Advises clients across the renewable energy, alternative fuels, and carbon capture industries on complex US federal tax matters
Collaborates with clients to maximize financeability of ITCs and PTCs for renewable electricity, energy storage, clean fuels, carbon capture, and manufacturing
Represents clients across the energy industry in the negotiation of tax equity investments, project finance transactions, and the acquisition and disposition of projects and platforms
Elizabeth Crouse focuses her practice on US federal, state, and international tax matters, providing business-focused solutions for a variety of transactions and complex investment structures. She regularly advises top-tier strategic and corporate investors, developers, and operators across the renewable energy, alternative fuels, hydrogen, and carbon capture industries.
The Best Lawyers in America
(including LLCs and Partnerships); Energy Law; Tax Law
Washington Super Lawyers
Rising Star
- Renewable Natural Gas Coalition, tax advisory member
- New York University School of Law, LLM
- University of Michigan Law School, JD, cum laude
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, MA
- Hawaiʻi Pacific University, BA
- Oregon
- Washington
- US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- US Tax Court
- English
Alejandra Garcia Earley
Chicago
- Counsels sponsors, tax equity investors, lenders, and agents on the full life cycle of energy and infrastructure projects
- Advises on complex tax equity partnerships, tax credit transfers, construction and term loans, and cross-border financings
- Leads transactions for a wide range of solar, wind, battery storage, hydro, biofuel, carbon capture, oil and gas, and LNG projects
- Handles major projects throughout the United States, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia
Alejandra Garcia Earley guides sponsors, investors, lenders, and agents through the full life cycle of energy and infrastructure projects. She advises on complex tax equity partnerships, tax credit transfers, construction and term loans, and cross-border financings. Her extensive experience spans diverse power-generating technologies and projects, including solar, wind, battery storage, hydro, biofuel, carbon capture, oil and gas, and liquefied natural gas (LNG). She also leads financings for major international infrastructure projects, such as airports, water treatment, power generation, and toll roads.
See more
- Advised major US corporation in the acquisition of over $900MM of tax credits, including 45Z, 48 and 30C.*
- Advised multiple US entities in the acquisition of over $2B of tax credits.*
- Advised major US corporation in the tax equity investment of a 150MW battery energy storage system in Brazoria County, Texas.*
- Advised major US corporation in the tax equity investment of a 150MW battery energy storage system in Coke County, Texas.*
- Advised large US bank in the tax equity investment of multiple solar residential portfolios with PosiGen, including the related bankruptcy restructuring.*
- Chambers USA, Nationwide Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy, 2024 – 2026
- Chambers Global, Nationwide Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy, 2025 – 2026
- Legal 500 US, Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power, 2021-2023
- Legal 500 US, Finance: Project Finance, 2023
- Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, JD
- The University of Texas at Austin, LLM
- Universidad Panamericana School of Law, Licenciada en Derecho
- New York
- Illinois
- Mexico
- English
- French
- Spanish
Lewis McDonald
London – 22 Bishopsgate
Energy projects and transactions
Mergers and acquisitions
Joint ventures and investments
ESG and sustainability
Lewis McDonald is a leading lawyer in the global energy market with more than 25 years’ experience advising companies on projects and transactions across the global energy value chain. His broad experience includes renewables, conventional power upstream oil & gas and LNG and covers developed and emerging markets.
He has a strong track record of building long-lasting relationships with clients around the world, working on market-leading deals and building teams of lawyers. Prior to joining the firm, Lewis was in charge of the energy practice of a global law firm.
Lewis has been based in London for more than 10 years and has also previously been based in Australia, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. He has a truly global perspective and has led on the build-out of market-leading energy practices across Asia, Europe and the UK.
