Contributors
Practice:
- Technology & Innovation Sector
- International Trade and Investment
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Responsible Business
- Strategic Advisory & Government Enforcement (SAGE)
Harry Clark Partner
Washington, D.C.
Harry is experienced in areas such as CFIUS/Exon-Florio examinations of foreign investment, military and “dual use” export control regulations (ITAR/EAR), economic sanctions administered by the U.S. Treasury Department (OFAC), customs regulations, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, anti-money laundering rules, anti-boycott requirements and defense industrial security requirements. He executes internal corporate investigations regarding trade and investment rules and advises on such rules in the context of corporate transactions.
Additionally, Harry has extensive experience with government contracting matters. His government contracting work has included, for example, design and implementation of U.S. Defense Department renewable energy projects. He also represents broad industry coalitions on major trade litigations and international negotiations. His experience in these areas includes a leading role in what is often considered the largest-ever international trade dispute: the controversy regarding unfair softwood lumber imports from Canada. It has involved myriad administrative proceedings before federal agencies, NAFTA panel appeals, WTO dispute proceedings, judicial proceedings and international settlement agreements.
Harry has represented a coalition of major U.S. oil companies in antidumping and countervailing duty litigation. As a related matter, he pursues policy issues with congressional and executive branch officials and advises on international trade rules (e.g., GATT, WTO agreements and NAFTA).
Chambers 2022 recognizes Harry as a leader in the field of export controls and economic sanctions (Chambers Global and Chambers USA), as well as CFIUS (Chambers USA). Previous editions have also recognized Harry’s achievements regarding his work related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Clients note that Harry provides “accurate, straightforward guidance incredibly efficiently” and “he has an ability to translate complex legal requirements and rules into business-friendly jargon.”
Louise Gibbons Partner, Energy & Infrastructure, Energy
San Francisco
Practice:
- Energy & Infrastructure Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Energy
- Renewable Energy
- Mergers & Acquisitions
Louise Gibbons Partner
San Francisco
From the full suite of tax equity, preferred equity, cash equity and debt financings to tax credit transfers and all the hybrid structures in between, Louise takes a collaborative and relatable approach to closing each deal. She advises a range of renewables and energy transition industry participants, from project developers, sponsors, borrowers, lenders, investment banks, private equity funds and other capital providers and investors. She works on a variety of asset classes, including among others, wind, solar, battery storage, hydrogen and renewable natural gas.
Louise was recognized by Chambers USA Nationwide Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional in 2025, where clients describe her as "excellent," "very thorough," "detailed" and "pragmatic." She was named by Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner in Energy Transactions: Electric Power in 2024 and noted for her “work in project finance and M&A work on transformative, first-in-kind renewable energy projects.”
As an All-American College sailor, Louise has pursued her interest in law of the sea and international laws throughout her career. She is translating this experience into differentiated advice for clients in the burgeoning U.S. offshore wind market.
Giji John Partner, Energy & Infrastructure, Responsible Business
Houston; Singapore
Practice:
- Energy & Infrastructure Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Responsible Business
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Renewable Energy
- Latin America
- Energy
- Infrastructure
- Fintech
Giji John Partner
Houston; Singapore
He has extensive experience representing project sponsors through development (including through the negotiation and drafting of power purchase agreements and other long-term offtake agreements, physical and financial swaps, engineering, procurement and construction contracts, operation and maintenance agreements, management services agreements and site services agreements), acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures and financings. His representation has included transactions involving data centers, LNG facilities, methanol facilities, petrochemical refineries, carbon capture and sequestration facilities, natural gas processing and storage facilities, natural gas and CO2 pipelines, wind energy, solar energy, natural gas-fired peaking and combined-cycle power plants, thermal and battery energy storage, transportation, aviation and ports.
Giji's prior experiences include a two year secondment to International Finance Corporation’s Office of General Counsel where he worked on multi-currency corporate financings, project financings and equity investments in infrastructure projects in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, the Philippines, Romania, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Turkey.
