McDermott Will & Schulte, a global law firm

Philip (Phil) Tingle represents energy companies such as utilities, independent power producers, developers and financial institutions on a wide range of energy tax-related matters. He is the global co-head of the Firm’s Energy & Project Finance Group.

Phil continues to be leader with respect to the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (the “IRA”) and the related incentives, tax credits and technologies.  Phil provides advice regularly regarding all aspects of renewable-energy projects, including advice related to prevailing wage and apprentice, energy community adders, domestic content, project tax credit qualification, tax equity structures, financings, acquisitions and dispositions, restructurings and workouts. He has extensive experience with all technologies including wind (sections 45 and 45Y), solar (sections 48 and 48E), storage (sections 48 and 48E), nuclear (section 45U), renewable natural gas (sections 48 and 45Z), manufacturing (sections 45X and 48C), hydrogen (section 45V), carbon sequestration (section 45Q) and EV (sections 30B, 30C, 30D, 45W and 48C).  Phil continues to work with client selling and buying federal and state tax credits and working with clients with the direct pay provisions pursuant to the IRA.

In addition to the IRA related work, Phil regularly works on contribution in aid of construction, normalization, grants and other energy related topics. In addition, he is experienced in partnership taxation and works extensively on corporate and consolidated tax issues.

Edward (Ed) Zaelke is the global co-head of the Firm’s Energy & Project Finance Group. He focuses his practice on project finance and private equity in renewable energy transactional matters. With more than 35 years of experience, he advises clients on all elements of alternative energy development and finance, including equity and debt financing, merger and acquisition transactions, equipment purchase and sale agreements, and power purchase agreements.

A prominent leader in his practice, Ed has served as lead counsel on many of the largest and most significant transactions in the renewable industry.

He also authors and speaks prolifically about various topics in the renewable energy industry. Ed is the former president of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and was a board member of AWEA for 12 consecutive years. He is also a founding board member of the Wind Solar Alliance (now a part of the American Council on Renewable Energy) and an adjunct professor at UCLA law, teaching “Renewable Energy Development and Project Finance”.

As a member of the Corporate Department, Debra focuses her practice on renewable energy transactions, general corporate matters, franchising, licensing and distribution matters, as well as other business growth strategies.

Debra’s corporate practice includes counseling clients, both publicly and privately held, on transactions related to capital formation, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, brand extension programs, joint ventures and strategic alliances in a variety of industries. She has extensive experience advising clients on renewable energy transactions, including the structuring, development and financing of renewable projects throughout North America and Europe. Debra has served as counsel for major investment banking clients, large developers, sponsors, utilities, and other lenders and investors in the development, implementation, acquisition, structuring and financing of renewable assets, including the negotiation of acquisition and financing documents (including tax equity and back leverage), strategic investments, PPAs, EPCs, and various agreements related to state and local incentives and renewable energy credits.

Debra also counsels clients on distribution, franchise and dealer relations, terminations, transfers and regulatory compliance. Her experience includes mergers and acquisitions involving franchise systems, development of domestic and international franchise strategies, preparation of franchise and license agreements and related disclosure materials, advising on compliance programs and distributor consolidation matters, as well as franchisee and dealer terminations. She has worked with hundreds of franchisors and suppliers in a wide variety of industries, including energy, food service, retail, beverage (alcohol and non-alcohol), hospitality, automobile rental, convenience store, sports and entertainment, cosmetology, healthcare, real estate, industrial goods, clothiers, cosmetics, and residential and light commercial services.

Debra has served as pro bono counsel to the National Association of Women Business Owners, coordinates the Firm’s staffing of, and regularly volunteers at the D.C. Bar’s Landlord Tenant Resource Center, and has provided pro bono legal assistance to multiple charitable organizations, including FAIR Girls, No One Left Behind, UNITAS, the Human Rights Campaign and the Northern Virginia Coalition.

Joel A. Hugenberger advises clients on project finance, project development, and tax equity transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors, with a particular focus on renewable energy transactions.

Joel represents tax equity investors, sponsors, developers, borrowers, lenders, and preferred equity investors in financing complex energy and infrastructure projects, domestically and internationally, and in structuring and negotiating various secured and unsecured loan facilities, joint ventures, and tax equity investment structures.

Christopher (Chris) Gladbach is the global co-head of the firm’s Energy & Project Finance Group. He counsels clients on energy mergers and acquisitions (M&A), project development, tax equity, private credit, and project finance transactions.

Chris works with energy clients in structuring complex equity and debt investments. He advises both buyers and sellers in the power sector on M&A, joint ventures, and the development of large-scale energy projects.

Chris leads a task force focused on private credit lending to energy platforms and portfolios. He represents market-leading private credit funds, private equity funds, and institutional investors in portfolio and platform lending and equity transactions and understands the unique challenges and opportunities these clients face.

Chris is recognized nationally for his work in the energy sector. He frequently speaks and writes on topics related to M&A, private equity, and institutional investments in power assets.

Carl J. Fleming is the global co-head of our Energy & Project Finance Group, ranked by Chambers as one of the industry’s leading energy practices. He is a trusted legal, commercial, and strategic advisor whose principal areas of practice are energy, digital infrastructure, and critical minerals.

In addition to his transactional work, Carl is also a sought-after policy advisor, having previously served as a direct advisor to the White House and now as a private sector appointed advisor to the Trump 47, Biden, Trump 45, and Obama White Houses. He has led a number of cutting-edge policy and transactional matters for the US government across the energy, digital infrastructure, and critical mineral sectors.

Chambers lists Carl among the best individual energy and infrastructure lawyers in the United States, ranking him for Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional. Clients reporting to Chambers state that “Carl is exceptionally attentive and proactive with clients.” He is also recognized by Legal 500 as a “Leading Lawyer” for Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power. Additionally, Super Lawyers ranks him as one of the “top 5% of attorneys” globally.

Carl leads a Chambers-ranked team of more than 50 dedicated energy and infrastructure lawyers, one of the largest energy and infrastructure practices in the world. Together, the team guides his clients through the industry’s most sophisticated and headline-grabbing transactions in the US and worldwide. His clients include leading energy developers, prominent data center developers, private equity funds, private credit funds, investment banks, and Fortune 500 companies.

Since the adoption of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the subsequent One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3), Carl and his Energy & Project Finance Group have closed more than 350 post-IRA and OB3 tax credit driven transactions, surpassing the rest of the industry. These include several “first-in-kind” hybrid tax equity investments, tax credit transfers, preferred equity investments, cash equity investments, and debt financings. He and his team have also helped several clients through the energy industry’s “grand re-think” of the finance markets post-IRA and OB3.

Carl’s work and thought leadership are often featured in leading publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, The Economist, Newsweek, Fast Company, The Washington Post, and Politico, among others. He is also frequently interviewed for his market insights by global media outlets such as Reuters, Forbes, Bloomberg, BBC, and others. He has also been hosted on numerous podcasts, including the Fierce Network’s The Five Nine podcast.

Carl is a frequent speaker and prominent author. He was selected by the White House to address the global delegation at the 29th Annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) and speaks throughout the US and internationally. He focuses on topics such as energy, digital infrastructure, and critical minerals. He has written, or contributed to the writing of, several books or chapters on project finance. He has lectured at Harvard University, the Georgetown University Law Center, the University of Pennsylvania, and American University.

Carl is based out of the Washington, DC, and New York offices. He also works across our London, Paris, and Milan offices, among others.