12 Additional Attorneys Join Akin Gump's Powerhouse Renewables Team

Arrivals solidify internationally recognized Umanoff and Zaelke-led global project finance practice

LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP announced today that Kerin Cantwell and Daniel Sinaiko have joined the firm's project finance and renewable energy practice as partners in Los Angeles. They are being joined by five counsel and five associates.  The 12 attorneys all previously practiced at Chadbourne & Parke LLP.  

The team follows the May 12, 2011, arrival of former Chadbourne partners Edward Zaelke, Adam Umanoff, Thomas I. Dupuis and Lloyd MacNeil.  The team is a nationally recognized practice in project finance and the renewable energy industry. Mr. Umanoff and Mr. Zaelke will serve as co-chairs of the firm's global project finance practice.

Firm Chairman R. Bruce McLean remarked, "We are thrilled with the arrival of Ed and Adam's team.  This significant move continues our momentum as we expand our world-class project finance practice and solidify our presence in the renewable energy industry."

Mr. Umanoff stated, "We are, of course, very pleased that our team is joining us at Akin Gump.  They are an extremely talented, hard-working and fun group and are as excited as we are about the opportunities that lie ahead with our new firm.  Our entire team plans to work out of Akin Gump's Century City office until permanent space for the firm's new downtown office is ready."

Mr. Zaelke added, "Our clients and we have been fortunate to have a tremendous team of very talented young lawyers working with us in Los Angeles over these past several years, and we are delighted to have nearly all of them moving over with us to Akin Gump.  They are impressed with the depth of leading practices at Akin Gump and the enthusiasm of the team we are joining. This is a great move for us and our clients."

Kerin Cantwell's practice focuses on energy project development, construction, finance, and asset and corporate acquisitions and divestitures, with an emphasis on renewable energy projects. She has represented project sponsors, developers, lenders and investors in a wide variety of domestic and international transactions.  Having previously practiced U.S. law in Hong Kong, Ms. Cantwell has particular experience assisting clients with projects in Asia involving traditional lenders, institutional investors and multilateral agencies.

Daniel Sinaiko focuses on the representation of developers, sponsors, lenders and investors in the renewable energy sector. For these clients, he has handled development, debt finance, equity finance, and merger and acquisition transactions for capital and infrastructure projects, including utility-scale solar projects and large-scale wind projects. Mr. Sinaiko has also practiced extensively in the financial restructuring arena, representing secured and unsecured creditors, debtors, trustees and official and unofficial creditor committees.

The five counsel joining Akin Gump are:  John Ha, Jennifer Lootens, David Markey, Matthew Nesburn and Bill Salamandrakis.

The five associates are: Thomas Byrne, Tiffany Duong, Juliet Howland, Andrea Lucan and Sharona Toobian.

Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, a leading international law firm, numbers more than 800 lawyers in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Its renewable energy practitioners are located in California, Texas, New York and Washington, D.C., providing clients with access to the centers of renewable activity, project finance and legislative action.  

Note: The May 12, 2011 press release announcing the arrival of Umanoff, Zaelke, Dupuis and MacNeil, including photos, is available at

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nationally-recognized-renewable-energy-lawyers-join-akin-gump-in-los-angeles-121741613.html.

SOURCE Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP