuses on complex commercial disputes, such as breach of contract and fraud claims, securities litigation, bankruptcy litigation, construction litigation, class actions, RICO and False Claims Act litigation. Rachel's practice also includes challenges to government agencies under the Commerce, Takings and Supremacy Clauses, and First Amendment and libel actions. In addition, she is actively involved in the firm's monitorship and compliance matters. Her prior experience as both a lawyer representing the government and as in-house counsel provides a valuable perspective of client needs and objectives. Rachel is also a member of the firm’s COVID-19 Crisis and Recovery Task Force, advising clients on various issues related to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, including matters related to the government’s stimulus loan programs.
Rebecca Keep's practice focuses on complex financial transactions. She represents both lenders and borrowers in large, syndicated and bilateral, secured and unsecured, financing arrangements, including acquisition and working capital facilities, asset based loans, reserve based loans, dividend recapitalizations, institutional term loans, first and second lien arrangements, bond financing credit enhancement and restructurings, with a focus on the energy industry.
Richard Whiteley, co-chair of the firm's construction litigation practice group, enjoys solving complex problems for his clients in an adversarial context, and believes an aggressive strategy of always preparing a case like it will ultimately go to trial is the best way to achieve the most favorable outcome. Richard has a wide range of experience in trial work and arbitration, with an emphasis on construction litigation, intellectual property litigation, products liability litigation, real estate litigation, and other types of commercial litigation. Richard has tried and arbitrated cases involving general contractual disputes, patent infringement, construction defects, manufacturing issues, trade secret misappropriation, trademark and copyright infringement, products liability, defamation, fraudulent transfers, real estate disputes, business disputes, deceptive trade practices, personal injury, and premises liability. In addition, Richard has experience with obtaining extraordinary and injunctive relief for clients, including temporary restraining orders, temporary injunctions and other writs.
Rob Collins’ practice focuses on public finance, in particular tax-exempt financings. He serves as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel and disclosure counsel in financing transactions for cities, counties, school districts, economic development corporations, venue projects, water districts and special districts. Rob also advises clients in connection with economic development incentives for public/private projects.He has successfully represented several cities and special districts in expedited declaratory judgment actions filed in response to or in anticipation of certain legal challenges asserted against the clients' proposed issuance of bonds and/or projects to be financed with bond proceeds.
Notably, Robin represented Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank as agent to the revolving debtor-in-possessions lenders in the $2.81 billion prepackaged Chapter 11 restructuring transaction for McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE:MDR) approved January 23, 2020 and as lead arranger and revolving agent in the $1.7 billion superpriority rescue financing for MDR closed in October 21, 2019.
Ryan Holcomb, chair of the firm’s power practice, represents clients in a wide variety of transactions in the electric power and oil and gas industries. He negotiates and documents acquisitions and divestitures of assets and companies, joint venture, financial and commodity hedge transactions for private equity investors, energy companies, utilities, financial institutions, and commodity trading businesses.
Sara Burgin uses her scientific background and more than 30 years of legal experience to assist clients with issues relating to water use, management and disposal. She advises on permitting, compliance and enforcement matters in association with onshore and offshore wastewater and storm water discharges; issues relating to surface water and ground water rights; water contracts; Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) plan requirements and applicability issues; Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction; issues associated with public water systems at industrial facilities; and dredge and fill permit requirements.
Scott Sanders provides counsel to publicly traded and privately owned companies in the design, implementation and administration of employee benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements. He also handles the compensation and benefits issues that arise in corporate acquisitions, financings, initial public offerings, spin-offs and other corporate transactions. Scott helps guide companies in implementing numerous qualified and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, cash-and equity-based incentive plans, executive compensation arrangements, change in control arrangements and other types of employee benefit plans. His practice focuses on the corporate and tax issues that are critical to the design, implementation and administration of employee benefit and executive compensation arrangements. Scott represents clients on tax and benefit matters before the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor.
Scott Segal is co-chair of the firm's Policy Resolution Group, the government relations and strategic communications section at Bracewell. He has more than two decades of experience across a broad range of policy and communications issues, with particular experience dealing with energy, the environment and natural resources. Other areas of experience range from healthcare to financial services to trade and manufacturing issues. A practicing lawyer, Scott assists clients with effective participation in the legislative and regulatory processes. Additionally, Scott helps guides clients with strategic planning and communications in changed circumstances through public-affairs initiatives, monitoring, advocacy and negotiations with the United States Congress and administrative agencies of the federal government. He has testified before Congress and administrative agencies numerous times on matters related to energy and environmental policy.
As an award-winning partner in the firm’s premier finance practice, Stephanie Song has dedicated more than 16 years of her practice to counseling and representing domestic and foreign financial institutions, mezzanine funds, private equity funds, other credit providers and borrowers in all types of secured and unsecured credit transactions, including asset based lending, senior and subordinated debt financings, cross-border financings, debt restructurings, project and acquisition financings, letter of credit facilities, term loans, working capital loans, bond credit enhancement facilities, securitization and conduit lending transactions, oil and gas secured financings, as well as loan restructures and workouts and other various interbank relationships involved in syndicated loan transactions.
