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Energy

Our experienced member firms advise clients at every junction in the energy and natural resources pipeline, from exploration and development to refining and distribution.

Global Overview

Without energy and natural resources, there is no economy — local or global. Our member firms’ transactional and regulatory lawyers routinely advise clients whose combined assets, revenues and facilities are valued in the billions of dollars, placing many of them among the largest corporations in their respective countries. We have helped negotiate, document and close numerous multinational, multimillion-dollar energy investment and natural resources development deals, and ensure compliance with national and international regulatory schemes in the United States, the European Union, OPEC+ countries, Latin America and beyond.

The Ally Law Advantage

Large-scale projects often give rise to a number of complex, cross-jurisdictional issues. Working with lawyers from across our member firms, we provide coordinated counsel on environmental regulations and compliance, real estate and construction law, labor and employment, workplace health and safety, insurance and reinsurance, and government contracting. When domestic and cross-border disputes arise, we draw on the skills of local, experienced litigators to provide effective, solution-focused representation in court and in arbitration and mediation.

Ally Law includes member firms with solid credentials and significant experience in domestic and international energy, natural resources and environmental law. We offer clients sophisticated, coordinated counsel virtually everywhere their operations, partnerships, vendors and customers are found. We work cooperatively — with clients and our Ally Law colleagues — to deliver high-quality responsive service at competitive, local rates, and have a long record of success establishing strong, enduring relationships that support effective business strategies and tactical goals.

Our CLients

Ally Law member firms represent publicly traded and privately held corporations, government entities, and public-private partnerships and consortia involved in the full range of matters that arise in the context of energy and natural resources exploration, development, extraction, refining and distribution. We routinely advise clients whose combined assets, revenues and facilities are valued in the billions of dollars, placing many of them among the largest corporations in their respective countries.

Our clients include upstream, midstream and downstream oil, gas, hydroelectric and renewable energy providers, pipeline owners, utilities, project developers, construction companies, mining and forestry companies, vertical holding companies, lenders, local and national governments, and related businesses across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Leaders

Portrait of Daniel from Vlăsceanu & Partners Romania

Daniel Vlăsceanu
Partner
Vlăsceanu & Partners
Romania

Portrait of Roberto from Santiváñez Abogados in Peru

Roberto Santivanez
Partner
Santiváñez Abogados
Peru

Resources

Energy and Environmental Law Blog

Get insights from our Ohio and Texas member about the latest industry trends.

Global Legal Insights – Italy

Hear from our Italian member about the latest energy developments in their region.

Chilean Energy Market Opportunities

Ignacio Artega of Arteaga Gorziglia takes you through the energy industry landscape in Chile, including expanding renewables markets and investment opportunities to expand the national grid.

Chilean Infrastructure Opportunities

Learn from Ignacio Artega of Arteaga Gorziglia about Chile’s push for public and private partnerships, open market status and recent surge of inbound multinational investment.

News

The recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) includes important new provisions related to clean energy tax credits that may have a considerable impact on your business.
The past decade has seen a huge acceleration of environmental legislation and corporate governance in real estate.
On February 7, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) issued a pre-publication version of a Final Rule lowering the primary annual National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for fine Particulate Matter.
India’s electricity sector, powered by a recent wave of amendments to the Electricity Rules, 2005, vide notification of the Ministry of Power (MoP) dated January 10 and 17, 2024 (“Rules“), is undergoing a transformation.

Provisional Agreement on the Reduction of Methane Emissions

The European Commission welcomed the provisional agreement reached on 15 November 2023 between the European Parliament and Council on a new EU Regulation to reduce energy sector methane emissions in Europe and in our global supply chains.
With great media attention, constitutional climate lawsuits against states are increasingly manifesting themselves as an instrument to combat climate-damaging actions or omissions on the part of the respective governments.
The Hungarian Government plans to further develop the regulatory framework for geothermal energy, according to the REPowerEU chapter of Hungary’s Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The Hungarian renewable energy sector has recently undergone a huge development, mainly focusing on photovoltaic power plants.