Giji has long been recognized for excellence by numerous leading industry and legal publications, including Chambers, Legal 500, LawDragon, and Law 360.
He leads Orrick’s Houston office and formerly served on the firm’s Management Committee.
A. Cory Lankford Partner, Energy & Infrastructure, Energy
Washington, D.C.
Practice:
- Energy & Infrastructure Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Energy
- Infrastructure
A. Cory Lankford Partner
Washington, D.C.
Recognized by Chambers USA, Legal 500, and Best Lawyers, clients praise his sophisticated regulatory expertise and ability to navigate complex challenges.
Cory's practice focuses on advising developers of renewable energy and battery storage projects, electric utilities, financial institutions, and corporations pursuing renewable energy goals. He advises clients on their rights and responsibilities under the Federal Power Act, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, and the Public Utility Holding Company Act. In addition, he frequently represents clients in proceedings before FERC to obtain and maintain authorization to sell energy, capacity and ancillary services at negotiated or market-based rates and to purchase and sell direct or indirect ownership interests in energy projects. Drawing from his broad energy regulatory experience, Cory also helps clients develop and implement compliance programs for FERC and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirements .
Before joining Orrick, Cory served in FERC's Office of the General Counsel, where he led numerous multidisciplinary teams in developing Commission orders addressing Regional Transmission Organizations, open access requirements, transmission, generator interconnection and qualifying facility certification. His notable achievements include providing legal counsel on rulemakings to revise FERC's pro forma Open Access Transmission Tariff and in evaluating mandatory reliability standards proposed by NERC and its regional entities. Cory also collaborated with staff at the U.S. Department of Energy to create the National Action Plan on Demand Response and its Implementation Proposal to Congress.
Wolfram Pohl Partner, Energy & Infrastructure, Tax
San Francisco
Practice:
- Finance Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Tax
Wolfram Pohl Partner
San Francisco
Wolf represents many of the country’s most prominent developers and financing parties in structuring transactions to take advantage of tax credits, Treasury cash grants, depreciation benefits, and other available tax benefits. He has represented developers and tax equity investors in financings of both wind and solar projects, as well as on tax planning for energy storage, carbon capture, and carbon sequestration projects.
Practice:
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Renewable Energy
- Mergers & Acquisitions
Kristin Seeger Partner
San Francisco
Her experience spans projects across the United States and Canada and includes award-winning transactions. She is recognized nationally as Chambers USA Band 2 for Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional (2025) and as a Leading Lawyer: Energy-Renewable/Alternative Power by Legal 500. Clients describe her main qualities as "responsiveness, thoroughness and her understanding of the market" and as "bringing such experience to deals, it's very hard to fault her on anything." She "knows where the market is and makes strong deal points."
Kristin is a key member of Orrick's energy transition practice, which was recognized as Band 1 in Energy Transition by Chambers USA (2025). She also serves on Orrick's Board.
Practice:
- Energy & Infrastructure Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Renewable Energy
- Infrastructure
- Energy
- Japan
Minako Wakabayashi Partner
Tokyo
Minako has significant experience advising international and domestic sponsors and developers on complex and innovative projects. She was called upon by the Japanese government in structuring the renewable Feed-in-Tariff scheme in Japan and prepared the government’s model contracts for specific contracts (power purchase contract/interconnection contract), which are a key component of the Feed-in-Tariff scheme in Japan. Recently, she has also been handling numerous corporate PPA projects.
She was appointed as Auditor of the Japan Wind Power Association (JWPA) in May 2022.
Minako practiced at Orrick’s New York office in 2004-2005. She also worked as a public prosecutor in Japan for four years and served as a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Supervising Committee for Public Bidding (Tokyo-to Nyusatsu Kanshi Iinkai) for eight years. She is serving as Audit of Veritas In Silico Inc since March 2022.
