Young Lee

Partner

New York

Young is a lawyer in the Energy and Infrastructure Group who focuses on large infrastructure projects using public-private partnerships (PPP/P3).

Young is recognized as a Leading Lawyer by Chambers USA and Chambers Global (2010-2024), where clients state, “Young is a spectacular lawyer. She is smart, creative and commercial - a stand out person to work with,” she “provides expert representation in the development and financing of high-value and sophisticated infrastructure projects,” and is “very insightful and bringing a lot of practical experience to deals.”

Young represents sponsors, lenders and investors in the development, construction, financing and operation and maintenance of complex infrastructure projects and the acquisition and sale of projects and companies in the infrastructure sector. She has been involved in many of the largest U.S. PPP transactions that have achieved financial close in the past several years.

Young has acted as lead counsel in numerous project financings, acquisitions and other strategic arrangements in the United States and abroad. These transactions have involved, among other assets, toll roads, airports, port facilities, generation assets, telecommunications infrastructure, water and waste facilities, and companies owning portfolios of infrastructure assets.

Young also serves as Lead Director of Orrick's Board.

Engagements
- Bridging Pennsylvania Developer I, a consortium of Macquarie and Shikun & Binui, as sponsors counsel for PennDOT’s Pathways Major Bridge P3 initiative, including the design, build, finance and maintenance of six bridges in critical need of replacement across the Commonwealth. The project is the first transportation-related P3 to close utilizing a pre-development agreement (PDA) structure. Financial close was reached December 2022.
- Meridiam Infrastructure North America and NORESCO as co-sponsors in the P3 concession to design, build, finance and maintain the energy systems serving the Fresno State campus at California State University, including upgrading of the conventional electricity facilities, developing a solar facility and energy conservation measures. It represents the first P3 higher education energy transaction financed with Green Bonds.
- The Port Authority of NY & NJ (PANYNJ) in the redevelopment of JFK International Airport and associated infrastructure. Terminal One reached financial close June 2020.
- VINCI in connection with a potential acquisition of an airline terminal concession at a U.S. airport.
- Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets in connection with the auction sale of MIRA’s equity interests in a portfolio of maritime port assets in the U.S. and Canada, including Halterm Container Terminal in Halifax, Canada and Penn Terminals in Eddystone, Pennsylvania.
- Miami-Dade County Courthouse PPP transaction to DBFOM a new 600,000 square foot courthouse facility in Miami-Dade County to replace the current facility, being procured by Miami-Dade County's Internal Services Department.
- Macquarie Capital, Fengate and Veolia in connection with their bid to acquire The Ohio State University energy systems, which representation included negotiation and documentation of bridge bank facility and 4(a)(2) private placement notes.
- Macquarie/First Solutions/LedCor consortium as financing counsel for the KentuckyWired fiber optics project. Orrick structured a market setting innovative solution and the project closed with tax-exempt financing (2016).
- PANYNJ in the redevelopment of the Hudson River underwater rail crossings and associated infrastructure (Gateway Project) currently in the preliminary stages of development and financing, including possible RRIF/TIFIA funding.
- PANYNJ in connection with the procurement for the privatization of the Central Terminal Building at LaGuardia Airport (2016).
- IFM Investors Pty Ltd in its US$5.72 billion acquisition of 100% of the membership interests of ITR Concession Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Statewide Mobility Partners, a Cintra / Macquarie joint venture (2015).
- The sponsors for the I-95 HOV/HOT Lanes Project in Virginia, financed in part by tax-exempt private activity bonds (2012).
- The sponsors for the Downtown Tunnel/Midtown Tunnel/Martin Luther King Freeway Extension Project in Virginia, financed in part by tax-exempt private activity bonds and by a TIFIA Loan (2012).
- The sponsors for a concession granted by the Regional Transportation District for the construction, financing and operation of a commuter rail network in the Denver metropolitan area (2010). The project was financed in part by tax-exempt private activity bonds.
- The underwriters for the tax-exempt private activity bond financing for the North Tarrant Express Facility in Texas, the first PPP project in the U.S. financed by unwrapped bond debt (2009).
- The sponsors for the development, construction and financing of the Capital Beltway HOT Lanes in Virginia, involving the largest private equity investment to date in a U.S. greenfield toll road project and the first use of tax-exempt private activity bond financing for a transportation facility under authorization granted by the 2006 federal transportation act (Project Finance Magazine 2008 “Americas’ Overall Project Finance Deal of the Year” and 2008 “North American Bond Deal of the Year;” Infrastructure Journal 2008 “Transportation Deal of the Year;” and The Bond Buyer 2008 “Non-Traditional Deal of the Year”).