John Leonti is a partner at Troutman Sanders LLP and a member of the Firm’s Project Development and Finance Group. Mr. Leonti concentrates his practice on finance and development transactions in the energy sector, including renewable energy transactions. He also advises financial institutions, corporations and private investment funds on the structuring, negotiation, documentation, and execution of commodity trading and hedging transactions with a particular focus on energy products, including environmental products such as emissions allowances and credits and renewable energy certificates. In addition, Mr. Leonti regularly advises interested stakeholders on industry, legislative, and regulatory developments relating to commodity trading, hedging and marketing.
Representative Experience
Represented one of the nation’s largest banks in the financing of a 55MW utility-scale solar facility (approximately $250MM in value) in New Mexico. The bank provided the construction financing and will provide the long-term financing.
Advised one of the nation’s largest banks in the structuring, negotiation and documentation of a $125 million solar PV funding program providing tax equity financing for rooftop and ground-mounted distributed generation systems.
Advised to a global energy company in connection with establishing its emissions allowance and greenhouse gas trading program in the United States and Europe.
Advised SQN Capital Management LLC in connection with the formation and SEC registration of its $50 million equipment and infrastructure fund.
Represented several energy companies in connection with establishing their respective power and gas trading and hedging programs (including emissions and renewable energy trades and hedges).
Represented one of the nation's largest bank-held equipment finance companies in connection with the construction finance and take-out equity finance of a six MW PV ground-mounted solar installation at Princeton University.
Advised a project company of a Fortune 500 energy company in connection with the development, negotiation, and finalization of an energy management relationship and long term power and hedging agreement for ancillary services secured by the energy storage facility owned by the project company.
Represented a bank-held equipment finance company in the structuring, negotiation and documentation of a $75 million solar PV funding program providing tax equity financing for distributed generation systems throughout the United States.
Counsel to a private equity firm in connection with a joint venture with a leading global investment management firm to develop, construct and manage solar projects in Massachusetts.
Counsel to several public companies in connection with establishing their respective interest rate and foreign exchange hedging programs.
Represented a major international bank in connection with the structuring, negotiation, and documentation of a bespoke credit default swap in connection with the restructuring of a leveraged lease transaction.
Advised a NYSE traded mortgage REIT in connection with the negotiation and documentation of repurchase transactions and interest rate swap transactions.
Recent Speaking Engagements
Infocast Distributed Solar East Finance & Investment Summit, Private Equity Perspectives on Distributed Solar, Newark, NJ, June 8-10, 2011.
Argus Renewables Trading Summit Americas, Selling TRECs into California and TRECs Under Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act, New York, NY, June 7-8, 2011.
Stationary Fuel Cell Power Project Finance & Investment Summit, Private Equity and Tax Equity Perspectives on Fuel Cell Power, San Diego, CA, May 4, 2011.
Energy OTC Derivatives, Futures & Swaps Summit - Dealing with the Impacts of Reforms, Role of Trading Software & Systems in Assisting with Clearing, Tracking and Reporting, Washington, DC, September 22, 2010.
ABA Business Bankruptcy Committee Webinar, "The New Financial Reform Act: What Does It Mean?" Concerning Title VII of the Dodd Frank Act-Regulation of Over-the-Counter Derivatives, August 11, 2010.
Troutman Sanders LLP Webinar: The Dodd-Frank Reform and Consumer Protection Act, New York, NY, July 29, 2010.
Continuing Legal Education Seminar sponsored by Troutman Sanders LLP, Overview of the Dodd-Frank Act, New York, NY, July 27, 2010.
2nd Annual Renewable Energy Finance Forum, Venture Capital and Private Equity, San Francisco, CA, September 29-30, 2009.
Continuing Legal Education Seminar sponsored by Troutman Sanders LLP, ISDA and other Swaps: An Introduction and Overview, New York, NY, April 24, 2008.
Recent Publications
John Leonti and Brian Harms, Hedging with Derivatives in Today’s Environment; North American Clean Energy (November/December 2009, Volume 3, Number 6).
John Leonti and Craig Kline, Mitigating Change-in-law Risk Associated with RECs; North American Clean Energy (July/August 2009, Volume 3, Number 4).