A seasoned business litigator in his 32nd year of practice at Bracewell, Steve Benesh brings his experience and judgment to bear in helping his clients reach the best resolution of their issues, whether that means vigorously protecting those interests in the courtroom or working collaboratively to reach a common-sense resolution outside the courtroom. He has represented clients in diverse matters, including securities, class action, business torts, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, deceptive trade practices, breach of contract, and products liability. Steve has first chair jury and non-jury trial experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts, as well as arbitration and mediation experience.
Stephen Braga chairs the firm’s national Government Enforcement & Investigations practice. He has over 35 years of experience representing individuals and companies in criminal and civil matters before trial and appellate courts throughout the United States.
Tom Tomlinson has spent his career working on energy transactions with a particular focus on the financing, development, acquisition and divestiture of traditional and renewable energy projects. As chair of the firm’s Project Finance practice, he regularly counsels and assists energy-sector investors, sponsors and lenders regarding the development, financing, acquisition and divestiture of power generation facilities, upstream and midstream oil and gas projects, refineries and petrochemical facilities, pipelines, gathering and storage facilities, wind and solar facilities and other energy projects. Tom's deep understanding of the energy industry has been gained over decades of experience helping to structure and successfully navigate a wide variety of transactions in the sector. His goal on any engagement is to leverage that knowledge and the use of project and structured finance techniques to assist clients in maximizing the credit potential and value for the subject assets.
Thomas Kokalas is a partner in Bracewell’s New York office in the Government Enforcement & Investigations practice. Tom focuses his practice on responding to regulatory investigations as well as conducting corporate-wide compliance reviews and risk assessments. He has extensive experience in regulatory enforcement, government and internal investigations, white collar criminal defense and complex civil litigation. He counsels corporate clients in a range of complex issues, including US Department of Justice investigations, Regulatory Enforcement actions and internal Compliance Reviews. Prior to joining Bracewell, Tom served as a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as a member of the Frauds Bureau, where he successfully prosecuted complex financial crimes involving securities fraud, RICO, larceny and schemes to defraud. He also served in the Trial Division where he prosecuted and tried felony criminal cases in New York County Supreme Court in addition to handling long-term investigations into weapons and narcotics trafficking. Tom is also a member of the firm’s COVID-19 Crisis and Recovery Task Force, advising clients on various issues related to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, including matters related to the government’s stimulus loan programs.
Tim Urban leads the tax policy practice at Bracewell’s Policy Resolution Group. He is an experienced tax lobbyist who has advocated for clients on every major tax bill introduced in Congress over the past 20 years. Tim represents companies on business tax issues, extension of temporary tax provisions and federal tax policies within the energy sector.
Tim’s clients rely on him for the defense of environmental enforcement actions and assistance with the environmental aspects of major transactions and project development matters, including siting and permitting. Tim has also overseen environmental compliance audits involving thousands of locations, handled hundreds of environmental audit disclosures and pioneered the development and use of US EPA’s audit policy for new owners. Although he undertakes matters in all environmental media, Tim has special depth in issues involving hazardous waste. His clients report in Chambers USA that “he’s the premier lawyer in Texas," "the best on all environmental matters,” and “the rare outside counsel who combines subject-matter expertise with outstanding commercial judgment” (2023). They have said that “one of Tim’s chief strengths is his ability to explain the law in a way that anyone can understand” (2019). They have also described him as “a very astute lawyer, liked for his quickness and thorough responses” (2007); as having “a good blend of scientific knowledge and legal acumen that helps navigate challenging regulatory issues” (2021); as having “great business acumen and amazing negotiation skills” (2009); and as capable of delivering “practical, cost-effective solutions for his clients” (2011). Tim was also recognized by Law360 as a 2023 Environmental MVP. In addition to his duties at Bracewell, Tim periodically teaches the course in Corporate Environmental Law at The University of Texas School of Law. Before joining Bracewell, Tim was research assistant to Professor Laurence H. Tribe of Harvard Law School, editor-in-chief of the Harvard Environmental Law Review, and a judicial clerk for the Honorable Henry A. Politz, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Todd Greenwalt works with governmental entities and tax-exempt organizations, advising them with regard to tax-exempt financings and other business transactions, and resolving tax-exempt status issues. His clients include all types of state and local governmental entities, hospitals, other health care organizations, colleges and universities, charter schools, museums, arts organizations, community and economic development organizations, private foundations, advocacy groups and other charities. Todd provides federal income tax advice as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel and borrower's counsel in connection with tax-exempt financings and advises tax-exempt organizations on a wide-range of federal tax and state nonprofit law issues, including formation and application for tax-exempt status, unrelated business income tax, intermediate sanctions, IRS examinations, accountable care organizations and other health care-specific issues and structuring joint ventures to comply with IRS guidelines.