Ranked in
Chambers Global
Ranked In
Chambers UK
Ranked In
Legal 500 UK
- Advised a major Korean state-owned energy company on all aspects of its interest in a significant offshore gas development in Mozambique, including the unitisation of adjacent areas and an $11 billion floating LNG project*
- Advised a global energy company on its joint venture with a leading offshore wind developer for the development of four offshore wind projects in Korea*
- Advised a major European energy utility on its acquisition of a portfolio of solar energy and BESS projects across the United Kingdom*
- Advised a leading Japanese trading and investment company on its acquisition of a 27.5% interest in a global renewable energy company and related joint venture arrangements*
- Advised a major Japanese trading company on its joint venture with a global energy company to invest in offshore wind projects in Japan, including the formation of a joint venture company*
- Advised a leading Japanese trading and investment company in relation to its 15% interest in a multibillion-dollar LNG project in Canada*
- Advised a major Japanese energy company on its acquisition of a 25% interest in a UK offshore wind project*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott, Will & Schulte
- Chambers UK, Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas, 2022–2026
- Legal 500 UK, Leading Partner, Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and Gas, 2024–2026
- Legal 500 UK, Recommended, Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Power (including Electricity and Nuclear)
- Legal 500 UK, Recommended, Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewables
- IFLR1000, Highly Regarded, Energy and Infrastructure (United Kingdom)
- Lexology, Highly Recommended, Energy
- Association of International Energy Negotiators, member
- Australian Chamber of Commerce in Korea, Vice Chair, 2014-2017
- University of Western Australia, LLB
- University of Western Australia, BSc, Environmental Science
- College of Law, Sydney, Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
- England & Wales
- Supreme Court of New South Wales (Australia)
- Supreme Court of Western Australia
Paul K. Kovachev
New York – One Vanderbilt Avenue
Advises clients on real estate transactions, including commercial real estate workouts and restructurings
Provides real estate litigation support and forensic financial analysis on disputes involving property ownership and operations
Counsels on aircraft finance, project finance, structured finance, finance leases, sale-leasebacks, and trust administration for high-net-worth individuals
Paul K. Kovachev focuses his practice on commercial real estate transactions, handling the full finance and investment cycle for acquisitions and dispositions of single assets and portfolios; mortgage, construction, mezzanine, and preferred equity financings; joint ventures; commercial mortgage-backed securities transactions; restructurings; and real estate investment trust matters. He has closed more than $15 billion in such transactions, representing institutional owners, developers, lenders, and investors across multifamily, senior housing, industrial, hospitality, office, and retail.
A licensed CPA, Paul brings accounting fluency and financial acumen to deal analysis and structuring. He crafts actionable guidance on workouts, restructurings, and litigation support involving real estate assets, as well as aircraft finance, project finance, structured finance, and finance leases for high-net-worth clients.
Ranked in
The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, Ones to Watch
Real Estate Finance
- Represented the borrower, a national retail chain, in a $455.7 million CMBS loan refinancing secured by eight industrial distribution centers located in eight states*
- Represented the underwriter, a national investment bank, in a $550 million tax-exempt public-private bond financing for the acquisition of a casino, hotel, and golf resort complex in the Catskills region of New York, including the drafting of the indenture, mortgage, and preliminary official statement*
- Represented the senior lenders and preferred members, two institutional investment firms, in the restructuring of a $194 million senior loan financing and a new $34.7 million preferred equity investment in an industrial development*
- Represented two institutional real estate lenders in an assignment-in-lieu mortgage loan and preferred equity restructuring affecting the takeover of a $226.3 million industrial property comprising 11 warehouses from a defaulting borrower*
- Represented a private real estate investment firm, as borrower, in approximately 20 acquisition, construction, and permanent loan financings, aggregating more than $850 million, for single-family and multifamily build-for-rent communities located throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic*
- The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, Ones to Watch, 2025-2027
- Law360, Real Estate Practice Group of the Year, team member, 2023
