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Michael Charlson handles complex litigation matters across a range of substantive areas, although he focuses his practice on securities class action, corporate governance and shareholder derivative litigation and related counseling. For more than 30 years, Michael has represented corporations, officers, directors and other constituencies, usually in lawsuits and investigations related to allegations that they have issued false and misleading statements or mismanaged the company. His clients span industries, from the most cutting-edge biotech innovators to gravel pit operators, and everything in between. And they are often facing billions of dollars of damages and serious threats to the enterprise’s continued existence. Michael also co-led the team that secured a jury verdict for defendants (including his client, the former CEO) in In re JDS Uniphase Securities Litigation, one of only a handful of securities class actions that have gone to trial.

Lucy Jenkins is an accomplished member of V&E’s Finance practice with extensive experience in domestic and cross-border leveraged finance transactions.

Michael advises clients on strategic and capital-raising transactions across a broad range of industries, including technology, renewable and sustainable energy, transportation and manufacturing. Michael has extensive experience with minority and growth equity investments (including preferred equity and convertible debt financings), as well as acquisitions, dispositions and sale-of-the-company transactions, and corporate reorganizations. He also regularly advises on corporate governance, securities law and other general corporate matters.

Louise serves as Head of International Disputes – Europe. She is ranked in Legal 500 UK, 2022 in the field of International Arbitration, where she is described by sources as “an excellent lawyer who is very sharp and easily accessible”, and “in a word, brilliant.” Louise has significant experience in arbitration and litigation of high value, complex international commercial disputes and investor-state arbitration. She also has extensive experience of dealing with fraud and corruption allegations and investigations in the context of large scale, complex international arbitration and litigation. She is admitted in England and Wales as a Solicitor-Advocate and regularly appears as an advocate before international arbitration tribunals. She represents clients across a wide range of industry sectors, including energy, banking and financial services, construction, infrastructure, technology and real estate development. Of particular note is Louise’s representation of a Saudi investor in Hesham Al-Warraq v. the Republic of Indonesia, an investor-state arbitration which set a precedent under the Investment Agreement of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, allowing foreign investors to take host states to arbitration.

Patrick’s practice focuses primarily on advising private and public companies, private equity funds, family offices and management teams in connection with corporate matters and strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, project development, and other financing transactions. He has extensive experience advising clients investing in the energy and infrastructure industries.

Chris serves as Co-Head of Vinson & Elkins’ Complex Commercial Litigation practice and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Chris is a trial lawyer who practices before courts and arbitration panels across the United States. He has litigated, arbitrated, and tried a range of commercial cases involving merger disputes, environmental matters, antitrust, corporate governance, licensing disputes, intellectual property, constitutional rights, Internet media, class actions, and other commercial matters.

Chris Mangin is a nationally-recognized authority on real estate investment trust (REIT) taxation, real estate funds, and real estate partnerships. Chris works with REITs, real estate companies, and private equity sponsors on IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, real estate fund formation, qualified opportunity zone funds, joint ventures, take-private transactions, spin-offs, financings, dispositions, recapitalizations, and issues relating to foreign investment in U.S. real estate under FIRPTA.

David is Head of Vinson & Elkins’ Restructuring and Reorganization group and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. David’s practice involves representing companies, equity holders, investors, and creditors in all aspects of complex corporate restructurings including chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings, and special situation investments and acquisitions.

Jessica is a partner in the Restructuring and Reorganization practice group. Her principal areas of practice include the representation of debtors, creditors, and investors in various aspects of complex corporate restructurings, including chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings, and acquisitions. Jessica has represented clients in a range of industries, including gaming, coal, retail, and professional sports.

Alex advises public and private companies, private equity firms and other financial sponsors on a broad range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and capital-raising transactions.

Abby’s principal areas of practice are private equity and mergers and acquisitions. She counsels private equity funds, their portfolio companies, and a variety of public and private companies in connection with strategic investments, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, as well as on general corporate matters.