Practice:
- Technology & Innovation Sector
- Responsible Business
- Capital Markets
- Renewable Energy
- Energy Storage
- International Trade and Investment
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Technology Companies Group
- Data Centers
Ashley Walter Partner & Chief Sustainability Officer
Seattle
Ashley is a co-founder and past chair of the Corporate Social Responsibility Law Committee of the ABA Business Law Section, has co-chaired the Practising Law Institute's annual ESG program for the last six years, and is heavily involved at Stanford Law School, where he has served as a moderator at the Stanford Directors' College, lectured at law school classes, and taught law school courses, most recently in the spring of 2025. Prior to Orrick, Ashley founded the corporate social responsibility practice at a Silicon Valley-based law firm.
Practice:
- Energy & Infrastructure Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Finance
- Renewable Energy
- Energy Storage
Helen Aki Senior Associate
San Francisco
She advises sponsors, investors and buyers in the renewable energy sector on all stages of a project, from drafting and negotiating offtake, procurement and construction contracts to coordinating debt, tax equity and preferred equity financing, as well as facilitating tax credit transfer structures, joint venture arrangements, and project acquisitions and sales.
Helen takes a collaborative approach to help clients build consensus and manage stakeholders across an increasingly complicated capital stack to close the deal. She understands both the legal and business challenges of the energy transition from a variety of perspectives, including through direct experience on secondment to the project finance group of a major U.S. renewable energy developer.
As a law student, Helen worked as a summer legal intern in the Administrative Law Judge Division of the California Public Utilities Commission, as a senior business analyst with Pacific Gas and Electric Company and as a legal trainee at Positive Planet UK.
Before practicing law, she led programs with state and local governments and ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs to advance the adoption of clean technologies, including battery storage, virtual power plants, commercial and industrial lighting and advanced building control systems.
Practice:
- Energy & Infrastructure Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Energy
- Infrastructure
- Renewable Energy
- Japan
Gohshun Kawamura Of Counsel
Tokyo
In addition, he is involved in establishing schemes and negotiating contracts for the corporate PPAs of non-FIT renewable energy projects, as well as preparing on-site PPAs and general terms and conditions for electricity retailers.
He is the co-author of Orrick’s “Japan Renewables Alert".
Prior to joining Orrick Tokyo Office, he was an assistant judge at the Tokyo District Court and the Matsuyama District Court, where he gained experiences in a variety of cases, including civil, administrative and criminal matters.
Practice:
- Energy & Infrastructure Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Energy
- Infrastructure
- Mergers & Acquisitions
Grace Lentz Partner
Houston
Grace advises clients on the successful execution of complex energy projects. She represents developers, sponsors and utilities in the development, acquisition and sale of energy assets, primarily renewable and conventional power technologies.
Her practice spans the full project lifecycle, including engineering, procurement and construction, major equipment supply, and long-term offtake arrangements. She has significant experience in build-transfer transactions and supports clients through complex M&A and joint venture arrangements in the energy space.
Grace brings a practical, business-focused approach to every deal, helping clients manage risk and achieve their commercial goals in a dynamic sector.
Practice:
- Energy & Infrastructure Sector
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Renewable Energy
- Energy Storage
- Energy
- Data Centers
- Africa
- Oil & Gas
Gil Shefer Partner
San Francisco
With over a decade of experience advising on transactions in the solar, wind, energy storage and biofuel sectors, he advises clients on a wide range of offtake contract structures, including physical and virtual power purchase agreements, tolling agreements, REC and environmental attribute purchase agreements, revenue share agreements and other innovative contract arrangements.
He has extensive experience identifying and navigating key financing considerations in offtake arrangements. Gil understands the legal and commercial challenges facing industry stakeholders and focuses on finding creative solutions to successfully close transactions.
Gil is deeply committed to decarbonization and advancing the energy transition. He was previously a Clean Energy Leadership Institute Fellow and a participant in the Climate Wisdom Fellowship. Before practicing law, Gil consulted for the World Bank in Kigali, Rwanda.
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