Troutman Pepper > Richmond, United States > Firm Profile

Troutman Pepper > The Legal 500 Rankings

Energy > Energy regulation: electric power Tier 1

Troutman Pepper is a premiere name within the electric power industry, fielding a team of 150 attorneys serving a number of large investor-owned utilities, power project developers, and sector innovators. The practice hosts an award-winning Federal Energy Regulatory Commission practice, with representation in every U.S. regional market and the firm adding to its bench an addition of seven FERC attorneys. The firm also hosts a large and experienced hydropower team, representing dam operators and clients in resolving unique and complex issues. Christopher Jones is noted for his active practice in the energy bar, working with large companies on FERC related matters and regulatory issues. Jones also worked on the matter of Ameren Corporation and ITC Holdings, which involved a suit brought to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit seeking to overturn federal energy regulators’ decisions to lower investor rates of return for electric utilities. Brandon Marzo is the leader of the firm’s state regulation of utilities in Atlanta, and has worked on a variety of state regulatory matters for clients, while Amie Colby stands out for her experience in vertically integrated utilities and transmission-related issues, including transmission rate cases.

Government > State attorneys general Tier 1

Troutman Pepper maintains a nationwide state attorneys general practice that has significant experience in handling individual and multistate investigations and litigation. The team continues to grow, with the recent arrivals of Orange County-based Clayton Friedman and Michael Yaghi from Crowell & Moring LLP in July 2022. Friedman brings extensive expertise in multistate regulatory actions, with a focus on matters involving advertising, marketing, consumer finance and privacy, while Yaghi is recommended for consumer protection enforcement matters. They lead the group alongside Richmond-based Ashley Taylor Jr., whose practice covers litigation and compliance matters, and Stephen Piepgrass, who is well versed in investigations in regulated industries.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices Tier 2

Troutman Pepper is well-positioned to handle major product liability cases in courts throughout the country. The team, which has a particularly strong presence out of Philadelphia, combines deep industry knowledge with procedural and strategic smarts, ensuring that pharma and medical device companies are effectively represented throughout the litigation process. As well as regularly being engaged as national and trial counsel, the firm has a ‘particular strength in the strategic resolution side of mass torts’ and is consequently regularly appointed as national settlement counsel on MDLs and class actions. Although he is also an accomplished litigator, Sean Fahey ‘s ‘greatest asset lies in the strategic resolution space’, where he is praised for his ability to ‘work well with plaintiffs to reach a resolution for a fair price’. Fahey heads up the health sciences litigation practice that also includes ‘first-rate litigator’ Barry Boise  and Ronni Fuchs, who ‘is very good at handling the science issues and working with experts’. All named practitioners are based in Philadelphia.

Energy > Energy regulation: oil and gas Tier 3

Housing a robust FERC practice, Troutman Pepper focuses on all forms of gas regulation, in addition to corresponding facilities and projects, with demonstrable experience in handling rate cases, litigation, enforcement and rulemaking proceedings for prominent industry owners, operators, developers, customers and traders, including major market players such as Dominion Energy and Iroquois Gas. In the firm's Washington DC office, Daniel Archuleta advises on regulation, competition, enforcement and transactional issues before the FERC, state commissions and the Courts of Appeals, while Charlotte-based Mindy McGrath focuses on the federal and state regulation of natural gas pipeline and storage companies, with notable experience in ratemaking, administrative complaints and enforcement mandates. Amie Colby and Brandon Marzo, who jointly lead the practice, operate from Washington DC and Atlanta respectively.

Energy > Energy transactions: electric power Tier 3

Troutman Pepper has closed numerous MW energy transactions of late, ranging from large utility-scale equity financings, syndicated lending facilities and electric power strategic joint ventures to renewable portfolio acquisitions. The firm also engages in energy M&A, representing sellers, purchasers, target companies, special committees and financial advisors in all types of domestic and cross-border transactions. Alongside this, the team leverages substantial experience in advising issuers of Green Bonds, having advised in the first ever issuance of green bonds by a US wholesale generation company. Based in Atlanta, Eric Koontz has advised on tax-exempt bond offerings relating to pollution control and solid waste disposal projects, including long-term fixed rate bonds. At the Portland office, Scott Rickard regularly advises clients on renewable energy generation transactions.

