Locke Lord Continues Expansion of New York Office and Nationally Recognized Renewable Energy Practice With Addition of Jeffrey Escobar as Partner

(NEW YORK) September 12, 2022 – Jeffrey Escobar has joined Locke Lord’s Real Estate and Finance Practice Group and Renewable Energy Section as a Partner in the Firm’s New York office.

Escobar joins Locke Lord from Dorsey & Whitney. He focuses his practice on advising lenders, sponsors, investors, project companies, public and private utility companies, private equity funds, joint ventures, institutional owners and closely held developers across the United States and throughout the Americas on their deployment of capital on the debt and tax equity project financing, M&A, development and sale-leaseback of complex and large-scale utility grade renewable (solar, onshore and offshore wind), geothermal and alternative energy (including biofuel and emerging energy) projects, as well as large infrastructure, transportation and private-public development projects.

“Jeff will immediately strengthen the Firm’s capabilities in renewable energy debt finance and related transactions while adding important depth to our nationally recognized renewable energy team,” said Ben Cowan, Chair of Locke Lord’s Renewable Energy Section. “A lawyer with experience like Jeff’s is not easy to come by, and we are excited for him to assist our clients with their complex renewable energy finance matters, as well as to collaborate closely with lawyers across our practice groups, in particular our premier public finance team, on a variety of real estate and commercial project finance matters.”

Escobar’s addition follows a number of recent key hires in the Firm’s New York office, including IP Litigation Partner Mark Hannemann and Financial Services Litigation Partner Dom Cervoni.

“Jeff’s arrival combined with the additions of Mark, Dom and Jared already this year is just the latest milestone in the Firm’s continued commitment to growing our New York office and team and to building upon the great momentum we’ve established in New York,” added Lisa Ruggiero, Managing Partner of Locke Lord’s New York office. “His vast experience will bolster our renewables and finance practices in New York and throughout the Northeast.”

Escobar has led hundreds of large and complex vertical and horizontal projects spanning the Americas on behalf of key players within the renewable and traditional energy spaces. He counseled a Scandinavian-based offshore wind developer in its financing, development and bid for the construction and operation of offshore wind farms off of the coasts of New Jersey and Virginia and advised a publicly traded geothermal conglomerate with respect to its development and financing concerns in its $2 billion acquisition of a portfolio of three geothermal power generating assets in Colorado and Nevada. He also advised a U.S.-based institutional bank in its $396 million financing of a sponsor-led acquisition and development of a portfolio of eight solar facilities in California, Colorado and New Mexico, and spearheaded the construction to term financing component of a $2.3 billion syndicated lending to a privately held electricity provider in its decommissioning of two diesel-powered plants as well as the construction of two replacement LNG turbine-powered plants along with three corresponding battery storage facilities in Southern California and Nevada.

“Locke Lord has a robust renewable energy practice and unparalleled breadth and depth of knowledge and experience in the energy industry,” said Escobar. “The Firm’s strong platform, as well as its entrepreneurial and innovative team approach, will be integral to continue growing my renewable energy practice and serving my clients at the highest level.”

As a committed advocate for responsible community development, Escobar was appointed by the Manhattan Borough President to Chair the Roosevelt Island-Cornell Technion Task Force of Manhattan Community Board 8, which was tasked with the community approval and management of the construction and development of the Cornell Tech NYC Graduate School and campus. In addition, he was appointed as one of nine directors on the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, the public benefit corporation charged with the development, operation and governance of Roosevelt Island, New York, and its 14,000 residents.

Escobar is also a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Industry Committee, Asian American Bar Association of New York, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund Foundation, New York City Bar Association’s Construction Law Committee and New York State Bar Association’s Real Estate Construction Committee.

Locke Lord is one of the world's preeminent energy law firms. The Firm has built one of the nation’s leading practices representing developers, investors and lenders in the development, sale, purchase, financing and operation of renewable energy projects of all types across North America. In addition, the Firm regularly represents major and independent oil and gas companies, midstream and pipeline companies, power generation companies, refineries and petrochemical operations, oil and gas service companies and other energy-related companies, both domestically and internationally.

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About Locke Lord LLP
Locke Lord is a full-service law firm with global reach and 20 offices designed to meet clients’ needs in the United States and around the world. The Firm has a history that spans more than 130 years and is a leader in the middle market arena. Locke Lord focuses on providing the highest levels of commitment, quality and service to clients across its five Key Sectors: Energy and Infrastructure; Finance and Financial Services; Insurance and Reinsurance; Pharmaceutical; and Private Equity. In addition, the Firm advises clients across a broad spectrum of other industries, including fund formation, venture capital, health care, public finance, real estate, technology, cybersecurity and white collar, while providing a wealth of experience through its complex litigation, intellectual property, tax, regulatory and transactional teams.