Lauren’s practice focuses on all aspects of restructuring and reorganization work, including representing debtors, creditors, equity holders, and investors in chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings, and distressed acquisitions and investments. She has experience representing clients in a variety of industries including energy, transportation, agriculture, finance, health care, and food and beverage.

Christopher Green is a corporate finance attorney with a focus on capital markets and other corporate transactions involving REITs, real estate funds and specialty finance vehicles.

Greg’s principal areas of practice are capital markets, securities law, and mergers and acquisitions. He has a particular focus on representing real estate investment trusts (REITs). He advises REITs in all stages of their life cycles: initial capitalization and formation, debt and equity offerings, corporate governance, securities law issues and reporting obligations, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and activist investor defense. Greg is nationally ranked by Chambers USA, Legal 500 and Best Lawyers in America© in REITs.

Fry Wernick is a Chambers-rated lawyer and former federal prosecutor who serves as a partner in the Government Investigations and White Collar Practice Group in the firm’s Washington, D.C. and Dallas offices. As a former federal prosecutor and supervisor of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Fraud Section with experience as lead attorney in over 30 trials, Fry has a broad range of white collar enforcement and courtroom experience. Fry regularly conducts internal investigations and defends companies and individuals against government investigations into a broad range of conduct and he has specific experience prosecuting and defending cases involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), anti-money laundering (AML) statutes, the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), the False Claims Act (FCA), sanctions, campaign finance laws, and other fraud, consumer protection and corruption-related offenses. Fry also has extensive experience representing clients and appearing before numerous alphabet agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Department of Education (ED) and other regulators and investigative bodies. Fry also draws on his experience as a former counsel to the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary to help prepare and defend companies and individuals facing inquiries and investigations by Congress.

Jose F. Sanchez handles international arbitration matters in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, under the laws of numerous jurisdictions across the globe, with emphasis in New York and Latin America, under the ICC, ICSID, ICDR, LCIA, UNCITRAL, and the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce Rules. Jose’s practice focuses mostly on infrastructure, energy, investor-state relationships, and post-acquisition disputes, and he also has significant experience on disputes involving Intellectual Property rights and disputes related to the hospitality industry. In addition to acting as counsel, Jose has also served as arbitrator in cases handled by several institutions.

Palmina Fava is a partner at Vinson & Elkins’ New York office and the Co-Head of the Government Investigations & White Collar Defense practice group. With over 20 years of experience, Palmina represents clients in internal and government investigations, litigation, and corporate governance counseling, with a principal focus on matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), international anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and anti-bribery laws, accounting irregularities, bid rigging and unfair trade practices, off-label pharmaceutical marketing, misappropriation of trade secrets, fraud, cybersecurity, and data privacy.

Ron G. Nardini advises a broad base of clients on domestic and international tax matters. He focuses primarily on the formation, operation, and investments of private equity, venture capital, and hedge funds, with a particular focus on credit, health care, entertainment and cross-border investments.

Companies around the world have turned to Patrick for almost twenty-five years to represent them in environmental enforcement cases and to conduct their most sensitive internal environmental compliance investigations. Most recently, Patrick was the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), where he served as one of the highest-ranking environmental enforcement attorneys in the federal government. During his tenure at the EPA, Patrick supervised the agency’s nationwide Clean Air Act (CAA) civil enforcement docket. He was also integrally involved in the development of every significant enforcement policy and represented OECA in reviewing all CAA regulations and guidance issued by the EPA. Patrick leverages this insight into the EPA’s CAA enforcement process to effectively and efficiently represent clients facing enforcement investigations and actions.

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George’s practice involves representing debtors, creditors (including syndicated bank groups and agents), equity holders, and distressed investors in all aspects of complex corporate restructurings including chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings, and special situation investments and acquisitions. George also advises boards of directors and senior management of financially troubled companies regarding fiduciary duties; restructuring strategies and considerations; operating in chapter 11; negotiating and structuring financings; mass tort, environmental and other legacy liability issues; and a wide range of complex commercial transactions.

