Orrick adds top energy team in London

Global law firm Orrick has announced that the leading energy and projects team of Matthew Williams, John Deacon and Edward Humphries will join the firm as partners in the London office.

Matthew will serve as co-head of Orrick’s European energy practice with Carlo Montella from the firm’s Milan office. The team joins Orrick from Hogan Lovells, where Matthew served as Global Co-Head of the Energy & Natural Resources Group and John served as Global Co-Head of the Renewable Energy Group.

"Matthew, John and Edward add a team of the highest caliber, further building our energy bench in London. This team will help us meet the growing needs of clients who are active in the energy markets across the UK, Europe, Africa and the Middle East."

Matthew has extensive experience in transactional and regulatory work across the energy, emissions and infrastructure sectors, including project finance, M&A, commodity trading, corporate restructuring and contentious matters. He has a market-leading practice advising on domestic and cross-border power M&A and has represented parties involved in the majority of power sector disposals in the UK in the last two years. He also advises on the development, financing and acquisition of oil and gas projects.

John focuses on energy projects, carbon finance and trading, and infrastructure law, with a particular emphasis on renewable energy. While his practice began with a focus on UK wind projects, over the course of his career he has moved into a broad spectrum of global renewable energy projects, with a recent focus on waste-to-energy, biomass and green waste concessions. John has advised on projects around the world, including the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and across the EU.

Edward’s practice focuses on energy trading, commodities and the development, financing, acquisition and disposal of energy companies and assets. He has strong experience in Africa and in the UK and continental European markets.

This move continues Orrick's strategic growth in Europe, which is focused on three key sectors: energy and infrastructure, finance and technology. The firm added five partners in London last year, including energy partner Colin Graham, also from Hogan Lovells. Orrick also opened an affiliated office last year in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire to support its market-leading Africa energy practice and other international investment in the region. Earlier this month, it announced the expansion of its international arbitration practice with the addition of Vanessa Liborio and the opening of an office in Geneva.

IPP Journal recently reported on leading energy lawyer Linh Doan's move from Orrick to Watson Farley & Williams.