With the Arrival of Ben Clark and David McCullough, Pillsbury Further Solidifies Place at the Forefront of the Energy Transition
09.19.22
Continuing Pillsbury’s concerted and ongoing efforts to serve clients across the energy industry spectrum in connection with the energy transition, the firm today announced the hiring of renowned corporate practitioners Ben Clark and David McCullough. Clark will reside in Pillsbury’s Houston office while McCollough will split time between Washington, DC, and New York. Both join from Eversheds Sutherland, where Clark served as co-leader of the U.S. Energy Projects team and was previously a member of the firm’s Global Board and U.S. Executive Committee and McCullough served as co-leader of the Commodity Trading team.
“Whether in the context of traditional sectors like oil & gas, biofuels and nuclear, or new ones like hydrogen and off-shore wind, we have been laser-focused on expanding our roster of Pillsbury practitioners who can help clients navigate the complexities, risks and opportunities of the ongoing energy transition,” said Energy Industry Group Leader Sheila Harvey. “To varying degrees, the energy transition will impact every sector in every market worldwide. The arrival of Ben and David adds two more outstanding practitioners—with unique and differentiated skill sets—who are similarly dedicated to helping meet clients’ many related needs.”
Clark, a well-known Houston dealmaker who has spent more than 40 years advising the energy sector on business-critical transactions, joins Pillsbury as senior counsel. He brings extensive experience representing the industry in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, advising electric and gas utilities, pipelines, refineries, commodity trading firms and oilfield service companies, as well as climate tech and other businesses operating at the cutting-edge of the energy transition. Among numerous high-profile engagements, he has advised a commodity trading firm in the acquisition of a metals trading business; an oilfield services company in the acquisition of an oilfield technology concern, and an energy holding company in the divestiture of a natural gas storage facility.
McCullough, who will be partner at Pillsbury, counsels producers and traders of energy commodities and low-carbon products, particularly low-carbon fuels, refined products and environmental and carbon credits. His practice spans energy regulatory issues, trade issues, transactional agreements and in litigation, largely in support of clients operating in the renewable energy space. Over the past decade, he has been at the forefront of helping clients bring to market new and innovative low-carbon fuels and navigate the emerging carbon and green credit markets. He is recognized as a market leader when it comes to legal advice relating to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), renewable identification number (RIN) trading, state low carbon fuel standards (LCFS), greenhouse gas emission reduction programs, and carbon credit/ offset trading.
“Ben and David greatly enhance our ability meet the rapidly evolving transactional needs of energy sector businesses,” said Jeff Delaney, the leader of Pillsbury’s global Corporate practice. “Ben brings decades of industry deal making experience and an outstanding reputation in the Houston market, while David’s knowledge of emerging carbon credit markets has earned him a well-deserved reputation as one of the preeminent renewable energy lawyers in the country. Their diverse skill sets and common understanding of the energy transition, its opportunities, and its challenges, will be of tremendous value to the clients we represent.”
Pillsbury’s diversified roster of Energy practitioners has grown significantly in recent years, expanding and evolving just as the broader industry has. Since the start of 2019, the firm has brought on or promoted more than a dozen sector-focused partners in London, New York, Houston, Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo and other key markets. This growth further solidifies Pillsbury’s long-established reputation as a leading advisor to oil & gas, LNG and nuclear energy clients, while also affording innovative counsel in connection with newer energy sources and applications such as solar, wind and geothermal power, hydrogen, fusion, biofuels, carbon capture and battery storage.
In addition to Clark and McCullough, other recent laterals include leading international energy and infrastructure projects practitioners Mona Dajani, Bob Nelson and Veronica Relea; Jorge Medina, who focuses on tax aspects of renewable investments and financing transactions; cross-border energy dealmakers Greg Hammond, Jeff Schrepfer and Gavin Watson; Oil & Gas litigators Anthony Guerino, Liz Klingensmith and Willie Wood; occupational safety and health litigation partner Tom Van Wyngarden; international arbitration practitioners Richard Deutsch and Derek Soller; and Anne Idsal Austin, who previously served as both Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. EPA’s Office of Air & Radiation and as a Regional Administrator for EPA Region 6, overseeing federal environmental programs in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
“It was important to me that we join a firm that is committed to the Texas market and has an established reputation within the traditional energy industry, but that is also out in front of the broad shift to carbon reduction efforts and renewable sources of power,” Clark said. “When it comes to the energy transition, Pillsbury is a genuine leader among law firms, and I look forward to collaborating with David and our new colleagues to further enhance that reputation.”
Added McCullough: “The extensive roster of Pillsbury lawyers with a focus on the energy sector—and the energy transition more specifically—is quite unique in my experience. It is exciting to join a firm that has really doubled down on the industry and that can bring so many different perspectives and skill sets to bear for its clients.”
Pillsbury advises companies around the world and across industries as they evolve and adapt to the challenges and opportunities of growing energy demand, energy diversification, and decarbonization. From helping to advance new energy technologies to providing established companies with guidance on meeting decarbonization goals, Pillsbury provides energy stakeholders with comprehensive industry experience and a track record of innovation and success.