Nationally Ranked Energy Group Joins Mercer Thompson, Establishes Office in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2014 – Mercer Thompson LLC is pleased to announce the addition of one of the nation’s highest-ranked project development and finance practices, establishing the firm’s presence in Washington, D.C. Tom Amis and Nik Patel join the firm as partners, Renu Gupta and Rusty Brewer as of counsel, and Mauricio Posadas as an associate. This team was previously part of the nationally recognized Clean Energy & Technologies Practice, chaired by Amis, at Cooley LLP. Mercer Thompson is an Atlanta-based boutique law firm serving clients in the energy industry on a national and international basis.

“These attorneys have a well-deserved reputation for excellence in the national energy sector and in the DC legal community,” said John Mercer, Chairman of Mercer Thompson. “Their addition is a tremendous asset as we expand our geographic footprint and talent base. We appreciate that our clients have long understood our ability to serve them nationally and internationally from Atlanta, and our added presence in DC allows us a front-row seat to the major energy regulatory, financial and policy decisions being made in our nation’s capital. Chip Thompson and I have known and worked with Tom and Nik for many years, and we are delighted that attorneys with their experience, skill and character, along with the other attorneys of this top-ranked group, will add such breadth and depth to the Mercer Thompson team, for the benefit of our existing and future clients.”

The five attorneys bring deep experience in project development and finance, mergers and acquisitions, renewable energy policy, carbon management and renewable energy technology, as well as broad sector experience and insight.

“The highly leveraged large law firm model is increasingly problematic for clients in the project development and finance sector, and Mercer Thompson’s boutique structure represents the new paradigm for client service in our industry,” explained Amis. “Clients have direct access to their trusted, senior legal advisors, but with the flexibility to retain counsel in specialty disciplines at other firms as they may desire.” 

“With this structure, our clients can efficiently build a uniquely qualified team for each matter,” added Patel, who will serve as Managing Partner of Mercer Thompson’s new Washington office.

Tom Amis

For nearly 30 years, Amis has helped infrastructure companies develop and finance projects in the United States and globally, with a particular emphasis on electric power projects. For the last decade, his practice has been focused on the renewable energy sector, earning him recognition in Chambers USA, America’s Best Lawyers for Business, as a “Band 1, Nationwide” attorney for Renewable and Alternative Energy Projects, where he is noted by his clients as “dependable and unflappable,” and a “solution-driven” attorney with the “ability to think outside the box.”

 Acting for both developers and lenders, Amis negotiates joint development agreements; joint venture, shareholder and other ownership documentation; equipment supply and construction contracts; power and renewable energy credit (REC) sales agreements; transmission and interconnection agreements; operating agreements; financing documents; and land use agreements.

 Amis earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and his law degree from Columbia Law School. He holds additional post-graduate degrees from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France and The London School of Economics and Political Sciences.

 Nik Patel

Patel has, over the course of his 17-year career, focused his practice on project development and finance, renewable energy policy, carbon management and clean energy technology. He advises developers in the development and finance of numerous renewable and conventional energy projects, and counsels clients in developing efficiency and energy transmission solutions. He has structured and negotiated financing documents, joint ventures/acquisitions of energy projects, and the full suite of financeable development documents, such as energy purchase and sale agreements, renewable energy credit (REC) purchase and sale agreements, transmission and interconnection agreements, equipment procurement and BOP contracts, PILOT and similar alternative tax structures and land acquisition agreements. Patel has also advised clients in structuring private equity and other structured investments for clean energy and other technology investment funds. 

 Patel is recognized by Chambers USA as a “Band 2, Nationwide” attorney for Renewable and Alternative Energy Projects, with market commentators identifying him as a rising star in the practice.

 Patel earned his undergraduate degree from Florida State University and his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center.

 Renu Gupta

Gupta focuses her practice on environmental review and permitting matters, and she counsels clients involved in projects related to the development of wind, solar and conventional power generation facilities, liquid natural gas import terminals, natural gas pipelines and electric power transmission lines. Gupta earned her undergraduate degree from Rice University and her law degree from the University of Houston.

 Rusty Brewer

Brewer counsels clients regarding project acquisitions, and in development and finance transactions. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Mauricio Posadas

Posadas brings significant international experience to Mercer Thompson, counseling clients in the renewable energy sector. He earned his undergraduate degree from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Venezuela and his law degree from the George Mason University School of Law.

 “The ability to add the level of talent that Tom, Nik and their colleagues bring to Mercer Thompson is reflective of the fact that companies are more concerned about quality of legal service than the size of a firm,” added Chip Thompson, Managing Partner of Mercer Thompson. “This has been our focus since we opened our doors in 2009 – quality of client service as our top priority – and the result has been a steady increase in the number of companies seeking our expertise. We look forward to joining forces with such a talented group of attorneys who share our vision and our values.”

 The new Washington office of Mercer Thompson is located at 2101 L Street, N.W., Suite 440.

 Mercer Thompson LLC provides top-tier transactional legal services to companies in the energy industry. Founded by former partners of a major international law firm, its “diamond-shaped” structure provides clients with direct access to partner-level attorneys who have, for their entire careers, served energy companies in their most important transactions. Since its founding in 2009 by John Mercer and Chip Thompson, the firm has grown to 17 attorneys in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. The firm’s experience includes corporate and capital markets finance, project finance and development, Department of Energy loan guarantees for qualifying energy projects, and mergers, sales, acquisitions and joint ventures of energy companies and projects. For more information, visit www.mercerthompson.com.