Energy Technologies

Orrick has been a leading advisor to the energy industry for more than 100 years and is recognized as the premier legal service provider to the next generation of advanced energy technology companies. We provide energy technology companies with a unique combination of services unsurpassed by any other firm - the largest group of dedicated emerging companies lawyers, innovative leadership creating public-private partnerships, extensive energy project finance experience, an international platform and energy-focused intellectual property capabilities.  The breadth of our practice and our experience with a diversity of energy companies enables us to provide creative and effective solutions to the challenges facing energy companies operating in the full spectrum of energy technologies.

Our Energy Technology Practice

Our experience and knowledge of the energy industry provides us with a valuable understanding of the legal, business and legislative issues of concern to energy technology companies.  Our proven track record has been recognized by Chambers USA 2010, which described Orrick's energy practice in California as "high-stakes work, be it conventional regulatory litigation or providing CPUC knowledge on transactional issues such as M&A involving regulated utilities."

From our first energy client, PG&E, a client we continue to advise as primary outside corporate counsel, our client base has expanded to more than 1,100 energy companies worldwide.  Our energy company clients range from emerging companies to large, publicly held corporations involved in the exploration and application of advanced technologies to improve the economic and environmental attractiveness of emerging energy sources.  Our experience includes the following sectors of the energy technology industry:

• Solar
• Wind
• Waste-to-energy
• Ethanol
• Hydrogen and fuel cells
• Water purification
• Biomass
• Gas

Our clients include industry leaders such as PG&E Corporation, Sempra Energy, AES, Chevron, Gaz de France, Osaka Gas, Tennessee Valley Authority and TXU Corporation, as well as preeminent energy technology companies such as Advent Solar, Altergy Systems, ClearFuels Technology, MIOX, Nanosolar, Nexant, Qynergy Corporation, Sensicore, Solar Integrated Technologies and ZeaChem.  We represent all the key players required to make the business of advanced energy technology a success - developers, investors, manufacturers and government entities. 

Our Emerging Companies Practice

The Orrick Emerging Companies Group is a multidisciplinary international team of more than 100 lawyers, representing emerging companies and the venture capitalists and investment banks that support them. Centered in our Silicon Valley office, the Emerging Companies Group advises more than 700 emerging company clients worldwide, including a significant number of energy clients.  Our work for these clients includes formation, venture financings, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, private debt offerings, joint ventures and strategic alliances, corporate governance, general corporate matters, technology transactions, intellectual property, compensation and benefits and employment advice. 

In addition to counseling emerging companies, we have relationships with more than 100 venture capital firms, including top venture capitalists focusing on energy. These relationships enable us to remain at the forefront of the innovative technologies and market trends of the highly fluid energy technology industry.   Our network also provides us with opportunities to facilitate introductions between energy technology companies seeking funding and venture capitalists with an interest to invest.

Our Global Resources

As a full service firm with more than 1,100 lawyers in 22 offices throughout the world, Orrick has the capability and experience to provide scalable resources to our energy clients as they grow.   Our attorneys regularly advise energy clients in matters that include capital markets, public finance, real estate, tax, environmental, technology transactions, intellectual property, commercial and securities litigation.  In addition, our network expands beyond venture capitalists and leading energy companies to include relationships with investment banks, accounting firms, national laboratories, universities, private equity funds and other public companies, all of which are critical resources to energy technology companies.