Todd Eckland has over 30 years of experience representing investment banks and public and private companies in capital markets transactions. He has successfully guided clients through more than 250 public offerings of investment grade and high-yield debt securities, preferred and common stock and other hybrid securities, most notably in the energy, technology and life science sectors. Todd also advises on project financings, private placements and strategic investments, as well as on corporate governance matters, including policies and strategies to respond to changes in regulation.
Tony Visage, Chair of the firm's securities and corporate governance litigation practice group, focuses his trial practice on shareholder class actions and derivative cases alleging violations of the Securities and Exchange Acts, as well as insider trading, fraud, accounting irregularities, reporting requirement violations and state law claims. Tony has first-chair jury and bench trial experience. He defends companies and individual directors and officers. He has conducted numerous internal investigations in response to derivative demands and other matters giving rise to the need for a special investigation by independent counsel. Tony also works with special committees and conflicts committees of boards on matters involving fiduciary duties.
Troy Harder advises clients in all aspects of corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on corporate finance transactions. He has experience representing both issuers and investment banks in a wide range of capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings, public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, tender offers, consent solicitations and exchange offers. He also counsels clients in connection with SEC reporting and corporate governance and compliance matters, including insider reporting and compliance with the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.
Victoria Ozimek offers legal advice to clients regarding all aspects of tax advantaged obligations, from vetting the tax issues on proposed financing structures to assisting issuers with post-issuance compliance matters such as remedial actions and private business use analyses. In addition to traditional state and local government financings, Victoria has worked on transactions for the financing of multifamily and single family housing, universities and colleges, charter schools, airports and seaports, and water facilities. She has also acted as special tax counsel to a number of issuers in situations where an issuer's regular counsel may not be in a position to provide the specific tax experience needed.
Glenn Opel currently chairs the firm's public finance department. Over the past 25 years, Glenn has worked alongside virtually every kind of governmental entity on state and local government finance matters, including traditional municipal finance, tax increment finance, and public improvement districts. His comprehensive practice focuses on public finance, infrastructure and transportation development, and public/private partnerships. His knowledge of traditional and highly structured project finance conduit transactions assist his clients in all types of industries, including state agencies, transportation entities and regional mobility authorities, cities, counties, school districts, airports, higher education, river and port authorities, public/private partnerships, industrial development, and special districts. In addition to acting as bond and disclosure counsel, Glenn represents national and regional investment banking firms as underwriter’s counsel and letter of credit bank counsel in public finance transactions.
Whit Swift advises industrial companies on air quality matters, such as state and federal new source review permitting and Title V operating permit matters. In connection with that permitting work, he has represented applicants in contested permit matters before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH).
William A. (Trey) Wood III, chair of Bracewell’s distinguished financial restructuring department, has more than 28 years of experience and 11 years of recognition in Chambers USA for his work representing debtors, creditors, committees and other parties in interest in all facets of the bankruptcy process and out-of-court restructurings, including plan creation and confirmation, asset purchases and sales, environmental claims, claim allowance and complex bankruptcy litigation. He has appeared in bankruptcy courts throughout the United States, has been recognized nationally as a leading bankruptcy/restructuring attorney.
Will Anderson, co-chair of the firm's corporate and securities practice, chair of the firm’s financial institutions group and a member of the firm's management committee, focuses on capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions and SEC compliance and disclosure matters. Will is consistently recognized as a national leader in capital markets offerings and large-deal M&A transactions. Will's capital markets practice includes initial public offerings, follow on equity offerings and high-yield and investment-grade debt offerings. Will has advised issuers and underwriters in more than 100 securities offerings that have collectively raised more than $50 billion.
Bill Avila's practice focuses on public finance law, specifically providing legal counsel, negotiating, drafting documents and securing governmental approvals. He has closed approximately 1,000 transactions, totaling more than $50 billion in aggregate principal amount of municipal bond transactions as bond counsel, underwriters' counsel, issuer's counsel, user's counsel and trustee's counsel for a variety of public infrastructure and improvement projects.
William Ebert represents large financial institutions, private equity funds and companies in all types of secured and unsecured commercial lending transactions, including acquisition financing, project financing, syndicated loans, asset based and reserve based financings, as well as restructurings and DIP financings. His practice focuses largely on clients in the upstream, midstream and renewable energy sectors operating in both the United States and international markets.
Bill Mahomes has more than 30 years of experience as a public finance, real estate and transactional lawyer. He provides practical advice on public projects and public private partnerships (P3s) based on his experience serving on the board of directors of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and the Texas Turnpike Authority. Bill has been involved in negotiating numerous contracts and public agreements between political bodies and their respective projects, including public hearings, professional selections and financing. He has also worked on negotiations involving public and private property matters, as well as matters among various public and private entities.