Mayer Brown remains active on behalf of premium lenders, developers and governmental bodies in a near unrivalled volume of high-end PPP mandates, demonstrating activity on some of the country’s largest interstate transportation projects, major airport developments, and university renovation and facility upgrade ventures. On the energy front, the firm is well placed to counsel on the full breadth of financing transaction structures, engaging with both the refinancing and further capital injections of operational assets as well as financing greenfield and early stage ventures. Tax equity and tax credit expertise is a strong point of the team’s offering, guiding investors through the tax equity financing of renewable projects as well as overseeing first-of-its-king PTC tax credit transfers. Paul Astolfi and Joseph Seliga lead the energy and infrastructure offerings respectively, with the former frequently instructed by financial sponsors and financial institutions on renewables financings, and the latter highly respected for his wealth of expertise on PPPs and experience counselling on each side of a project. David Narefsky, ‘has deep experience of public agencies’ and has a particular focus on rail and transit matters, while Stephanie Wagner handles a varied stream of multi-state projects with the ability to explain ’complex issues to clients‘. Mitch Holzrichter is trusted by governments, developers and sponsors for his innovative approach to P3 mandates and has advised on first-of-its-kind long-term arrangements and revenue risk concession deals on landmark infrastructure developments. Houston’s Robert Goldberg is highly regarded in the market for his debt and tax equity financing expertise in the renewables space and is frequently approached by financial sponsors for repeat instructions, whereas Daniel Kiely is chiefly recognized for his tax-focused advice and operates out of New York. Katy McNeil predominantly focuses on renewables and cleantech matters. Nicholas Vallorano was promoted to partner in 2023 and provides valued transport knowledge to key client instructions. Eric Pogue, Samantha Leavitt, Amanda Rosenberg and Jeffrey Davis left the firm in mid-late 2023. The team operates out of Chicago unless otherwise stated. Nadav Klugman left the firm in April 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The Mayer Brown team provides balanced advice to both public and private sector clients on infrastructure transactions, helping develop creative solutions that work for both parties. ’

  • ‘David Narefsky has such deep experience of public agencies. Stephanie Wagner is very good at explaining complex issues to clients.’

  • 'Mayer Brown stands out for its multidisciplinary approach, industry expertise, client-centric culture, and emphasis on diversity and inclusion. These strengths, combined with the firm's delivery of exceptional legal services, make it an excellent choice for clients seeking strategic legal counsel on complex matters.'
  • 'Mayer Brown has exceptional professionals who are widely respected within their fields and known for their contributions to the firm and legal profession. They demonstrate a strong understanding of complex legal issues and possess the skills necessary to provide strategic advice and solutions to clients. This knowledge and experience enable them to anticipate trends, navigate regulatory complexities, and provide valuable insights to clients.'

Key clients

  • Apollo / Atlas Securitized Products
  • Ares Management
  • Bank of America
  • BlackRock
  • Blackstone
  • Brookfield Asset Management
  • Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)
  • ClearGen LLC (100% owned portfolio company of Blackstone Credit Sustainable Resources Platform)
  • Deutsche Bank AG
  • Diamond Generating Corporation
  • Duke Energy Corporation
  • ENGIE North America Inc.
  • Fengate Asset Management
  • GE Energy Financial Services, Inc
  • ING Capital LLC
  • MUFG
  • Nestlé
  • Nomura
  • Norddeutsche Landesbank
  • KKR/ Global Atlantic Financial Group
  • Leeward Renewable Energy
  • Longroad Energy
  • Rabobank
  • Santander
  • Tyr Energy
  • Wells Fargo
  • Acciona
  • ACS Infrastructure Development
  • Arkansas Department of Transportation
  • CenTrio Energy
  • East Interchange Builders
  • Gateway Development Commission (GDC)
  • JetBlue
  • Illinois Department of Transportation
  • J.P. Morgan Securities
  • KPMG
  • Macquarie Capital
  • Michigan Department of Transportation
  • Morgan Stanley
  • Plenary Americas USA Ltd.
  • Shikun & Binui
  • State of Illinois
  • Texas Department of Transportation
  • Transurban
  • Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA)
  • Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

Work highlights

  • Represented Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec (CDPQ) in consortium with Blackstone and Invenergy to acquire renewables portfolio from AEP for $1.5 billion.
  • Represented Leeward Renewable Energy as sponsor on both debt and tax equity financing for its 102 MWac solar plus 52 MWac storage Chaparral Springs project and its 72 MWac solar plus 36MWac storage Willow Springs project in California.
  • Represented Credit Suisse in a $300 million warehouse facility that led directly to the first commercial and industrial (C&I) solar asset-backed securitization (ABS) with a significant concentration of community solar assets.

Lawyers

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.
Leading lawyers
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.

Paul Astolf, Joseph Seliga

Other key lawyers

David Narefsky, Stephanie Wagner, Mitchell Holzrichter, Robert Goldberg, Dan Kiely, Nicholas Vallorano, Katy McNeil