Miguel is a Corporate Partner in the London office and a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets practice group. He focuses his practice on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, investments, and strategic joint ventures.

Zachary (“Zach”) Terwilliger, the former Senate confirmed United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has extensive experience in all manners of federal investigations and trials. Those frontline skills combine with his mastery of involved management roles overseeing operational programs, setting policy parameters, and managing teams to accomplish strategic objectives. He gained this experience over a decades-long career in public service where he advanced from an office intern to serve as the presidentially appointed and Senate confirmed United States Attorney. He rounds out his Washington experience by having served as Associate Deputy Attorney General and Chief of staff to the Deputy Attorney General, whose office manages the entire Department of Justice and its various agencies, and as counsel to the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Michael P. Joyce’s practice focuses on energy and infrastructure finance. Michael has represented clients in numerous cutting-edge transactions in the energy and infrastructure field, with a particular emphasis on renewable energy sectors such as solar, wind, and storage. He also has considerable experience with geothermal, biomass, coal, gas-fired, and nuclear projects, as well as with joint ventures and the disposition and acquisition of energy and infrastructure assets. Mike is ranked by Chambers Global and Chambers USA in Projects: Renewables and Alternative Energy. Prior to joining the firm, Michael was a partner in the Los Angeles office of an AmLaw 50 Firm. Mike is Co-Practice Group Leader of V&E’s Energy Transactions and Projects practice group.

Josh Heideman’s practice focuses on renewable energy asset finance, acquisitions and the energy transition. Josh has represented clients in numerous renewable energy transactions in solar, wind, storage, geothermal, and biomass, with a particular emphasis on tax equity financing. He also has considerable experience with renewable asset financing, non-asset financing, mergers and acquisitions and asset deals in both the renewable energy and technology sectors. Prior to joining the firm, Josh was counsel in the Los Angeles office of an AmLaw 50 Firm.

Lauren Collins focuses on tax matters related to project finance, with an emphasis on renewable energy and infrastructure assets. Lauren has represented clients in the financing, disposition, acquisition, and development of renewable energy and energy transition projects, including solar, wind, energy storage, hydrogen, carbon sequestration, fuel cell, biogas, RNG, and manufacturing facilities, among others. She has considerable experience utilizing a variety of structures to finance these assets and has helped develop some of the most complex and cutting-edge renewable energy financing transactions in the U.S., including numerous first-of-its-kind deals. In the course of her practice, Lauren represents Fortune 50 companies, investors, utilities, sponsors, and developers in the renewable energy space and has advised clients more broadly in connection with various federal and state tax matters. Her experience includes tax equity, tax credit finance and sales, M&A, reorganizations and bankruptcy, project finance, and structured finance.

Sean focuses on asset finance, with an emphasis on financing, acquiring, and disposing of renewable energy, zero carbon, and infrastructure assets. Instrumental in creating the structure that has become the standard for renewable energy deals in the United States, Sean has handled many of the country’s largest and most complex renewable energy financing transactions, including numerous first-of-its-kind deals. In the course of his practice, Sean represents Fortune 50 companies, investors, sponsors, and developers. His clients include some of the largest investors in the renewable energy market, collectively investing billions of dollars in renewable energy generation. His projects include wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and waste-to-energy facilities that generate electric power in all but a couple of states. Recently, he has represented both investors and sponsors in the development of solar and storage facilities, off-shore wind power facilities, and fossil fuel power facilities that sequester carbon.

Aaron Prince’s practice focuses on asset based financing, acquisition and joint venture transactions. Aaron represents tax equity investors, private equity funds, sponsors, lenders, borrowers, and other investors in project finance, structured finance, acquisitions, joint ventures and general corporate transactions, primarily in the energy sector, including renewable energy (such as solar, wind, geothermal and refined coal). In addition, Aaron has experience advising clients on other asset-based and non-asset based financing transactions, including innovative transactions in the fintech space.

