May.29.2012
Orrick announced today that Cornelius J. (“Neil”) Golden, Jr. has joined the firm as a partner in its market-leading Global Energy & Infrastructure practice. Golden joins the firm’s Washington, D.C., office from Chadbourne & Parke LLP.
Golden has more than 25 years of experience representing energy clients in complex equity and debt financings, project acquisitions and divestitures, and other significant corporate transactions. He has represented a number of major project developers, equity investors and lenders in the independent energy industry, both in the United States and internationally. In recent years, he has worked extensively on the development and financing of renewable energy projects involving wind, solar, biomass and fuel cells, and on alternative fuels projects in the ethanol industry. He has also worked extensively in the development and financing of conventional power generation facilities.
Golden’s corporate and financing experience in the energy sector has included representing clients in syndicated bank financings, financings provided by multilateral and bilateral agencies like the International Finance Corporation and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, debt offerings under Rule 144A, sale-leaseback financings, construction loans, formation of joint ventures and partnerships, tax equity investments, and the purchase and sale of equity interests in project companies and project assets. He has represented clients in financings of companies being acquired in privatizations and in bids for electric generation assets being divested by utilities. Golden has also represented developers of power projects having long- or medium-term power purchase agreements, as well as developers of merchant power plants.
"The renewable energy sector has grown substantially over the past few years with global rankings placing the U.S. in the top spot with nearly $50 billion in solar, biofuel, wind and other energy sector investments in 2011,” said Michael Meyers, co-head of Orrick’s Global Energy & Infrastructure practice. "Neil has unrivalled corporate and financing experience in the energy sector, representing independent power producers with conventional fuel projects as well as alternative projects, both in the United States and internationally. His practice not only complements, but deepens our capabilities on the East Coast - allowing us to better serve our clients."
Orrick is one of the nation’s most active firms in the power market, including in the areas of project development and finance, capital markets offerings, private equity, tax equity monetization and M&A. The firm has experience with every significant fuel source and technology, including coal, natural gas, wind, solar, nuclear, geothermal and biomass, and acts for all types of market participants, including PG&E, TVA, NextEra Energy, Eurus, Energy Investors Funds and BrightSource Energy, among many others. Orrick recently represented Eurus Energy and NRG Solar in connection with the development of the Avenal solar project—California's largest photovoltaic solar generating facility and the first utility-scale solar power project in the United States to be project financed, and is assisting the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia in the development, construction and financing of the nation's first nuclear power plant facility in 30 years.