The sizeable team at Watson Farley & Williams LLP wins plaudits for its ability to handle the structuring and financing of major energy projects, ranging from offshore wind projects to green hydrogen production plants. Corporate PPAs, acquisitions and energy interconnection projects are further areas of strength. Public law and regulatory specialists Laurent Battoue and Arnaud Troizier co-head the practice alongside corporate expert Thomas Rabain and Laurence Martinez-Bellet, a practitioner with longstanding experience of advising on project finance mandates in the energy space. Rachel Campbell and Antoine Bois-Minot are further names to note.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'The team has good knowledge of the industry, including the regulatory aspects.'

Key clients

  • Bpifrance
  • BPCE/Natixis group
  • Crédit Agricole group
  • Société Générale
  • La Banque Postale
  • Meridiam group
  • Tikehau Capital
  • Infrared/TRIG
  • Republic of Guinea
  • TotalEnergies
  • Engie
  • EDPR
  • Eiffage
  • Predica Energies Durables
  • Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE)
  • Qair
  • BayWa
  • Ocean Winds (JV Engie and EDP Renewables)
  • Eolmed (TotalEnergies Renewables, Qair Marine and BW Ideol)
  • Amarenco
  • Driveco
  • ERG S.p.A.

Work highlights

  • Advising project company Eolmed on the structuring and financing of one of the first pilot floating offshore wind farms in France, near Gruissan.
  • Advising an IPP on the financing of the construction of the largest lithium-ion battery storage project in France and one of the largest in Europe, with a total capacity of 105 MW.
  • Assisting developers with the development, contractual and regulatory structuring and financing of a green hydrogen production plant to be built in Port-la-Nouvelle.

Lawyers

Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading partners: Energy projects
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Laurent Battoue, Laurence Martinez-Bellet, Thomas Rabain, Arnaud Troizier

Other key lawyers

Rachel Campbell, Antoine Bois-Minot