Highly-regarded lawyer Stuart Caplan and global energy strategist Sydney Ferguson join law firm’s energy practice
(NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, June 17, 2010)--Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP today announced the continued growth of its Global Energy practice, with the addition of Stuart A. Caplan as partner and Sydney McNiff Ferguson as principal. Caplan and Ferguson have each spent more than two decades working in the energy field. Caplan will be resident in Sonnenschein’s New York office, while Ferguson will be located in the law firm’s Washington, D.C., office.
“Stu is a powerhouse in the energy space and has an extensive background in regulatory, project development and transactional capabilities that will be a perfect fit with our pending combination to create SNR Denton,” said Clinton A. Vince, chair of Sonnenschein’s Global Energy practice. “Combined with Sydney’s vast network and expertise in the areas of alternative energy, tax and carbon trading legislation, our clients will greatly benefit as they navigate through the growing new energy economy and regulatory environment.”
Widely recognized as a leader in the energy bar, Caplan comes to Sonnenschein from White & Case LLP, where his practice focused on electric and natural gas industry restructuring; renewable, fossil fuel and transmission project development; and the regulatory aspects of mergers and acquisitions. The transactional side of his practice includes M&A work, as well as project finance, securities and banking. In addition, he handles a variety of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) electric and natural gas cases for clients outside of the deal context, including extensive work for financial traders and merchant generators.
Caplan advises financial players, utilities and merchant power producers that are active in the energy markets across the United States. He has worked with clients on new market structures along the East Coast and throughout the Southwest, and he was instrumental in developing the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) energy market. Some of his other representative transactions have included serving as lead FERC counsel for the underwriter in a $450 million bond financing, lead energy regulatory counsel for the underwriter in the initial public offering of a major energy technology company and underwriter counsel in a major wind project in the Southwest United States.
Caplan is a frequent speaker on energy topics. He received a J.D. degree from American University Washington College of Law and a B.A. degree from Columbia University. Prior to White & Case, he served as chair of the regulatory department of a leading public utility boutique law firm.
Ferguson advises energy companies on navigating legislative and regulatory frameworks in order to bring new technologies to the marketplace. Having directed many high-profile energy projects, Ferguson helps companies identify business solutions including how to gain access to new energy dollars. Global energy and infrastructure companies turn to her for advice on environmental, energy, political and public relations issues. Her track record in helping CEOs and government officials spear-head multi-billion dollar energy development projects is unique in the energy marketplace.
Ferguson was previously a senior vice president of government relations and corporate communications at USEC Inc.(NYSE: USU), one of the world’s leading uranium enrichment companies. She worked as liaison between USEC and the U.S. Department of Energy, negotiating new lease terms to build the next generation uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio. She also managed the company’s external communications.
A regular speaker on climate displacement, carbon offsets, and the politics of climate change, Ferguson was the founder and president of Lockhart Strategies International LLC, which advised clients on best in field, cutting edge green energy solutions in new build environments. Ferguson is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and a graduate of Colorado College. She began her career as energy & environmental legislative director to Rep. Pete McCloskey.
“Having previously worked with several members of Sonnenschein’s energy team, I know this will be a seamless transition for my clients and me,” said Caplan. “The firm continues to show a very impressive commitment to growing its energy practice and I am delighted to be here and look ahead to building an even a stronger energy platform with the forthcoming SNR Denton combination.”
Added Ferguson, “Sonnenschein’s global energy practice has a strong reputation for its comprehensive industry knowledge and technical expertise. In this rapidly changing energy marketplace, helping companies assess their energy and environmental strategies such as carbon foot-print liabilities is key to shareholder value. With that in mind, I look forward to continuing to work with such an impressive roster of national and global clients.”
Recently named “Most Dynamic Energy Practice” by Energy Daily, Sonnenschein’s Global Energy group includes more than 90 lawyers and professionals that spans 16 practice areas across the energy sector, including a team that is at the cutting edge of issues related to climate change and clean tech emerging entities and regularly handles novel matters stemming from federal and state legislative initiatives. In addition, the group possesses one of the best litigation track records of any energy practice in the country.
With more than 700 lawyers and other professionals in 13 offices in the United States and Europe, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP (SNR) serves the legal and public interest needs of many of the world's best-known and most admired businesses, nonprofits and individuals.
On June 9, 2010, the partnerships of both SNR and UK-based Denton Wilde Sapte LLP (Denton) approved a combination to form SNR Denton, to become effective on September 30, 2010. The combination joins complementary practices with a disciplined focus on meeting evolving client needs in eight key sectors: Financial Institutions and Funds; Energy, Transport and Infrastructure; Insurance; Real Estate, Retail and Hotels; Technology, Media and Telecommunications; Health and Life Sciences; Manufacturing; and Government. With its focus on quality, the combination will include 1,400 lawyers and other professionals in 18 countries and 33 locations across four continents, including the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East, Russia and the CIS, South-East Asia, and a network of exclusively associated firms in Africa.
Further information about Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP may be found at http://www.sonnenschein.com. Further information about Denton Wilde Sapte may be found at http://www.dentonwildesapte.com. Further information about the pending combination that will form SNR Denton may be found at http://www.snrdentoncombination.com. References to SNR Denton relate to a proposed international legal practice, which has not yet become effective. Until such time, Denton Wilde Sapte LLP (incorporated in England and Wales under no. OC322045) and Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP (a US limited liability partnership, registered in Delaware), remain separate and independent legal entities. Please see the Legal Notice on www.snrdentoncombination.com for more information.
Media Contact:
Jeff Mutterperl
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
(212) 398-8470
jmutterperl@sonnenschein.com