- U.S. News – Best Lawyers, Law Firm of the Year: Litigation – Real Estate, team member, 2022
- Legal Aid Society, Pro Bono Publico Award, 2018
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Award, 2006
- Marquette University, Accounting Department, Deloitte & Touche Award, 2005
- New York City Bar Association, Real Property Law Committee, Structured Finance Committee, member
- Eastern District of New York, Federal Pro Se Legal Assistance Project, volunteer
- Georgetown University Law Center, LLM
- New York Law School, JD
- Marquette University, BS, magna cum laude
- District of Columbia
- New York
- US District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- US District Court for the Southern District of New York
- Bulgarian
- English
- German
- Russian
Seth Flaum
New York – One Vanderbilt Avenue
Leads licensing, collaboration, joint venture, and asset purchase transactions, along with R&D, commercialization, co-promotion, and supply agreements
Advises on public and private M&A, with particular experience in earnouts and contingent value rights agreements
Serves as outside general counsel and adviser to senior executives on the day-to-day legal needs of life sciences businesses
Seth Flaum is a strategic adviser to life sciences and healthcare technology companies on high-stakes transactions and growth initiatives worldwide. For more than 25 years, he has represented public and private clients across the life sciences life cycle, from startups to multinational pharmaceutical companies, including biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics, digital health, and artificial intelligence (AI) companies, as well as private equity funds. He leads transactions such as licenses, asset purchases, collaborations, and joint ventures, together with research and development (R&D), commercialization, co-promotion, profit-sharing, manufacturing, and supply agreements.
- Represented Revival Healthcare Capital, a medtech investment firm, in a build-to-buy partnership with Olympus Corporation to co-found Swan EndoSurgical and jointly invest up to $458 million in an endoluminal surgical robotics platform for treating lesions and tumors in the GI tract
- Represented Paris-based Enodia Therapeutics, a targeted protein degradation company, in its acquisition from Nasdaq-listed Kezar Life Sciences of Kezar’s Sec61-based discovery and development program, including the product candidate KZR-261. Total consideration was up to $127 million in upfront and milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on net sales
- Represented Luminopia, a digital health company with a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared digital therapeutic for pediatric amblyopia, in its first international licensing agreement, granting ROHTO Pharmaceutical, a Japanese multinational focused on eyecare, exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the therapy in Japan. Financial terms were not disclosed
- NewYorkBIO, board member
- Loyola Law School, JD
- New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business, BS
- New Jersey
- New York
- English
Leslie W. Hung
New York – One Vanderbilt Avenue
Structures and oversees private investment funds across strategies
Advises institutional investors on co-investments, secondary transactions, strategic investments, governance frameworks, and internal restructurings
Leslie W. Hung advises institutional clients on the formation, structuring, and operation of private investment funds, from buyout and credit vehicles to general partner stakes, growth platforms, real estate funds, and industry- and region-specific strategies, as well as the regulatory compliance dimensions of fund offerings and ongoing operations.
Leslie’s institutional practice extends to co-investment arrangements, secondary transactions, strategic investments, governance matters, and internal restructurings affecting fund structures and investor relationships.
- New York University School of Law, JD
- University of Pennsylvania, BSE, BA, magna cum laude
- New York
- English
- Chinese
David Jamieson
London – 22 Bishopsgate
David Jamieson has over 20 years’ experience advising on VAT, indirect taxes and contentious tax matters. He is dual-qualified as a Solicitor Advocate and a Chartered Tax Adviser, offering clients a combination of litigation experience and deep technical tax knowledge.
David has significant experience in advising on complex VAT matters, handling tax audits and enquiries, tax risk management, tax dispute resolution and public law. His practice covers the entire lifecycle of a tax issue, focusing on both proactive, non-contentious advisory work to prevent disputes, and robust defence strategies when challenges arise. David has extensive experience at all stages of the appeal process.
David’s practice is focused on the financial services, technology, media and life science sectors. Before taking up his current role, he spent 14 years in the London office of a US-based multinational law firm, having previously worked at a Big Four firm and a leading UK-based law firm.
