International Energy Practice
International Law Firm Resources
Troutman Sanders is an international law firm with 12 offices (including Shanghai, Hong Kong and London) and more than 600 attorneys worldwide. Engaged in virtually every aspect of civil and commercial law, the firm is ranked #74 in the AmLaw 100. In 2007, BTI Consulting Group, an independent market research and management company, ranked Troutman Sanders as a “Go-To Law Firm,” “National Power Player,” and “Global 500 & Fortune 1000 Primary and Recommended Law Firm” based on individual interviews with corporate counsel of privately held companies and Global 500 & Fortune 1000 corporations.
Counsel to Government Regulators
Several Troutman Sanders attorneys were formerly employed by regulatory bodies and therefore, understand first-hand the concerns of regulators and policy-makers. For example, Sally Barrett-Williams has served as the Chief Legal Advisor and Director of Legal Services at the United Kingdom Rail Regulator and as the Assistant Director of Legal Services at the United Kingdom Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, while Dan Larcamp and Co-Practice Group Leader Cliff Sikora, spent years at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Roger Smith and Fred Springer have spent substantial time at FERC, while John Lamberski, Bill Derasmo, Brandon Marzo, and Todd Kimbrough have all served at various state commissions, as well.
Having spent substantial time at regulatory agencies, these individuals and other Troutman attorneys are able to advise regulatory bodies on electricity and natural gas regulation and reform. For example, Troutman Sanders attorneys have worked with USAID on electricity sector reforms in Romania, advising the Romanian authorities on a broad range of issues, including the development of form natural gas and electricity trading contracts.
Regulation of Traded Markets
We have also worked with European Federation of Energy Traders and its members in meeting with European Commission representatives on issues relevant to Financial Services and Energy Market regulation, emphasizing the potential impact of European Union Directives on traditional energy companies participating in Europe’s recently liberalized and now increasingly competitively traded energy markets. We have also spoken on behalf of clients with financial services and energy regulatory bodies in several European Union member states.
John Varholy, former managing partner of Troutman’s London office and current head of the firm’s Energy, Commodity Trading, Hedging and Marketing Practice Group, has been instrumental in shaping the European market as the outside general counsel to the European Federation of Energy Traders. In that role, he has been involved in developing a standard master trading agreement for over-the-counter trading of EU Greenhouse Gas Emission Allowances, Europe's industry standard master trading agreements for physical wholesale power and natural gas, and industry standard appendices to the EFET physical wholesale gas trading agreement for trading at various hubs and trading points in Europe.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Lawyers in Troutman Sanders Mergers, Acquisitions & Business Ventures Practice Group assist clients in structuring, negotiating and implementing business transactions around the world. The group represents public and private companies and their separate business units, acquirers, targets, investors, venture funds, management buyout groups, private equity funds, lenders, and equity participants.
Generation Plant Development and Ownership Structures
Over the past several years, Troutman Sanders has assisted clients in the development, acquisition, and financing of more than 400 electric power stations world-wide. Examples include: