Polyansky comes to Reed Smith from Haynes and Boone, where she served as co-chair of the global commodities team. Her practice combines years of working with physical commodities in the support of trading and marketing operations along with highly bespoke structured financing arrangements related to inventory monetization.
Polyansky has led many large-scale refinery inventory monetization transactions over her career, including deals for a private equity firm surrounding its acquisition of refining, distribution and retail assets located in Hawaii, and another for one of the fastest growing independent marketers of fuel and petroleum products in connection with its acquisition of refining and downstream assets in Canada, including more than 125 gas stations.
In just the last five years as outside counsel, Polyansky has built a unique and thriving practice known for successfully crafting creative commodity inventory monetization and intermediation structures, particularly involving crude oil and refined products. Most recently, she served as monetization counsel to a leading financial markets and commodities bank, which helped the largest U.S. refinery operation on the East Coast emerge from bankruptcy, in part via a new $900 million intermediation facility. Polyansky has also worked to “monetize” numerous kinds of assets and commodity types, which often require a bespoke, outside-the-box approach.
Also joining Reed Smith’s Houston office today as counsel is Jessica Cortez, who was also with Haynes and Boone briefly after serving for many years as managing counsel to one of the world’s leading global natural resources companies.
“Kirsten has an impeccable reputation for complex, high-value transactions,” said Energy & Natural Resources global chair, Prajakt Samant in London. “She and Jessica bring significant in-depth experience in the sophisticated aspects of commodities finance, as well as fresh, unique perspectives on in-house operations in the midstream and downstream spaces.”
About Kirsten Polyansky
Known for her specialized work in both physical oil trading and alternative commodities finance, Polyansky has successfully led numerous complex financing arrangements for refineries and other critical energy infrastructure in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany.
“I’m very excited to join forces with such a highly regarded global commodities team” said Polyansky. “My clients’ businesses will benefit from the depth and breadth of experience that the Reed Smith global platform offers. We look forward to introducing our oil and inventory intermediation and monetization practice to a broader section of the industry.”
In physical trading, Polyansky works on a wide variety of commercial matters in the midstream and downstream oil space, including supply and off-take arrangements, exchange transactions, storage and transport agreements for pipeline, vessel, barge, truck and rail, import and export documentation and compliance, licensing and regulatory authorizations, insurance coverage work, force majeure and other dispute-related events and credit documentation. Polyansky also applies her commercial approach in working with clients to set up first-time marketing and trading functions.
“Reed Smith has the largest global practice serving a full spectrum of market participants in commodities, midstream energy and natural resources,” said New York-based partner Kyri Evagora, who leads the firm’s commodities team. “The addition of Kirsten and Jessica is a further demonstration of our ongoing commitment to the expansion of our cross-border commodities team with a one-of-its kind, go-to, practice, and the continued growth of our Houston office.”
Before joining Hayes and Boone in 2014, Polyansky served as in-house counsel for almost a decade, most recently in the New York headquartered commodities division of a multinational bank. Prior to that, she was the lead attorney for the commercial group at a large U.S. midstream energy company, which she joined after working in private practice at Baker Hostetler and Hill Gilstrap.
Polyansky holds an LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center, a J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.
About Jessica Cortez
Jessica Cortez brings more than 20 years of experience in a wide range of transactional, midstream, downstream and regulatory compliance matters relating to physical and financial crude oil, condensate, refined products, natural gas, natural gas liquids and base metals.
Prior to joining Haynes and Boone in October 2018, Cortez served as managing counsel to one of the world’s largest global multinational mining and energy companies where she served as the primary legal advisor to the petroleum trading and marketing unit for all Atlantic-based principal and joint venture activities.
Her other experience includes serving as a vice president for the New York-headquartered commodities legal division of a multinational bank, counsel to a French headquartered multinational bank, as legal associate for the risk management division of a London- and Singapore-based commodities company, and a senior contract analyst for a New York-based global independent energy company.
Cortez received her J.D. from New York Law School and her B.A. from the State University of New York at Geneseo.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. Our belief is that by delivering smarter and more creative legal services, we will not only enrich our clients’ experiences with us, but also support them in achieving their business goals.
Our long-standing relationships, international outlook, and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for the speedy resolution of complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
For further information, please visit reedsmith.com.