- Represented a multinational asset manager before the UK Supreme Court*
- Represented a gig economy client in tax and judicial review appeals, securing a settlement of one of HMRC’s largest VAT assessments*
- Represented a telecommunication company in a tax appeal, including successfully negotiating a settlement*
- Acted for a global hotel chain in proceedings at the First-tier Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal successfully defending its tax position of its loyalty program*
- Advised a multinational platform on settling VAT assessments raised in relation to the place of supply*
- Legal 500 UK, Leading Partner, VAT and Indirect Tax, Tax Litigation and Investigations, 2026-2027
- Chambers UK, UK-Wide, Tax: Contentious, Band Three
- International Tax Review, Tax Controversy Leaders Guide, Leading Expert, and Indirect Tax Leaders Guide, Leading Expert
- Law Society of England and Wales
- Chartered Institute of Taxation
- VAT Practitioners Group
- University of Bristol, LLB, (Hons), 2000
- England and Wales
- English
Kamal S. Nesfield
New York – One Vanderbilt Avenue
Represents leading financial institutions and private credit funds in complex acquisition financings and other leveraged finance transactions
Advises lenders and borrowers on cross-border and domestic syndicated loans, private credit, project financings, high-yield bonds, distressed debt, and liability management transactions
Structures and negotiates other sophisticated financing arrangements, including preferred stock, investment-grade loans, and note purchases
Kamal S. Nesfield advises financial institutions and borrowers on sophisticated financing transactions. He has extensive experience with cross-border transactions, syndicated bank loans, private credit, project finance, high-yield bonds, distressed debt, liability management exercises, preferred stock arrangements, investment-grade loans, and note purchases across a broad range of industries. His clients have included leading global investment banks, private credit funds, private equity sponsors, and public and private companies.
He has frequently served as an industry expert speaker, including leading the Loan Syndications and Trading Association’s (LSTA) “Understanding the Credit Agreement” summer series for several years and serving on PLI’s Leveraged Financing 2024 faculty.
They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40
Bloomberg Law
- Bloomberg Law, They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40, 2022
- Howard University School of Law, JD
- University of Pennsylvania, BA
- New York
- English
Natalie Blanc
London – 22 Bishopsgate
Natalie Blanc advises on domestic and cross-border restructuring and insolvency transactions, distressed M&A transactions, and special situations financings. She has significant experience advising on complex matters for a broad spectrum of clients, including credit funds, bank lenders, private equity sponsors, corporate debtors, and insolvency practitioners.
A recognized thought leader for restructuring and insolvency, Natalie is regularly called to contribute to leading industry publications such as Global Restructuring Review (GRR) and Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law (JIBFL).
Prior to joining the firm, Natalie practised for 12 years at leading US and British international law firms.
- Advised an international beauty and wellness company in connection with a comprehensive recapitalization to deliver a substantially de-levered and sustainable balance sheet with a debt reduction of approximately €520 million and a meaningful maturity runway*
- Advised the supporting noteholders in the negotiation and implementation of an innovative exchange offer for new first-out and second-out senior secured notes due 2029 and associated incremental funding, warrants, and equity consideration, implemented by means of a single class English Part 26A restructuring plan, in a deal shortlisted for IFLR Europe Awards: Restructuring Deal of the Year 2026*
- Advised a leading French telecoms and media company and holding company on a historic balance sheet restructuring involving more than €24 billion of debt, comprising term loans, senior secured notes, and senior notes, which was recognized as the IFLR Europe Awards: EMEA Restructuring Deal of the Year 2025*
- Advised a leading global private credit fund on its investment in an Asian hospitality business, including an English law security enforcement*
- Advised a US-based medical device manufacturer and its affiliated debtors in their Chapter 11 cases involving the restructuring of more than $350 million of prepetition debt, as well as additional prepetition liabilities, supported by an $85 million debtor in possession credit facility and a stalking horse bid*
- Cornell Law School, JD, 2014
- University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, LLM in French, European and International Business Law, 2014
- Rutgers University, BA, magna cum laude, 2010
- England & Wales
- Paris
- New Jersey
- New York
- English
- French
Sina R. Hekmat
New York – One Vanderbilt Avenue
- Advises issuers, underwriters, and investors on US, European, and global public offerings and private placements of debt and equity securities
- Represents private equity and private capital clients in complex M&A and financing transactions across the US, Europe, and other global markets
- Counsels strategic and financial acquirers, sellers, and target companies in cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions
- Represents clients in structured finance transactions across multiple jurisdictions and industries
- Guides multinational and investment firms in cross-border joint ventures, infrastructure project financing, and acquisitions and dispositions of portfolio companies, distressed assets, and non-performing loans
Sina Hekmat advises clients on complex capital markets and M&A transactions that cross borders and industries. He works with underwriters, issuers, investors, strategic buyers, and financial sponsors on matters across the United States, Europe, and other global markets. Clients across the energy and infrastructure, financial services, technology, and transportation industries turn to Sina for matters requiring sophisticated cross-border coordination.