Energy > Renewable/alternative power Tier 3

With a particularly active transaction practice, Troutman Pepper‘s multidisciplinary team handles the whole range of project finance, environmental, real estate, tax and regulatory law and is also noted for its expertise on tax equity matters, including sale-leaseback and lease pass-throughs. Its client roster includes tax equity investors, project developers and sponsors, utilities, investment banks as well as independent power producers, especially from the solar energy sector. The practice is led by John Leonti and Craig M. Kline, with Leonti’s expertise covering the execution of complex financial transactions, such as debt and hedge transactions, and Kline dealing with M&A, tax equity investments and cross-border transactions. In 2022 the team was further strengthened with the arrival of Fred Wilson from Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Mindy McGrath from McGuireWoods LLP and Akshay Belani from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP; Justin Boose left the office in the same year.

Finance > Project finance Tier 3

Troutman Pepper‘s capital projects & infrastructure team is equipped to handle the whole array of project finance transactions in the energy sector, with particular strength in renewable energy tax equity and debt financing. The practice is jointly led by New York’s Craig M. Kline, and John Leonti, who splits his time between New York and Los Angeles. Kline is noted for his expertise in construction finance, leveraged transactions and take-out debt, while Leonti advises clients, including major utilities, tax equity investors, independent power producers and renewable energy developers, on a range of complex financial transaction in the energy sector. Tax experts Adam Kobos in Portland and Anne C. Loomis in Richmond are also recommended. New York’s Justin Boose left the practice in January 2022.

Insurance > Advice to insurers Tier 3

The team at Troutman Pepper represents insurers and reinsurers in the US and abroad in a range of litigation, including D&O and professional liability coverage disputes. The practice has handled cases pertaining to claims against lawyers, accountants and healthcare professionals and is also active in advising on employment matters, while also taking on cases concerning opioids, asbestos, sports injuries and environmental contamination. Washington DC-based Richard Pratt heads the team, representing insurers involved in sports concussion cases and the burgeoning field of PFAS litigation. Bill O’Neill, also in Washington, is a reinsurance litigation and arbitration specialist, focusing on the life insurance industry. In Orange County and San Francisco, Kevin Kieffer advises clients on D&O and general liability insurance matters, in addition to assisting with contentious cyber insurance issues.

Energy > Energy litigation: electric power Tier 4

Troutman Pepper has longstanding experience advising clients in the electric power industry. The firm has a speciliased FERC practice and represents utilities before state public service commissions in a variety of proceedings. The team have diverse regulatory and legislative backgrounds, including experience within regulatory agencies and legislative bodies. Christopher Jones in Washington DC handles FERC proceedings for a range of large utilities, utility holding companies, and power project developers; he also has noteable appellate experience. Brandon Marzo leads the firm’s state regulation of utilities practice area and has worked on a number of matters involving new nuclear generation and renewable resources, while Amie Colby represents clients in the energy industry before FERC and has experience with vertically integrated utilities and transmission-related issues. Molly Jagannathan in Charlotte has significant experience both in state and federal courts, including corporate and commercial disputes related to contracts, construction litigation, and managing the discovery process in preparing witnesses to testify.

Environment > Environment: litigation Tier 4

With Atlanta’s Andrea Wortzel at the helm, Troutman Pepper’s environmental and natural resources team continues to advise clients on both regulatory matters and litigation and handles cases in all 50 states for large domestic and international companies, public entities and non-profit organizations. Wortzel is a key name for waste management compliance and related disputes with local government regulators, as well as water supply and endangered species issues. Brooks Smith in Richmond handles citizen lawsuits, environmental tort claims, PFAS issues and enforcement actions, while Fitzgerald Veira, also in Atlanta, deals with nuclear regulatory matters, and CWA and NEPA issues. In summer 2022, the team saw a number of departures, including Catherine Little and Annie Cook, as well as Randy Brogdon.

Environment > Environment: regulatory Tier 4

Troutman Pepper is particularly strong in regulatory matters, policy developments and litigation risks and acts for a range of high-profile companies and industry associations. It has recently been handling a number of mandates relating to the energy transition, including the environmental aspects of electric vehicles, electric vehicle battery manufacturing plants and domestic lithium production. The team is led by Richmond’s Andrea Wortzel, who offers considerable expertise in waste management compliance, permitting, water supply issues and litigation, while in Atlanta, Fitzgerald Veira is a name for nuclear regulatory matters, pollution and CWA and NEPA matters. Catherine Little and Annie Cook left in June 2022, while Randy Brogdon left a month later in July.

