Kilpatrick announced today that John Pierce, one of the nation’s leading energy attorneys, has joined the firm’s Seattle office as a partner. Mr. Pierce will be a member of the firm’s nationally recognized and expanding Energy Practice. He was previously a partner at Stroock.
For more than three decades, Mr. Pierce’s practice has focused on structuring, development, and financing of energy and infrastructure projects. He represents clients in connection with power generation projects fueled by an array of traditional, renewable, and conventional energy sources. Mr. Pierce also works with carbon mitigating credits, offsets and trading structures, the creation and application of carbon trading protocols and markets, carbon sequestration, other environmental attributes, and related market-based means to add value to certain energy projects.
Mr. Pierce’s practice is international in scope. He has been project counsel for the development of utility-scale solar projects in the United States, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. For example, he recently advised on the development and financing of wind farms and PV solar projects across the United States. Mr. Pierce was primary counsel on a 1,000 MW offshore wind farm in California, a 700+ MW offshore wind farm in Hawaii; similar offshore wind farm projects in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and the Caribbean; a variety of PV solar and batter storage systems; the development of utility-scale solar thermal for steam injection projects in oil production fields; pump storage projects in California, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington; as well as electric vehicle infrastructure and renewable hydrogen production technologies and projects in Texas, California, Washington, and Iceland. Additionally, he has infrastructure project experience where he has counseled on the development of port facilities (bulk and container), airports, toll roads, terminals, refineries and associated pipelines, and industrial zones.
“Our Energy Practice has been seeking to expand and complement the firm’s capabilities in project development and financing of energy and renewable companies,” said Mark Riedy, Chair of Kilpatrick’s Energy Practice. “John’s deep experience will enable him to help grow and expand the firm’s already strong client service offerings in this area. Also, with the Inflation Reduction Act driving a tremendous amount of transactional legal work, John’s addition is perfect timing. On behalf of the firm, I welcome John to Kilpatrick.”
“Kilpatrick has an outstanding reputation for its work with top-tier and emerging companies in the energy sector,” said Mr. Pierce. “I look forward to collaborating with the team as we enhance our capabilities on the West Coast and beyond. The firm brings the total package to the table especially when energy clients need expert counsel in the areas of intellectual property, tax, environmental, and real estate. I am excited to meet and begin working with my new colleagues across all practice areas and offices.”
Mr. Pierce is ranked as a Band 1 lawyer in Energy and Natural Resources by Chambers USA. He is a recognized thought leader and prolific speaker on issues related to renewable energy, biofuels, solar energy, hydrogen, and wood biomass. Mr. Pierce earned a J.D., with high honors, from the University of Washington School of Law, his B.S., magna cum laude, from San Francisco State University, and attended the Harvard Business School Executive Training Program. He is admitted to practice in Washington, Oregon, and Washington, D.C.
Mr. Pierce is committed to giving back to the legal community and beyond. He advises several nonprofits in Southeast Asia working on refugee issues and human rights matters, acted as counsel to Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and has advised the U.S. State and Commerce Departments on energy and political matters relating to Cambodia, Mongolia, and Vietnam. He is currently a member of the University of Washington School of Law, International Transactions and Practice, Lecturer; the University of Washington School of Law, Board of Directors of the Global Business Law Institute; the San Francisco Economic Roundtable; the American Wind Energy Association; the Geothermal Energy Association/Geothermal Resources Council; the E8; and the Oregon State Bar House of Delegates.
Source: www.kilpatricktownsend.com