Services

We advise clients in jurisdictions worldwide and across the spectrum of energy-related matters, including:

Energy Transactions and Investments
  • Mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances
  • Project development and finance
  • Site acquisitions, eminent domain and permitting
  • Power and natural gas purchases and sales
  • Capital markets and securities
  • Disposition and acquisition of oil and gas concessions
  • Public-private partnerships
  • Foreign-direct investment
  • Risk service contracts
  • Taxation and tax controversies
  • Energy policy and legislation
  • Regulatory compliance, including worker safety, environmental, antitrust and other issues
  • Compliance with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, UK Bribery Act and other anti-corruption legislation
  • Agency accreditation and licensing matters
  • Disputes involving energy and power development, sales and transmission
  • Construction litigation
  • Environmental litigation
  • Customer and shareholder disputes
  • Representation in courts, tribunals, specialized and arbitral panels, and other proceedings

Rankings

The Chambers Global Guide ranks the top lawyers and law firms in over 200 jurisdictions across the world. Some member energy highlights from the latest guide include:

PPO Abogados (Bolivia) is ranked Band 3 in Energy & Natural Resources offering clients experience handling the regulatory components of public-private joint ventures in the mining sector and advising on project finance mandates, negotiating distribution agreements and commercial matters. Energy Partner Carlos Pinto, also rated Band 3, is described by a client as having “a very strong commercial awareness, as well as the skills to handle complex matters in this area.” And Energy Partner Mattias Garron has extensive knowledge of the mining industry and one client reports, “He is very good at coming up with solutions in difficult situations.”

The Chambers USA Guide ranks the top lawyers and law firms across the USA. Here’s an energy highlight from the latest guide:

Vorys (Ohio and Texas) is ranked Band 1 in Energy and Natural Resources, with strengths in the energy and oil and gas industries. The firm enjoys a fine reputation for its counsel on regulatory matters, permitting and compliance with federal and state law, and possesses significant litigation experience, including disputes concerning gas purchase contracts and drilling and operating agreements. One client commented, “Vorys is well equipped with experts across the energy spectrum.”

The Chambers Asia Pacific Guide ranks the top lawyers and law firms across markets in Asia-Pacific. Some member energy highlights from the latest guide include:

LNT & Partners (Vietnam) is ranked Band 4 for Infrastructure & Energy, with a well-regarded practice acting for clients on the acquisition of industrial, hotel and residential properties. The firm’s clientele includes major Vietnamese and foreign companies operating in the real estate sector, including developers and investors. The firm is also active as local legal counsel on project development and related transactions in Vietnam, including solar, wind and LNG mandates. The practice often assists clients with dispute resolution matters in the energy sphere.

The Chambers Latin America Guide ranks top lawyers and law firms across 19 jurisdictions, spanning Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, as well as all Spanish-speaking countries in South America. Some member energy highlights from the latest guide include:

Arteaga | Gorziglia (Chile) is ranked Band 2 for Energy & Natural Resources. Their well-respected practice provides wide-ranging expertise across the full energy spectrum, including renewables and oil and gas in the Chilean market. The Santiago-based team frequently assists with regulatory matters related to EPC and O&M contracts, PPAs and asset acquisition procedures, as well as power transmission and public bidding processes. Energy co-chairs, Ignacio Arteaga and Luciano Cruz are ranked Band 3 in the guide.

PPO Abogados (Bolivia) is ranked Band 3 and partners Carlos Pinto and Mattias Garron are also ranked Band 3. One client said this about the firm, “PPO Abogados’ energy and natural resources team has very good technical knowledge and experience handling important transactions in the sector.”

Santivañez Abogados (Peru) has been ranked Band 1 in Energy and Natural Resources: Power since the first edition of Chambers Latin America in 2009 thru the 2024 edition. Clients have been quoted as saying, “I feel very privileged working with Santiváñez because their service is extraordinary… and their team is particularly good at identifying business opportunities in the Peruvian power market as well as offering strong capabilities in the permitting arena,” and “…they have a broad expertise of the power regulations in Peru. Their knowledge, excellent client service and timely solutions makes them stand out in the market.”

Pre-eminent partner Roberto Santiváñez Seminario continues to garner market-leading praise from clients, with one remarking: “He is an outstanding professional with a strategic vision and in-depth understanding of the Peruvian energy market.” Another interviewee states: “Roberto Santiváñez Seminario is one of the most well-known lawyers in Peru,” while another observer compounds this by stating: “He boasts a high-level commercial awareness and is an expert in the energy field.” Noteworthy partner Paul Súmar gains respect from interviewees for his active presence in the Peruvian power sphere. One client states, “Súmar is a very competent lawyer who is very committed to his clients and boasts strong professional skills,” while another interviewee adds: “He has an excellent practice advising state-run distributors on their power mandates.” Finally Abel Venero, an Associate-to-Watch, continues to receive excellent feedback from the market, with an interviewee stating: “Abel Venero has extensive knowledge of the Peruvian power sector.” Another respondent adds: “He is a hard-working lawyer who has been in the sector for a number of years.”

