Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe has continued with its European strategy revamp, building its energy team in London by hiring Hogan Lovells’ global co-head of energy and natural resources Matthew Williams and renewables co-head John Deacon.
The duo will be joined by Edward Humphries, currently counsel at the transatlantic firm but who makes partner in the move, with Williams joining as co-head of Orrick’s European energy practice alongside Carlo Montella in Milan. The move replicates Deacon and Williams’ shift from Hunton & Williams to Hogan Lovells in 2011.
Williams has focused his career on domestic and cross-border power M&A deals but also covers project finance, commodity trading and corporate restructuring. Past work includes acting on the development of a 1000 MW power plant at Thorpe Marsh in the UK and advising Gazprom on a proposed acquisition of the Marcinelle 800 MW power station in Belgium.
Deacon, who was responsible for Hogan Lovells‘ renewables practice outside of the US, has advised on a series of offshore wind farms, as well as waste-to-energy schemes and biomass power plants across EMEA. Humphries is more focused on energy trading and commodities, with experience also in corporate work for energy companies.
Williams said: ‘We are excited to be a part of a growing and innovative practice and to collaborate with a team that we have known and respected in the market for many years. I am particularly looking forward to working with Carlo to grow the European energy practice to complement the firm’s strengths in energy markets around the world.’
The trio will re-unite with fellow energy partner Colin Graham, who last year also joined from Hogan Lovells amid a build-out in London by Orrick which included Stephen Phillips, who now serves as co-head of Orrick’s European Restructuring team, from White & Case; Shawn Atkinson, a corporate, tech and venture capital partner from Edwards Wildman; and Proskauer Rose’s finance partner Michael Crosby.
So far Orrick’s renewed European strategy, which is focusing on core sectors in Europe including energy, finance and tech, has seen its German offering slimmed down as it closed offices in Frankfurt and Berlin while its arbitration offering was boosted by an opening in Geneva.
michael.west@legalease.co.uk
