Katherine Gillespie, Laurette Petersen, Andrew Ratts and Christine Hoefliger have joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as partners in the firm’s Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance team. Gillespie, Petersen and Ratts, along with special counsel Katarzyna Levecke join the firm’s Chicago office, and Hoefliger joins the firm’s San Francisco office. The group joins from Winston & Strawn LLP.
"These attorneys make up one of the country’s preeminent project finance teams in the renewable energy sector. Their robust practice, considerable knowledge and experience make them a significant addition for the firm and our clients," said Robert S. Beall, managing partner of Sheppard Mullin.
Lawrence C. Eppley, Sheppard Mullin’s Chicago managing partner, added, "We are thrilled to welcome Katie, Laurette, Andy and Kathy to the office. They are a great addition to our culture, and their expertise dovetails nicely with the strong transactional foundation of the office."
"We were extremely impressed with the high caliber of the lawyers, meritocratic and collegial culture, and continuing year-over-year growth at Sheppard Mullin," Ratts said. "Those qualities, combined with Sheppard Mullin’s global reach and current strong energy and finance practices, will allow us to provide greater service to our clients in the energy sector."
Gillespie, who will co-lead the firm’s Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance team with partner Tony Toranto, focuses on finance transactions, tax credit transactions and merger and acquisition transactions, primarily in the renewable energy sector. She has represented numerous developers, equity investors, lessors, and lessees in financing, acquisition and leasing matters involving specialized facilities and equipment. Gillespie’s tax credit transaction experience includes structuring, acquiring and divesting interests in tax credit partnerships largely relating to alternative energy credits. Gillespie earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from Notre Dame Law School and a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Petersen concentrates her practice on project finance transactions. She has represented a wide array of developers and debt and equity investors in the negotiation and due diligence of key project documents, structuring and documentation of project debt and equity financing, and closing of tax advantaged project investments, most recently in renewable energy. Prior to private practice, she spent 10 years as a banker specializing in the electric and gas industry. Petersen earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, with honors, and a B.A., with highest honors, from Michigan State University.
Ratts has nearly 30 years’ experience in federal income taxation. He has particular experience with tax-advantaged investment transactions within the energy industry, including through joint ventures and leasing. He earned a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and a B.S., with highest honors, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Hoefliger’s practice is focused on the sale, acquisition and financing of renewable energy projects. She has extensive experience negotiating and documenting sales and acquisitions of solar and wind projects and coordinating due diligence of renewable energy projects on behalf of tax equity investors, buyers or sellers. Hoefliger also represents tax equity investors or sponsors in tax equity transactions for renewable energy projects and represents emerging companies in various industries including high-tech with respect to equity financings and mergers and acquisitions. Hoefliger earned a LL.M. eq., with honors, from the University of Paris-II-Assas and a J.D. eq., with honors, from the University of Paris XI.
Levecke concentrates her practice on commercial lending transactions, leasing and tax credit transactions, in each case, primarily in the renewable energy sector. She has represented numerous developers, debt and equity investors, lessors, and lessees in financing and leasing matters. Her experience includes negotiation and due diligence of key project documents and structuring and negotiation of debt and equity investment documents. Levecke earned a J.D., summa cum laude, and a B.A., with highest honors, from DePaul University.
Sheppard Mullin has nearly 30 attorneys based in its Chicago office and 100 attorneys based in its San Francisco office. The firm's Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance team includes more than 40 attorneys firmwide.
Last month, Sheppard Mullin Chicago added Litigation partner Bill Kane from Baker Hostetler.