By Mark Curriden, JD
Senior Writer
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld have officially added three former Dewey & LeBoeuf energy transactional lawyers – Steven Otillar, John LaMaster and Marc Hammerson – as partners effective immediately.
The trio focuses on cross-border transactions in the energy sector. Otillar is based in Houston, while LaMaster and Hammerson are in Akin Gump’s London office. They join Houston partner Steve Davis, who joined Akin Gump in March as the firm’s global transaction’s leader.
In an interview with The Texas Lawbook, Otillar said that he chose Akin Gump over offers from other law firms because Akin Gump “is strongly positioning itself at the intersection” of traditional energy companies, private equity firms and state-owned energy operations.
“We are seeing the private equity firms looking internationally for some good investment opportunities that are available,” he says. “The global energy market is still active and exciting, as it relates to mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.”
Otillar points to Argentina, West Africa, Angola, Mexico and other Latin American countries as possible options for financially good deals for private equity firms.
At the same time, he believes that the market will see national oil companies in South Korea and China increasing their appetite for joint ventures in the U.S.
Otillar has represented El Paso Corporation and other large publicly traded companies in energy transactions in Mexico, China, West Africa, and Latin America. He is the U.S. Regional Director for the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators.
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