Distressed Oil & Gas: The Houston Perspective

Jonathan Ayre Partner Oil & Gas, Energy

Houston

Jonathan Ayre represents clients in the oil and gas and chemicals industries in acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and project development. His practice includes the formation of private equity-backed entities investing in the oil and gas and chemicals industries.

Jonathan’s recent experience includes representing NOVA Chemicals in a $2.1 billion acquisition of an ethane cracker and a multi-billion dollar ethylene/polyethylene joint venture on the US Gulf Coast, an upstream management team in its negotiations with its private equity sponsor and acquisition transactions, and Wells Fargo as administrative agent in an out-of-court restructuring of an upstream oil and gas company.

Jonathan serves as a member of Orrick's Finance and Audit Committee and its Professional Development Committee, and as the firm's Recruiting Liaison to The University of Texas School of Law.

Joe Roger Partner Oil & Gas, M&A and Private Equity

Houston

Joe focuses his practice on oil and gas transactions, advising a broad range of clients in transactional matters across key areas of the oil and gas value chain, including upstream (conventional and unconventional resources), midstream, downstream, LNG, oilfield services, environmental services, industrial services, and infrastructure.

He has a particular focus on acquisitions and divestitures, joint venture arrangements, private equity investments and project development. He regularly represents integrated oil and gas companies, independent exploration and production companies, national oil companies, private equity funds, LNG project developers, pipeline companies, oilfield service and equipment companies, environmental services companies, and industrial services companies, among others.

Douglas S. Mintz Partner Restructuring, Bankruptcy Litigation

Washington, D.C.

Doug Mintz is a first call for energy, commodities, technology and public finance restructuring.

Doug has deep experience representing lenders, debtors and official and ad hoc committees. He works primarily with bank and hedge fund investors and co-leads Orrick’s hedge fund client initiative. Doug also represents debtors in the Energy and Technology sectors.

Doug is currently representing hedge funds in a variety of energy and public finance situations – and recently did so in litigation in the Caesars bankruptcy case. He also served recently as debtor’s counsel to Ocean Rig in its global restructuring and Lily Robotics and bondholders in several distressed energy and infrastructure situations.

Chambers USA rates him in Band 3, calling him “a shining star . . . able to apply both a legal mindset and a businessperson’s mindset to distressed situations.” Doug has also been named a Next Generation lawyer by Legal 500, noting he is an “excellent performer” for his work in both Municipal Bankruptcy and Corporate Restructuring.

Prior to joining Orrick, Doug was special counsel at Cadwalader, where he was best known for his representation of the United States Treasury in the bankruptcies of both General Motors and Chrysler (M&A Advisor’s Magnus Deal of the Year). Treasury also retained Doug in the restructuring of several financial institutions.

Laura Metzger Partner Restructuring

New York

Laura Metzger is a partner in the Restructuring Group and Office Leader of Orrick’s New York office.

She regularly represents financial institutions, funds and investors involved in bankruptcies, out-of-court restructurings, foreclosures, distressed sales and acquisitions, loan and claims trading, bankruptcy litigation and refinancing involving syndicated loan facilities and debtor-in-possession financing. 

Recognized as “outstanding” by Legal 500, Laura was also named an "up and coming" lawyer by Chambers USA, which praised her “very commercial and solution oriented” approach. She is “a very capable lawyer who gives great advice,” according to clients.

She serves as counsel to lenders, creditors, investors, purchasers and sponsors. Her clients include Wells Fargo, Royal Bank of Canada, Citigroup Financial Products Inc., ECN Capital Corporation, Portigon AG, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Transurban, the Bank of Nova Scotia, Commerzbank, Hackman Capital, Erste Abwicklungsanstalt, and KBC Bank, among others.

Laura has been involved in many prominent bankruptcy and out-of-court restructuring cases, including Lily Robotics, Seadrill, Chaparral, CHC Helicopters, Erickson, GT Advanced Technologies, Hostess, Pocahontas Parkway, Indiana Toll Road, Eagle Bulk, Fresh & Easy, American Airlines, Chemtura Corporation, Lazare Kaplan, Hawker Beechcraft, Metro Fuel, Claim Jumper Restaurants, Abitibibowater, Nortel, Fabrikant, Scotia Pacific, VICORP, Sea Containers, Lyondell, Foxwoods, Delta, US Air, Northwest, Star Diamond, and Ritchie Risk-Linked Strategies Trading (Ireland) Limited. She handles cross-border restructuring matters in major international jurisdictions such as Canada, Europe, and Hong Kong.