Described as “commercial and brilliant from a technical perspective,” Doug is a nationally recognized attorney with an extensive corporate practice, advising on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and other strategic transactions. Doug’s clients classify him as “one of the preeminent energy lawyers across capital markets” having “…seen every type of transaction.” (Chambers USA, 2023) He is one of a few attorneys in the country to be recognized by Chambers USA for both capital markets and corporate M&A.

David D’Alessandro is head of the Executive Compensation and Benefits practice, where he advises companies on the implementation of executive contracts with a particular focus on the tax and securities issues arising from executive compensation arrangements. David’s clients include both private and publicly traded companies in a wide range of industries, from energy to financial services. His practice entails both mergers and acquisitions work and day-to-day counseling. He regularly advises clients on matters involving stock options, restricted stock, profits interests, performance-based compensation arrangements, golden parachutes, 409A issues and Securities Act and Exchange Act compliance as well as the structuring of employment, change in control and severance agreements.

Bill Wallander has led a robust restructuring practice with more than 25 years of experience. A complex commercial problem solver who knows his way around a courtroom, Bill has experience in all phases of distress including out-of-court workout and restructurings, distressed asset acquisitions and divestitures, distressed finance transactions, bankruptcy cases and litigation.

Jason Powers is a commercial and business litigator who handles large-scale controversies between businesses, including disputes relating to joint ventures and the joint development of business opportunities. Energy related litigation, especially litigation concerning the financial side of the oil and gas industry, makes up a large part of his work. Jason also focuses on matters related to antitrust law and trade regulation, including class actions. Jason is co-head of the firm’s Antitrust group.

Matt works with clients on their most complex and demanding problems. He enjoys working closely with clients to understand their businesses and to help develop strategies to achieve the best outcome possible.

George has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in civil trials, litigation, and related appeals and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in Bet-the-Company Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law, Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property, and Securities Litigation. His practice involves a broad range of matters with particular emphasis on complex civil litigation, including lender liability, securities litigation, technology matters, and the defense of professional liability claims involving attorneys, accountants, and officers and directors.

Chris is a Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity-focused partner with more than 20 years of experience leading difficult, interdisciplinary corporate transactions. Chris frequently guides financial sponsors and operating companies through the enterprise life cycle – the initial formation, management team arrangements, bids and acquisitions; capital build-up through private equity and debt capital financings; development of pre-IPO governance structures; and private or public exit transactions. Chris works closely with V&E’s Capital Markets, Corporate Governance, Finance, Tax and other specialty teams. Chris has worked on transactions for more than a dozen leading private equity firms and family offices, involving more than 100 private equity-related transactional matters across many industry sectors. Chris is a leader of Vinson & Elkins’ working groups focused on Electric Power for Power Transmission Transactions, and for Renewable Fuels, which are part of the Firm’s focus on Energy Transition.

Matt Strock is the co-head of V&E’s Corporate practice. He advises private equity firms and their portfolio companies on investments, acquisitions, financings and divestitures. His clients are engaged in a wide range of industry sectors including midstream, upstream, oilfield services, manufacturing and technology.

With more than 40 years’ experience, Jim Lee is a pioneer in his field. Jim began his career as a general commercial litigator in the 1970s, but after repeatedly collaborating with bankruptcy attorneys, pursued what was then considered a novel path: building a practice that combined his skills as a litigator with his deep knowledge of bankruptcy law.

Steven Abramowitz’s practice focuses on restructuring, bankruptcy and transactions involving leveraged or financially distressed companies. He draws from his more than 25 years of experience to help businesses, creditors, investors and other clients navigate the opportunities and risks of pursuing acquisitions, divestitures, financings and other deals with companies that have either entered formal bankruptcy proceedings or face other challenging circumstances.

David is a partner and co-head of the Aviation Finance Team. David is tri-qualified in New York, England & Wales and Ireland, and his practice focuses on all aspects of aviation leasing and financing including portfolio acquisitions, asset backed securitizations, warehouse facilities, joint ventures, mergers & acquisitions, formal and informal restructurings and unsecured loans.