Sina’s capital markets practice spans public offerings and private placements of debt and equity securities, including sovereign, investment-grade, and high-yield debt. He also advises on asset-backed securities, derivatives, and other structured finance products.
In M&A, Sina represents acquirers, sellers, and target companies in leveraged buyouts, tender and exchange offers, hostile takeovers, and cross-border joint ventures. His private equity and private capital experience includes advising financial sponsors and other investors on leveraged buyouts and acquisitions and dispositions involving portfolio companies, distressed assets, and other complex investments. He also counsels investment firms on acquisitions and dispositions involving portfolio companies, distressed assets, and other complex investments.
Sina has served as a lecturer in the University of St. Gallen’s Executive Master of European and International Business Law program.
Ranked in
Chambers Global 2025
Ranked in
Legal 500 US 2025
- Counsel to a global private equity firm in connection with various structured finance transactions in the United States, Europe and Latin America*
- Managers’ counsel in over 400 European and US public offerings and private placements of over $140B in debt securities by a German issuer*
- Issuer’s counsel in multiple SEC registered debt offerings by a European sovereign issuer*
- Issuer’s counsel in €500m high-yield debt offering by a US automotive finance company under its Euro Medium Term Note program*
- Issuer’s counsel to an Eastern European natural gas company in connection with its initial public offering, and the establishment of and issuance under its Euro Medium Term Note Programme*
- Issuer’s counsel in connection with multiple Rule 144A debt offerings by a Latin American oil company*
- Counsel to bidder in issuance of tender offer for approximately $250m in debt securities of a Latin American natural resources company*
- Counsel to a Latin American company in the purchase of an electric energy transmission services business from a US publicly traded company*
- Counsel to a US publicly traded software company in the cross-border sale of a business unit*
- Counsel to a global investment firm in connection with multiple debt and equity investments in a number of Latin American financial institutions*
- Counsel to a conglomerate of investment firms in connection with financing of a Latin American infrastructure project in the form of debt and equity securities*
- Counsel to a US private equity firm in connection with the financing of a Latin American aviation company*
- Counsel to selling shareholders in connection with an IPO by a Latin American logistics company*
- Counsel to selling shareholders in connection with a follow-on equity offering by a Latin American financial institution*
*Matter handled prior to joining the firm
- Chambers Global, Expertise Based Abroad: Capital Markets, 2025; Corporate/M&A (USA), 2014; Corporate/M&A (Germany), 2014 Capital Markets: Debt & Equity (USA), 2014
- Legal 500 US, Finance: Capital Markets: Equity Offerings, Recommended, 2021-2024; Finance: Capital Markets: Global Offerings, Recommended, 2021-2024; Finance: Capital Markets: Debt Offerings, Recommended, 2013, 2020, 2022-2023
- Legal 500 EMEA, Capital Markets: Debt Capital Markets, 2018-2019
- Legal 500 Deutschland, Equity Capital Markets, 2014
- Vanderbilt Law School, JD
- Vanderbilt University, MBA, Owen Graduate School of Management
- University of California, Los Angeles, BA, cum laude
- New York
- California
- District of Columbia
- Texas
- Germany
- England & Wales
- Ireland