The Legal 500 EMEA edition analyzes capabilities of law firms in 80 jurisdictions across Europe, Middle East and Africa. Member firms highlighted in tax in the most recent guide include:

KCG Partners Law Firm (Hungary) is ranked Tier 3 for Projects and Energy for their integrated, multidisciplinary skillset to industrial developments, and greenfield and brownfield investments in energy and infrastructure. One client commented, “KCG’s projects and energy practice is composed of highly skilled individuals who hold the necessary business knowledge and understanding to support clients. The team is highly agile and flexible to deliver the best legal service experience.” Another client added, “Energy lawyers Eszter Kamocsay-Berta and Gabriella Gálik have strategic minds and are very thorough.”

Gitti + Partners (Italy) is ranked Tier 4 for Energy. Their team focuses on energy regulatory matters, M&A, civil and administrative litigation, and corporate and contractual issues involving renewable energy-related PPAs and local grids. Other areas of strength include electric vehicle service contracts and development agreements. One client commented, “The team at Gitti knows the market, knows the regulatory framework and the most recent decisions, and always provides really efficient solutions for clients’ needs, both on a day-to-day basis and when it comes to transactions and projects.” Department head Piero Viganò is described as “outstanding.”

Lipa Mier (Israel) is ranked Tier 1 for their Energy practice. They specialize in the development and financing of energy projects, often representing government ministries. The team also advises agricultural cooperatives on negotiating arrangements with the government regarding patterns for renewable energy production and National Outline Plans. Legal 500 reported Uzi Mor as having in-depth experience in natural gas and renewables; David Weinstein as having a focus on Kibbutz communities; Zuriel Lavie as having expertise in mega project financings, and Michal Schwartz as being knowledgeable in high-scale infrastructure and BOT projects.

The Legal 500 Latin America edition analyzes capabilities of law firms in Mexico, Central America and South America. Member firms highlighted in areas of energy in the most recent guide include:

PPO Abogados (Bolivia) is ranked Tier 2 for their Energy practice and works in projects in lithium extraction and green hydrogen, while maintaining a strong presence in hydrocarbons. The central team is highly praised by clients, which includes Mattias Garrón the go-to contact for regulatory issues across energy and natural resources; Carlos Pinto who is described as “excellent for commercial and transactional issues”; tax law expert Pablo Ordoñez and senior associate Delma Paz. One client commented, “The PPO team provides us with excellent support regarding all the needs of the company, particularly regarding transactional issues. We have worked with other firms in the past, however we believe they have a much more specialized platform.”

Robalino (Ecuador), is ranked Tier 2 for Energy and Natural Resources, consistently acting for high-profile clients in the renewables, mining, and oil-and-gas sectors, and earning a strong reputation for its handling of project finance matters, M&A and the structuring of projects. Legal 500 reported the team is jointly led by Andrés Donoso, who is active in structuring for oil and mining projects; Rafael Valdivieso, whose practice centers on oil-and-gas matters; and Javier Robalino, who has a long established reputation for both his transactional and contentious work.

Santiváñez Abogados (Peru) is ranked Tier 1 in Energy and Natural Resources: Power is a boutique firm with a long history of handling high profile developments in the Peruvian market, particularly in energy and natural resources. Key areas of expertise include international transactions, M&A, project development and financing, regulatory matters and litigation. The team is co-led by Fidel Rocha, Roberto Santiváñez (Hall of Fame) and Paul Sumar. Rocha acts for leading players in the energy market on regulatory, corporate and commercial issues; name partner Santiváñez has over 25 years’ experience in energy transactions; and Súmar is the principal advisor on power concessions and projects for the public investment agency Proinversión. Senior associate Abel Venero is the name to note for infrastructure public-private partnerships (PPPs), project development and administrative matters.

In the hydrocarbons segment, Santiváñez Abogados is ranked Tier 3 with exclusive focus on natural gas matters, primarily gas acquisition for large companies. It uses its strength in electricity work to advise major consumers on supply matters and gas transportation contracts, as well as similar work for clients in a range of manufacturing industries. The team also handles the development and financing of gas projects (upstream and pipelines) and gas-fired power generation projects. Senior associate Luigi Rossini is a specialist in the hydrocarbons area, particularly the negotiation of gas supply, transportation and distribution contracts; he also has experience in project development and regulation. Named partner Roberto Santiváñez is known to have “extensive knowledge of the energy and hydrocarbons sector,” leads many of the firm’s matters and oversees the practice.