Energy/Finance Partner Robert Stephens Joins Sidley Austin

© 2015 The Texas Lawbook.

By Brooks Igo

(February 2) – Sidley Austin continues to grow its Houston office through strategic lateral hires.

The Chicago-founded law firm, which opened in Texas in 2012, announced that finance and energy law expert Robert Stephens has joined the group as a partner.

Stephens, who was a partner at Cadwalder for four years, said he wanted to join a firm that was making an impact in Houston, noting that Sidley now has 34 lawyers in the office.

“Sidley has a fantastic Houston office with terrific energy and finance practices,” said Stephens, who is friends with Houston-based Sidley partners Kenneth Anderson and Herschel Hamner. “I want to help Sidley expand its structured finance and derivatives expertise in Houston.”

In October, Stephens represented Mercuria Energy Group, a Swiss-based trading firm that is one of the world’s largest commodity traders, in an $800 million purchase of J.P. Morgan’s physical commodities business.

Stephens said the fall in the price of oil will remain front and center for clients in 2015.

“It will create difficult times for clients,” said Stephens, a UT School of Law graduate. “But difficult times are good for the best lawyers.

“Lawyers with bankruptcy and structured finance expertise will have opportunities,” he said.

Stephens said he is also seeing a continued interest in renewable energy projects due to falling costs to undertake such projects.

“Robert’s arrival follows closely that of energy and private equity partners David B. Denechaud and Joe F. Flack III, as we continue to expand our resources dedicated to energy transactions and financing,” Jim Rice, co-managing partner of Sidley’s Houston office and co-leader of the firm’s energy practice, said in a statement.

“Robert’s broad and deep energy financing knowledge will greatly benefit the firm’s institutional finance, investment fund and operating company clients as they navigate the challenges of the current oil price environment,” Rice said.

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