Gibson Dunn Adds Energy Private Equity Partner
Clay Brett is joining Gibson Dunn in Houston, brining his expertise in energy private equity. Brett – currently a member of the city council of West University Place – had been at Baker Botts since May 2023, following a stint in house at Millennial Energy Partners. Earlier in his career, he was with Bracewell & Giuliani and Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
“Clay is one of the leading private equity lawyers in the energy sector,” said Michael Piazza, co-chair of the Gibson Dunn practice Brett is joining. “His experience advising sponsors across the investment lifecycle, combined with his time on the investor side, gives him a unique perspective on the commercial and legal issues that drive successful transactions.”
Brett was the lead legal advisor representing Norway-based Eldorado Drilling in two separate M&A transactions that had a combined value of $550 million, according to the Corporate Deal Tracker database.
Rahul Vashi, co-chair of the Gibson Dunn oil and gas group, said Brett “brings a sophisticated understanding of the commercial and investment forces shaping today’s energy landscape.”
“Houston is the global center for energy investment, with capital flowing across traditional oil and gas, power, infrastructure, and energy transition opportunities,” Vashi said in a news release “He deepens our market-leading capabilities in some of the most active areas of energy investment and positions us to meet growing client demand.”
Brett was the co-head of Baker Botts’ energy private equity practice. He holds a bachelor’s in economics and political science from the University of Florida and a JD from Vanderbilt University.
Last June, Houston capital markets lawyer Atma Kabad lateraled to Gibson Dunn from Kirkland, and this past April, energy industry attorney Omar Samji returned to Gibson Dunn from Weil.
Another White & Case Lawyer Moves to London with Baker Botts
Caroline McDonald is leaving White & Case in Houston to join Baker Botts in London as special counsel, focusing on complex LNG projects and transactions.
McDonald was with White & Case since late 2021 – save seven months as senior legal counsel at Houston clean energy company 8 Rivers – after beginning her career with Vinson & Elkins in Houston. McDonald earned a JD at Vanderbilt University Law School.
Baker Botts has been leveling up in London. The Houston-based firm added 13 lawyers who worked at White & Case and Vinson & Elkins in the Square Mile in 2025.
McDonald advises governments, project developers, sponsors and investors on LNG and energy projects.
In April, The Lawbook’s CDT Roundup reported that McDonald was part of team that advised Serra Verde Group, owner of a rare earth mine and processing plant in Brazil, in its sale to USA Rare Earth.
Baker Botts Managing Partner Danny David said the scale of investment in LNG is creating a significant opportunity to build the firm’s leadership in the market.
“Energy has been at the heart of our firm for more than a century, and we have been part of the LNG industry’s development for more than five decades,” David said in a news release. “We are building on that market advantage globally through continued investment in London, and Caroline’s international project experience further solidifies our leadership position in the sector.”
David Jetter, global head of LNG at Baker Botts said McDonald’s experience complements the firm’s cross-border practice.
“With U.S. exports expanding alongside new projects in other markets, commercial positioning will become increasingly important,” Jetter said. “Caroline has worked across some of the largest and most complex LNG projects in the U.S. and internationally.”
Mayer Brown Adds Houston Partner with Global Focus to Banking, Finance Practice
Justin Hewett has joined the leveraged finance and private capital group of Mayer Brown in Houston after about four and a half years at DLA Piper across town.
Hewett started his career at Clifford Chance, working in London and Beijing. He practiced in Australia prior to joining DLA Piper in late 2021. He holds a bachelor of laws from The University of Western Australia with a diploma in Chinese Mandarin. Hewett also has a master’s in Chinese law from Tsinghua University.
“Justin’s depth of experience further strengthens our ability to support private credit funds, banks, and other institutional lenders on a variety of complex transactions, and we are delighted to continue to grow our finance presence in Texas,” said Andrew Vouziers, co-leader of the group Hewett is joining.
Hewett advises clients on middle-market, growth capital, asset-based, sponsor-led, syndicated and direct lending transactions with significant experience in healthcare, life sciences and fintech. Hewett also provides counsel on energy and infrastructure finance deals, with a focus on renewable and other sustainable projects.
Sidley Nabs Winston Partners in Houston, Miami, New York and D.C.
Less than three months after the merger of Chicago-based Winston & Strawn and U.K. firm Taylor Wessing, Chicago-based Sidley Austin has added four partners to its energy, transportation and infrastructure practice who used to work for Winston.
In Houston, Patrick Selinger brings Sidley experience in renewable energy, conventional power, and transmission deals. Selinger represents infrastructure funds, private equity investors, developers and companies in complex investments and transactions.
He started at Winston & Strawn in Houston in early 2018 after more than six years at Norton Rose Fulbright in New York that couched a 10-month run in house as legal counsel for BTG Pactual Commodities. Selinger graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree in history and economics. He earned a JD from NYU’s School of Law.
Michael Pikiel Jr. joins Sidley in New York with 25 years of experience representing sponsors, developers, investors, lenders, and underwriters in major infrastructure and project finance transactions. Pikiel was with Winston for more than eight years following almost a decade at Norton Rose Fulbright in New York. He started practicing with Bowditch & Dewey in Boston.
Richard Puttré comes to Sidley’s Miami office after more than four years as a partner in Winston’s global project finance and infrastructure group and key member of the Latin American practice group. He was a partner at Jones Day for two decades prior to moving to Winston in April 2022 and has worked extensively in Madrid and Mexico City.
In the nation’s capital, Tom Millar joins Sidley to advise on transactional and enforcement matters in the U.S. energy markets. Millar arrived at Winston in May 2022 and advised on power and gas transactional and enforcement matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and in federal court, including sophisticated market manipulation enforcement actions. Prior to Winston, he was with Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in D.C.
“What makes this group exceptional is their experience in global energy and infrastructure transactions across a wide variety of assets ranging from power plants to pipelines and toll roads,” said Yvette Ostolaza, chair of Sidley’s management committee.
“Mike and Patrick’s deep project finance experience, Rich’s extensive experience developing and financing energy and infrastructure assets across the U.S. and Latin America, and Tom’s highly specialized FERC regulatory and enforcement practice, add to our genuinely differentiated platform that few firms can match.”