Nabeel serves as Head of International Disputes – MENA. He is ranked as a leading lawyer for both construction and dispute resolution by The Legal 500, Chambers Global and Who’s Who Legal, and has over two decades of experience advising clients on construction and commercial disputes.

Niels is a partner and co-head of the Aviation Finance Team. Niels’ practice focuses on esoteric structured finance transactions and on a broad range of aviation transactions, including corporate, asset-backed and structured financings in the loan and capital markets, restructurings and joint ventures.

Rebecca Fike is a Chambers-ranked lawyer, experienced litigator, and former SEC enforcement attorney focused on SEC and white collar defense and government and internal investigations. As Senior Counsel in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement for nearly 10 years, Rebecca conducted all aspects of her investigations, including three SEC “Top 5” national priority investigations, and multiple successful recommendations under the new administration and SEC Chairman.  She often conducted parallel investigations with the Department of Justice and other civil and criminal agencies. The SEC recognized her efforts with an Annual Enforcement Director’s Award for excellence in investigative work, as well as the inaugural Performance Incentive Bonus award for demonstrating an “extraordinary and rare level of performance that significantly surpasses the requirements of the job.”

Francisco advises public and private companies, private equity firms and their portfolio companies in connection with domestic and cross-border strategic transactions, including mergers & acquisitions, divestitures and equity financing transactions. His work spans a variety of industries, including technology, software, media, real estate, industrials, life sciences, healthcare, retail and consumer goods. Francisco also counsels public and private companies on general corporate matters.

Steve Medlock is an experienced antitrust litigator who brings dedication, intensity, and commercial common sense to his representations of Fortune 500 clients, whether navigating through complex multidistrict class actions or successfully defending clients in grand jury investigations. Clients place their trust in Steve to develop unique and complex antitrust arguments for both defendants and plaintiffs. Steve’s unique mix of plaintiff and defense-side experience allows him to see the issues that exclusive defense-sided practitioners miss in a full range of antitrust matters, including corporate counseling, internal investigations, civil non-merger and criminal cartel investigations, and litigation. In these areas, Steve is known for providing practical advice that business executives can digest. Steve has secured victories for clients in major antitrust class actions and B2B antitrust cases alleging monopolization and attempted monopolization at critical stages, including winning dismissal prior to discovery and prevailing at summary judgment. His depositions and briefs have been quoted in the The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Politico.

Patricia is a member of the firm’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits practice. She advises clients on a wide range of compensation and employee benefits arrangements, particularly with regard to issues arising from mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and initial public offerings.

Ben is Head of the London Corporate practice and a partner in our Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets team. He advises on a wide range of domestic and international mergers and acquisitions (public and private), financial investor investments and exits, joint ventures, strategic alliances, projects and complex commercial contracts. His work involves many industry sectors but he has a particular focus on energy, infrastructure, natural resources and diversified industrials. In recent years, Ben’s practice has also included a significant amount of Japan outbound investment work.

Kara Kuritz is a partner in Vinson & Elkins’ Antitrust practice. Her practice focuses on assessing antitrust risk in mergers and acquisitions, advising clients on how to navigate any antitrust risk, and working to ensure clients comply with US and global premerger notification requirements. Kara advocates on behalf of clients before the Federal Trade Commission, Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, and state regulators in inquiries or investigations into mergers, acquisitions, or business conduct and policies. She also provides antitrust counseling on issues such as diligence and pre-closing conduct, information sharing, competitor collaborations, and interlocking directorates.

Michael Scarborough is a first-chair trial attorney who focuses on antitrust litigation and competition-related government investigations. Mike has extensive experience handling international cartel investigations and litigation, class actions, high-stakes commercial disputes, consumer protection matters, and litigation and regulatory advocacy at the intersection of antitrust and intellectual property law. He regularly represents multinational businesses in all phases of class action, direct plaintiff and competitor litigation, from pre-complaint investigation through trial and appeal, and frequently guides businesses and individuals through civil and criminal matters involving federal and state enforcement agencies. He has helped clients successfully manage and avoid regulatory inquiries and litigation around the world.