Environment > Environment: transactional Tier 4

Led by Richmond’s Andrea Wortzel, Troutman Pepper’s environmental and natural resources team is particularly strong in advising on the environmental aspects of real estate transactions and deals in the energy sector. The team also offers ancillary advice in regulatory matters and litigation, and acts for companies, private equity investors and financial institutions on investments and transactions in chemicals, technology, and infrastructure industries. In New York, Andrew Perel offers 30 years’ experience in environmental law, including advising on the environmental aspects of development and redevelopment projects, the remediation of contaminated properties, and compliance matters. Hayden Baker left the firm to join White & Case LLP in January 2023.

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m) Tier 4

Focusing on assisting middle-market companies operating in a range of sectors with their transactional matters, Troutman Pepper offers coast-to-coast coverage and a team of specialized attorneys who are well versed in M&A, commercial contracting, venture capital, private equity and corporate governance. The healthcare and life sciences sectors are strong points for the department, which is jointly headed up by Mason Bayler in Richmond and Wilmington-based Matthew Greenberg. Greenberg is routinely retained by private equity players as well as strategic buyers and sellers in the entire spectrum of M&A.

Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation) Tier 4

The cross-disciplinary practice at Troutman Pepper assists clients throughout the complete cycle of development projects, regularly working in conjunction with land use, project finance as well as real estate lawyers. The department also further supports clients with mandates pertaining to bonding, insurance as well as risk-management issues within the construction industry. Mike Subak is located in Philadelphia and leads the team; he has assisted an assortment of clients including EPC contractors, general contractors, subcontractors, as well as owners and construction managers in a diverse range of disputes. Aaron Abraham works from New York, and often represents developers and owners in transactional as well as litigation matters. Pittsburgh-based Albert Bates and resolves multi-national disputes in areas of heavy industrial process facilities, infrastructure, and power generation. Marion Hack is based in Los Angeles and is highly experienced in handling construction and commercial litigation, often acting on construction licensing and False Claims Act defense matters.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 5

Troutman Pepper  has a strong record representing clients in monopolization claims, antitrust cartel class actions as well as reverse payment and other pharma industry competition litigation. Advising a variety of clients including Fortune 500 companies as well as new entrants to the market, the team is particularly strong in the life sciences and healthcare industries, as well as the agri-food space. Heads of team include Daniel Anziska in New York and Barbara Sicalides in Philadelphia, who routinely handles a broad spectrum of antitrust matters including class actions and litigation challenging agreements among competitors. Also based in Philadelphia is Robin Sumner, who offers significant experience in litigating matters concerning the biopharma and healthcare sectors. Jeremy Heep in Philadelphia is also noted and offers his previous experience as trial attorney with the DOJ. Melissa O’Donnell, who previously worked in an in-house position and has significant antitrust and health care law experience, returned to the firm’s Philadelphia office as a partner in January 2023. Jan Levine is no longer at the firm.

Finance > Commercial lending Tier 5

Troutman Pepper‘s diverse debt finance team works especially with corporate borrower clients across a range of industry sectors, including technology, life sciences, real estate, and energy. The firm handles a significant volume of asset-based lending transactions, mezzanine loans, and real estate financings, and has carved out a notable niche in assisting cryptocurrency clients with accessing secured credit facilities. Kris Henman heads the practice from Washington DC, while Atlanta-based Hazen Dempster leads the team’s activities in Georgia. Philadelphia’s Kathryn Nordick is also a key contact.

Real estate Tier 5

Offering a deep bench of expertise in retail, hospitality and energy real estate assets, Troutman Pepper‘s cross-disciplinary team continue to be sought after for a broad range of real estate projects, transactions and investments. The firm also stands out for its knowledge of issues surrounding the intersection of technology and commercial real estate, and has advised developers, owners, investors, property managers, tenants, and telecoms and software companies across the U.S. in matters involving Distributed Antenna Systems, building life safety and technology-enhanced building infrastructure. Anthony Greene leads the practice from Atlanta.

Finance > Financial services regulation

Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings